MNG Jet, headquartered in Istanbul, Turkey, has obtained EASA approval for its Honeywell Aspire internet and voice system on the Challenger 300. The operator is planning to further expand Aspire installation on Challenger and Global Express types.

Commercial manager Sinem Ulku says that the installation is making life easier for one of MNG's private clients: “Our client runs one of the major TV channels in Turkey and is always flying around. He needs the internet quite a lot to follow up things, and there was no internet system installed on the aircraft.

“The Honeywell system was developed by us in collaboration with Solutions For Aviation in Spain.”

MNG Jet has also moved to its new hangar located inside Ataturk Airport and close to the previous facility. It now has 4,000 sqm of space plus additional office capacity.

Ulku is of the opinion that business aviation traffic in the region is on the rise: “Business is improving quite well, and our overseas customers have increased in number. Years ago we used to serve Turkish aircraft only, but now we have customers far afield.

“The number of aircraft registered to Turkey is increasing too. Given its geographical position, it can act as a good passage. So when people fly from one place to the other, Istanbul can be a nice place to stop. Once the third airport in Istanbul is completed, most probably Ataturk airport will become a business aircraft base, and that will probably boost our business.”