Jet Alliance is now offering a vip-configured MD-83 for charter. The aircraft, formerly owned by the Kuwaiti government, has just been taken on to the Austrian register and AOC approval is expected to follow quickly. Ceo Lukas Lichtner-Hoyer said: “This aircraft consists of two conference sections, a dining section, a bedroom with a shower, business class section, coach class section and a huge galley. Most importantly though, the aircraft is commercially certified for 40 passengers and we can fly them 4,000 nautical miles.”

Jet Alliance is managing the aircraft on behalf of an undisclosed company and is targeting govern-ments and large corporations who fly long-range. Asked if the company had to make any special provisions

to incorporate the aircraft into its fleet, Lichtner-Hoyer replied: “In order to commercially operate an aircraft of this size you have to be under the umbrella of a JAR-145 maintenance facility. In our case this is going to be Austrian Airlines.

“The MD-83 will help us tap into a new market. There’s a niche for groups of 25 or more flying long-range and they’ve been looking for an aircraft like this. But this size and configuration is very rare, especially at a reasonable price. For example when the Austrian president goes to China, he’ll charter an Airbus 310

for 30 people, which is a little ridiculous. So this is the market we’re aiming at with the MD-83.”

The aircraft was recently on show at Geneva’s EBACE convention. “We brought it along to show to potential charter customers and the response was unreal. We had around 1,000 visitors, mainly because it had the longest cabin on the ramp and such a unique interior,” said Lichtner-Hoyer.

The company has also taken a GIV under management, which is undergoing registration next

week. “This latest aircraft has come through the Anghanim Group from Kuwait, who are new investors in

our company. They represent Gulfstream in the Middle East, which is why this particular aircraft has come onboard. We’ll be marketing it all over the world and expect interest from the Middle East, African governments and US brokers.”

Jet Alliance’s fleet also includes a Falcon 900EX, Citation Excel, a

CJ1 and a Beechjet, all based at Vienna Airport. “Vienna Airport is still run as a monopoly and we’re having a hard time expanding there. We do have use of the large hangars of Austrian Airlines however, and they have a great deal of experience working on these types of aircraft,” said Lichtner-Hoyer.

Despite the recent economic slowdown, Jet Alliance feels the time is right to expand. “We believe that you have to make anti-cyclical investments. I think there has to be an upturn in the market soon, so whoever survives this crises (and there has been a severe crises in business aviation) will have lots of opportunities once the economy picks up,” he added.