Waltair Linköping has marked its entry into the arena of jet aircraft operations with the arrival of a Citation II. The Swedish company took delivery of the managed aeroplane in early summer and put it on its AOC a few months ago.

Company director Magnus Henriksson says the aircraft – built in 1981 – is exactly what his client was looking for and also, very much in keeping with the needs of Waltair.

He said: “It’s very economical to operate, which is the main reason our client bought the aircraft. You get value for money.

“As an operator, we are very happy with its performance. It has a good interior, is capable of 1,400nm with alternatives and we can carry six to seven passengers to all destinations in Europe.”

The Citation II has a cruise speed of about 700 kilometres per hour and a maximum cruising altitude of 12,500 metres. Despite its private ownership, Henriksson says the aircraft is being used primarily for charter purposes.

Waltair’s facilities are based in Norrköping, roughly 150 kilometres southwest of Stockholm. As Henriksson says, if you fly for twenty minutes in a southeasterly direction, you reach the Baltic Sea island of Gotland and if you fly directly east, you come to Estonia.

In addition to the Citation II, the company also has a King Air 300 and King Air 200. Said Henriksson: “They do pretty much the same work as the Citation but the latter takes the longer destinations.

“We carry out vip and medical missions, like the transportation of organs. We fly mostly in Sweden and sometimes to other parts of Scandinavia.”

As concerns the local competition, Waltair’s company director says there are several charter companies in Bromma but none with whom they are direct competitors.

“They have their customers and we have ours,” he said. “It’s true to say there are a lot of operators in Sweden but there’s a big enough market for everyone.”

Finally turning his attention to possible future additions, Henriksson concluded: “We’re happy with the Citation II for the time being, but in a few years perhaps we’ll upgrade. Hopefully the next step will be a slightly larger jet or a newer Citation.”