It seems that Europe’s charter operators are going block ownership crazy. With four Pilatus PC 12s now in operation, Sky Air has decided it is time to initiate a block hours scheme, to be called Time Jet.

The latest aircraft to join the PC-12 fleet is vibrantly decorated with brightly coloured sunflowers; unfortunately, Jurg Fleischmann of Sky Air, and also owner of Lions Air, is honour-bound not to discuss the identity of the owner or the thinking behind the floral paint work. He did, however, elaborate on Time Jet. \r

“We are starting the Time Jet fractional ownership programme around the end of March,” said Fleischmann. “Well, it’s actually a block hour programme, not true fractional ownership. People who sign in for the programme buy block hours and pay a monthly management fee.

“It is 1,500 Swiss Francs plus a management fee, depending on how many hours are used.”\r

The new PC 12 will be a back up aircraft for the block hours programme, but will not be used for charter as the owner expects to fly it frequently, reports Fleischmann. Half a dozen customers have been signed, and the scheme will be officially announced during EBAA, according to Fleischmann.

“The market is there for the PC 12 because of the aircraft’s performance and short field possibilities. More and more people in Switzerland and southern Germany are getting tired with all the delays of international air travel, and they decide to fly to very small airfields as close as possible to their company.

“The PC 12 is the only possibility, in terms of price, speed, range; for example if we want to fly from Zurich to London, we just lose about ten minutes against a Citation. And if we can then fly closer to the destination, we gain time.”

Lions Air, sister company to Sky Air, owns and operates the first Galaxy, and has taken on a second. By way of an addendum, we asked Fleischmann how Lions was finding the aircraft:

“It takes time because it is still an unknown aeroplane in Europe. There are only three flying on the continent, one other which we operate solely for a private customer. It takes time for a new aeroplane and a new company.

“We are happy with the reliability, we promote it but not on a high level as the owners are using the

aircraft on a high schedule which doesn’t leave us the time we would like for charter.

“It’s not an aeroplane to fly from Zurich to Paris – we want to use it on long haul flights. We have

found time to take it to the Middle East, Far East, Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia with charter customers.”