Based in Salzburg and Linz, Airlink carries out corporate, air taxi, rental and training activities. Its fleet numbers several light aircraft, alongside two PA34-200T Senecas, one King Air 100 and one Super King Air 300. Airlink rents hangars and ops rooms from the airport.\rWhile the number of hours flown increased last year, Airlink expects slight growth in the year to come. The company's business, general manager Rudolf Wurzinger said, is most affected by the economy, exports and the EU. Its future plans include intensive penetration of local markets.\rWith its main operating bases in Graz and Vienna, Air-Styria Luftfahrtunternehmen carries out taxi, medevac, transplant, cargo/express mail, vip and brokerage services. While its own aircraft is a Citation II C550 with an eight-person double club configuration, the company says it has nearly all types of business jet under sub-charter contract.\rIn addition to its main office, reception counter and hangar, Air-Styria's president Robert Hoess says he is looking forward to getting improved pilot and passenger lounges. As regards factors affecting the success of the company's business, Hoess said: "It's a mixture of perfect personal vip service to all passengers, 100 per cent reliability, 24-hours service, first class catering and an ability to organise every desirable service for the passenger."\rAir-Styria's rates are between ATS 21,000 and 22,000 depending on the stage length (excluding landing fees and crew). Hoess says the outlook for business aviation in Austria is healthy and of Styria's own hopes for the near future, he said: "We are expecting a dramatic increase in business due to the opening of south and south east markets."\rAir-Styria's president said his future plans were to expand the company's business to its eastern and southern neighbour countries.\rWhen asked about the most unusual flight he had encountered recently, Hoess told EBAN: "Performing a 'marriage flight' over the Alps, during which a young couple was married at 31,000 feet - a heavenly pleasure."\rAlpla Air Charter involves itself with corporate operations, making use of its Citation Jet 525. Despite an increase in the number of hours flown last year and a projected increase in flying hours next year, the company has no plans to increase its fleet.\rFelder Hans, chief pilot, said he expects low level business aviation to decrease in Austria during the coming year but conversely, he predicts high standard business aviation to increase.\rFrom its main base in Vienna, Austrian Air Ambulance carries out medevac operations with one Learjet 36A and one Astra SPX, which it has recently introduced. To support its operations, the company has a briefing room, medical storage facilities and a mobile oxygen refill station.\rGerhardt Flekatsch, managing director, said that the number of hours flown had increased over the last year and was likely to increase next year as well. He said that the factors most likely to affect the success of his business were globalisation and an increase of mobility and travel.\rWhen asked about the company's future plans, Flekatsch told EBAN: "To increase the level of quality of air ambulance services worldwide by our exemplary operation, for example we have been ISO9002 certificated since 1997, and we are a member of several 'CEN' working groups."\rComtel-Air has recently added to its fleet, in the form of a Citation III. With one Citation I and another Citation III already a long-standing presence in the company's line-up, md Peter Hausmaninger says the new addition should bring in some welcome business.\rHe told EBAN: "One of the Citation IIIs has been in operation for five or six years and the second one we bought last year in October. We chose the III because the market here in Europe is very good for the stand-up cabin. Most of our clients prefer a stand-up cabin so they've changed from the Citation I or other aircraft to a bigger aircraft like a Citation III or Challenger, for example.\r"The Citation III's performance, range and airspeed is very good."\rWith its headquarters in Vienna, Comtel-Air flies people all over Europe and sometimes to Africa and to eastern destinations like Russia. Its operations include technical flights for airlines, business and family flights.\rOf the company's origins, Hausmaninger said: "Our company started in order to fly its own staff around. Last year, however, they changed their interests for Comtel-Air to charter its aircraft to third-party clients."