German special missions operator FAI rent-a-jet has added its first Challenger 850. The aircraft joined FAI's fleet earlier this month and will be available for ad hoc charter from mid November. It is currently undergoing paint and interior enhancements at FAI Technik, the company's maintenance division. Set to be based at Nuremberg airport, the CL850 brings the operator's total fleet size to 25, including ten managed aircraft.

Chairman Siegfried Axtmann says: “We are very pleased to welcome our first Challenger 850 model which features a comfortable three-zone cabin as roomy as a Global Express and low operating costs comparable with a Challenger 605. I am confident that it will prove a popular choice with our customers.”

Last month the company also bid farewell to its last Learjet 55. The aircraft will now fly for Mexican air ambulance operator Med Jets. “We are obviously sad to say farewell to our last Learjet 55, as it has proved to be an effective workhorse for us over the years," continues Axtmann. "By focusing on the Learjet 60 however, we anticipate greater efficiency through further cost savings in crew training and spare part stocking.”

With 11 LR60s in service, FAI claims to be the largest operator of the type worldwide.