ExecuJet, part of the Luxaviation Group, is expanding its managed fleet in Africa with the addition of a Challenger 350, which will be based in Nairobi, Kenya.

The jet will be one of the first aircraft to be operated on Luxaviation's San Marino AOC (see page 3 for more). The CL350 can accommodate up to 10 passengers and, with a range of 3,200 nm, is able to fly non-stop from Nairobi to Barcelona.

VP for Africa Gavin Kiggen says: “We are delighted to bring Bombardier's premier midsize business jet to our customers in East Africa. This addition underlines the exciting growth in business aviation movements in the region, and we are dedicated to supporting this encouraging trend with our expanded fleet.”

The Kenyan government has established a national development programme named Vision 2030 in order to accelerate sustainable growth, reduce inequality and manage resource scarcity in the country. Business aviation forms an important part of this, as ExecuJet South Africa's general manager of flight operations Philip du Preez explains: “With the government's decentralisation of power and public services to local communities, further opportunities have been created to fly business partners to these communities, and to aid them in their respective development plans. ExecuJet is able to do two things: offer the Challenger 350 from Kenya to other parts of Africa, and work alongside local operators to utilise the ever-rugged Grand Caravan for ferrying teams around the region.

“With the Challenger being able to fly long non-stop routes, it is ideally positioned to connect Nairobi with most African and southern European cities. The aircraft's performance is equally impressive whether it takes a two-hour hop or eight-hour flight into Africa. We see it linking South Africa, Angola and Nigeria with Kenya, as the government will look to these countries for partnerships. The flight between Lanseria and Nairobi will last roughly three hours and 30 minutes, with a trip to Luanda being around the same time. It is well-suited for a day business trip.

“We partner with key service providers for luxury ground transfers and personal protection, as well as boutique and luxury hotels. These partners undergo a strict vetting process.”

MD of Luxaviation's San Marino AOC Robert Fisch is pleased that the Challenger in Africa has been registered there: “Our San Marino AOC is quickly becoming the go-to option for customers across the globe, with aircraft from Europe, the Middle East and now East Africa on our register.”