\rComtel-Air's other big news is that it should have a Falcon 900 up and running by the beginning of May. Certainly, the aircraft has already been bought. Hausmaninger said: "The 900 has big advantages when compared to the Challengers. It's more economical and the market is better because you have more Challengers in Europe than the 900. In fact, there's only one Falcon 900 in Austria at the moment and that's with Magna Air, here in Vienna." \rThe Federal Ministry of the Interior's main operating base is in Vienna/Meidling, where it has a rescue and police station and JAR 145 maintenance facility. For its police and EMS services, the Ministry has itself two AS 355Ns, two AS 355F2s, six AS 350B1s, 10 JetRanger 206Bs, one LongRanger 206L-3 and four Cessna 182s.\rMarko Wurm, technical department spokesman, said that the number of hours flown last year increased to 10,000 and he fully expects further increases this year. As concerns changes to the fleet, Wurm says they will be tendering for five police helicopters and 10 rescue helicopters.\rAmbulance flights are charged at rates of ATS680/min.\rFlugtaxi, with its headquarters in Linz, is involved with air taxi operations, courtesy of its C550 Bravo, C421 Golden Eagle, PA34 Seneca II and C210 Centurion.\rWith an increase in business last year and further growth predicted for next, company spokesman Alois Hatzmann says that positive commercial factors have the most effect on the success of his business. \rWith plans to enlarge its fleet by two or three aircraft, Grossman Air Service currently owns a Learjet 55 and a Challenger 600. The company carries out business, air taxi, air charter broker, ambulance and transportation flights from its main operating base in Vienna.\rGrossman has seen an increase in business over the past year and expects a similarly active year next year. The factors Sabine Stepanek, marketing spokesman, highlighted as most important in the success of the company's business are 24-hours availability and best connections to other air taxi operators and brokers.\rGrossman is now aiming to increase its share of the market within Europe.\rWith its main operating base in St Johann, Heli Alpin Knaus carries out corporate, taxi, film, construction, powerline control, charter and aerial work with its fleet of four helicopters. These comprise one Bell 407, two SA315B Lamas and one MD520 Notar. From time to time last year, the company had several vips as its clients. In the coming year, new facilities as well as additions to the fleet are planned.\rWith an increase in business last year and predictions for further increases next, Heli Alpin Knaus says that success is measured by the quality of work and staff, together with a competitive price. Roy Knaus, owner and md, summed it up by the phrase "total service for the customer". It is Knaus' opinion, however, that business aviation will not grow during the coming year in Austria. \rWith a Hughes 500D at its disposal, Helios Hubschrauber-transport carries out a whole variety of operations ranging from banner towing to para jumping, from sightseeing to avalanche blasting. The company has an open hangar at the moment and is planning a heliport in the near future.\rWalter Enthammer, managing director, told EBAN: "Our business is successful because of safety, reliability, precision and because of personal contacts."\rWhile Helios recorded an increase in business last year and expects more growth in the coming 12 months, Enthammer pointed out that the growth of business aviation in Austria as a whole would depend on the actions of local authorities. Recently, Helios had to organise flights with five helicopters from different companies which, says Enthammer, it accomplished with great success for the customer.\rHelios' charging rate per flying hour is ATS 12,000. It is also planning a project in noise reduction, in the near future. With one SA 315B, one Squirrel AS350 B2 and one Kamov KA32 A, Hubschrauber Transport carries out sling load operations up to 5,000 kg, film and photo flights, panoramic flights and heli-skiing.\rHubschrauber has offices in Innsbruck and Tyrol in Austria and Escaldes and Andorra in Spain.\rThe number of hours flown over the last year has remained the same and the company is not expecting an increase in hours next year. Hubert Heuberger, Hubschrauber's chief pilot, says that service is the one ingredient which most affects the success of the company's business.\rIts charging rates are as follows: Lama: ATS 18,000 per hour plus tax, Squirrel: ATS 14,000 per hour plus tax, Kamov: ATS 108,000 per hour plus tax.\rWhen asked whether Lauda Executive has any plans for new facilities in the near future, Matthias Stöcher, head of Lauda's executive division replies: "No, we already have everything!" The company currently operates two Lear 60s and one Challenger 601, and has witnessed an increase in business of more than 10 per cent in the last year.