Regourd Aviation has sold its Citation II in a part exchange deal with fellow French charterers Chalair. As part of the deal the company received a King Air A100, which remained with Chalair under a lease arrangement, but Regourd is now looking to sell this aircraft also. Commercial director Laurent Buisson admitted: “The aircraft is on the market, but it is currently very difficult to sell in this market situation. The King Air 200 and B90 keep their value better, whereas the price of this is very low, around $600,000.”

Buisson added: “We don’t have many buyers interested in buying the King Air 100 because it’s too old. It’s a low performance aircraft with too many hours on the air frame and the avionics etc. are all too old. The situation has certainly worsened since September 11.” The company is targeting the aircraft at smaller charter companies, which could charter it as a small aircraft flying an hour at a time. Chalair previously chartered the jet to one customer who travelled from Paris to Cherbourg. The King Air will soon fly to the US where the company hopes to sell it along with a few other aircraft.

“I don’t know what the future holds for the market. Companies are saying that there has been more interest in private aviation [since September 11] because it’s more secure, but this is a theory and not, in my opinion, the reality.”