Formula 1 racing driver Ralph Schumacher has sold his Hawker 800XP to a client of Grossmann Air Services. Dagmar Grossmann, who co-owns the company with husband Hans, said: “Our client decided upon this particular Hawker because it was specially equipped and the interior left by Ralph Schumacher was perfect. The performance is good and its technical status is perfect.”

Marketing manager for the Austrian company, Marion Griessler, added: “We own a Learjet 55, Challenger 600 and a Dornier 328, as well as managing a Saab 340A and the 800. Our business is divided into three parts: Air taxi, aviation consulting and aircraft brokerage.”

The company said that the 800 will fly all over Europe: “This has a range of 2,600 nautical miles. Today it went from Zurich to Moscow and it’s going to the US next week,” said Grossmann. Nevertheless, she is well aware of the change in market conditions: “It’s difficult to say who the clients will be for this. Since September 11, I just can’t predict. The world changed, and especially in our business things changed a lot. In Europe people are saving more and not so many companies are flying. It’s obvious that singers and boy bands won’t use it, because they prefer the Challenger and the Dornier (due to its size).”

Grossmann was honest about the disadvantages of the Hawker: “The main drawback with this aircraft is that you can’t fit much luggage in it. Although it has an excellent entertainment system.” She added that the company had no qualms expanding its fleet in the present situation: “I think things will pick up, it’s started already. Conditions for both sides have changed, as customers’ lack of confidence in the market has pushed the prices down.”