As part of its ongoing process of fleet renewal, Stuttgarter Flugdienst (SFD) has acquired a Cessna CJ2. The aircraft was formerly operated by Industrieflug, which went into liquidation at the end of July.

The German operator also recruited some former Industrieflug pilots, having been impressed with their performance and versatility in the past.

“We had a really good relationship with Industrieflug, having worked together. We have employed Michael Hoeck, who was the chief pilot for Industrieflug, as well as another pilot, Ralf Heinrich,” said md Andreas Mundsinger. “We employed them with SFD because we also have a CJ1, Bravo, Citation V, VII, an SII and SIII in our fleet, which they can also fly.”

The company took delivery of a Citation Ultra at the end of August and has put its SII up for sale. Mundsinger explains: “It’s the oldest aircraft in our fleet and our intention is to renew the fleet over the next few years.

“We started doing this at the beginning of last year by adding the Citation VII, which is a 1995 model, and then the 1999 model Bravo. We sold our Citation IISP and purchased a CJ1 (2001 model) in May.”

SFD’s love affair with the Citation brand has developed with practical operational thinking in mind. “They are really good, common aircraft so the flight operation cost and the reliability are good. Another advantage is that most of our pilots are multi-licensed; every pilot can fly every aircraft. It’s also good for the crew training and technicians to have one fleet.”

Banking on its experience with Citation aircraft appears to have paid off for the company, as it has received increased demand and positive feedback from clients.

“Our experience is that our clients are really satisfied with the Citations, from the small, quiet CJ1 to the VII. With eight passenger seats the VII is much more comfortable, of course, for flights of up to three hours. It costs a little bit more but it’s much more comfortable,” said Mundsinger.

The six-seater CJ2 is also proving popular, filling the niche between the CJ1 and Bravo. “It’s a state-of-the-art aircraft with a very quiet cabin. You can fly within Europe without any problems. The Bravo is a little bit more comfortable because the cabin is longer but, for the price, it’s a good product, which gives the client more flexibility when chartering an aircraft.”

In terms of increased charter flights in what has become the most successful business aviation country in Europe, SFD is, as all operators are, restricted by the seasonal trends of the market.

“August is the holiday season in Germany,” said Mundsinger, “so we’re hoping that the market will kick-start again in September.”