\rLauda's business revolves around taxi, state and technical support flights. Its hourly charges are ATS 36,000 for the Lear 60 and ATS 64,000 for the Challenger 601.\rStöcher says that the secrets of the company's success are safety, "we have very strict standards, copied from our scheduled operations" and service, which includes gourmet catering.\rLauda Executive's plans are to extend its services to Italy, using the facilities of its daughter company, building up a second base in Milan.\rMagna Air boasts an extensive fleet of aircraft, which comprises one Falcon 900B, one Falcon 50EX, one Citation V, one Excel, one Ultra, one Lear 45 and two CitationJets. From its Vienna base, where it has technical staff and dispatch facilities, the company carries out corporate, taxi and medical flights.\rEduard Meisel, captain and sales manager, talked to EBAN about the company's operations. He said: "We have eight aircraft in the fleet and every day there are six to seven in the air. Aircraft sitting on the ground is wasted money."\rMagna Air's news is that they will be getting a new Citation Excel in October and the company says it looks likely that it will change one of its other aircraft to a new Excel also. Next year, says Meisel, the 900B may well be changed for a 900EX but that is still in the balance and has not yet been ordered.\rMeisel said: "The Excel is a very good aircraft. I have been really impressed with it. I have flown a lot of hours on Citation IIIs, VIs and VIIs and with the Excel, its really the same cabin, but it has brilliant shortfield landing and take-off performance.\r"It's more comfortable for the customers too, to have a stand-up cabin. Especially as we do a lot of flying to the East. In winter, you have an APU, I think the quality is where passengers get in the aircraft and have a warm cabin." Among its eastern destinations, Magna Air flies to Uzbekistan, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Israel, Dubai and Egypt. \rWhen conversation turned to Cessna's most recent rocket, the Citation X, Meisel was slightly more guarded. He said: "I flew it in Wichita and also I flew the demonstrator in Europe and all I can say is, for some trips, it's too fast! "I flew it from Munich to Vienna and twice we got speed reducing. If you fly Vienna to Munich, to Stuttgart, to Frankfurt or even to London, you are always catching up 737s and Airbuses and aircraft like that. So, it is a problem if you have no long-range flights.\rNonetheless, said Meisel, it is not without its plus points. He said: "It's a nice aircraft if you are always flying Vienna-Tel Aviv for example. If somebody bought a Citation X, I would appreciate flying it. It's very fast."\rLike many Austrian charter operators last year, Magna Air experienced an increase in business and fully expects further increases next year. The factors mostly likely to influence the company's success are having new aircraft, having the best trained pilots, the best catering and being flexible.\r Magna's future plans are to increase its flight hours and likewise its standards.\rPhoenix Luftfahrzeugvermietung carries out air taxi work from its main base in Vienna with a C340A light twin. The company's charging rate per flying hour is ATS 8,000.\rDespite experiencing a decrease in business last year, manager and chief pilot Peter Kukla is expecting an increase in flying hours over the next 12 months. To this end, he has plans to add to the company's fleet by means of expansion into jets, with either a Citation 500 or 550.\rOne of the major factors affecting the success of the business, said Kukla, is the acquisition of new clients.\rLocated near Neustadt, Pink Aviation Services carries out parachute dropping operations with its Shorts SC7. Pink Aviation currently has its own maintenance facility and the airport is said to be providing new facilities for business aviation in the near future. Charging rate per hour is US$1,100.\rAt its operating base in Innsbruck, TAA Aviation is the charter branch of Tyrolean Air Ambulance and has two Dornier 328s in various configurations, one Citation V ambulance and one Falcon 10 ambulance. Its operations cover the areas of corporate, medevac and taxi flights. Its current facilities include dispatch and hangarage, although TAA is planning to obtain JAR 145 maintenance capability in the future.\rTAA's flying hours remained stable last year and it is envisaged that an increase in hours flown will be recorded over the next twelve months. This, despite the company's belief that business aviation will not grow in Austria during the coming year.\rTAA's future plans are to sustain regular flights and to this end, it is planning to add a first Dornier 328 Jet in 2001.