Switzerland-based company CAT Aviation has recently taken on a Falcon 2000EX. On the same day that EBAN goes to Press, the Federal Office for Civil Aviation (FOCA) has given permission for CAT to put the aircraft on its AOC.

“We chose the Falcon 2000EX because it has a big cabin, which really is a passenger requirement in this day and age,” said president, ceo and pilot Helene Niedhart.

“It has the perfect performance in a high quality aircraft. Dassault really create superb aircraft. We also fly the Falcon 900EX, of which we have two in operation and we are very happy with this aircraft.”

The company mainly flies long-range or midsized business jets. It also has a Hawker 800. CAT Aviation acquired the 2000EX at the beginning of October. “Following problems with the certification of the 2000EX, we are very happy to receive the AOC now,” she said. “The aircraft has basically been grounded since October, because we were unable to fly commercially. However, now we can start flying straight away.”

The aircraft will be used for charter operations. The Falcon 900EXs fly frequently to destinations such as Tokyo and New York. Niedhart insists that business really is booming for these aircraft.

“Our 900EX aircraft are both very busy, so it is very important for us to be able to utilise the 2000EX,” she said. “We have a flight scheduled for the aircraft immediately. We really do have a lot of demand for this aircraft.

“We are running some offers now which include trips to Marrakech and Barbados. We could use the 900EX aircraft for these missions as they are more than capable of it,”

Niedhart continued. “We could carry out the trip to Marrakech with the Hawker, but these people want the 2000EX. We have another mission booked in to go to Brussels and the Netherlands. I am very optimistic that we will be able to do it.”

Speed is a great attraction of the Falcon 2000EX, according to Niedhart. “It is a good aircraft for long-haul trips, but maybe it’s also a good European aircraft too. With its range of 3,800nm, it’s now similar to a Challenger 604 because it’s about the same range – only faster!

“We’ll be starting a promotional campaign now. We will inform all of our clients and we will inform all the brokers. We will start a new concept of key-account management in January,” she said. “This means that we will acquire aircraft and custom systematically.

“I believe that the aircraft will be really popular with our customers. It’s not that expensive and it has a big cabin, with extensive luggage space,” she said. “We expect to fly approximately 500 hours in the first year, 600 in the second and so on. We have to get clients for the aircraft first, so you have to be realistic, but I don’t think it will take all that long.

Niedhart says CAT Aviation has a very good name in the industry and because of this, flights with the 900EX aircraft have gone up about 30 per cent. “Now that the 2000EX is certified to fly commercially, I believe that things will just continue to improve,” she said.

Niedhart says she has always been determined to succeed in a male-dominated business. “It was tough in the beginning,” she said. “I started in 1987 with a Cessna 421, because nobody wanted to give me a job! I had to be very ambitious and always had to demand a lot of myself. It was and still is important to work to the highest level of quality at all times,” she said. “I try not to go too fast, even now – we built up the company very slowly. I added aircraft very gradually and I hope that we can continue to grow and be successful in the future.

“We have built a very good reputation for ourselves and we have never used public relations or marketing. Our customer base has grown in good faith and by positive word-of-mouth.”