Southern Sky Aviation has added an Astra SPX to its Part 135 charter certificate. This Astra SPX is a midsize business jet that seats seven passengers and offers 2,500 nm range.

The jet will be based in Scottsdale, Arizona, where the company will also be opening its third charter operation. Operations will be conducted from offices located inside of the Scottsdale (SDL)-based FBO, Signature Flight Support. Southern Sky Aviation's existing charter operations are conducted from its home base at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International (BHM) and Atlanta's Peachtree-DeKalb (PDK).

“Opening an Arizona-based charter operation and having a plane consistently based in Scottsdale allows us the much-needed opportunity to better serve our west coast customers,” says CEO Bo Andrews. “We have been looking for the right opportunity to help our travellers more frequently reach the west coast and are so pleased to expand charter, one of our company's most well-known services, to that market.”

Southern Sky Aviation's growth in this first quarter of 2020 comes on the heels of a banner 2019. The company announced the opening of an Atlanta charter operation at PDK and was awarded a Garmin dealership while maintaining its status as the only Garmin authorised dealer and installer at BHM. It also received FAA authorisation to operate charter flights to all countries located in the Western Hemisphere.

“To say we're excited about what 2020 will bring for our company is an understatement,” Andrews continues. “Growth doesn't just happen, though. I am so proud of the top-notch professionals we have at Southern Sky Aviation and the hard work and dedication that our team puts into this company each day, whether that's working on an avionics upgrade or offering best-in-class service for our charter guests.”