Following a three-year break since selling a busy Citation Bravo, SpireJet has purchased a 2004 Bravo complete with a full interior and exterior refurbishment. The aircraft is capable of a little over four-hour range, so is suitable for destinations up to eastern Europe, the Greek islands, north Africa and Ukraine, Russia and Belarus. “I don’t think we’ll be going back to the latter two in my lifetime and, sadly, probably not to Ukraine before I am obliged to retire,” remarks owner Jonathan Freeden.

“SpireJet is a very small company and currently, the Bravo is the only aircraft in the fleet. Other aircraft may follow but, at the moment, we are concentrating on our renaissance. Operations are 100 per cent commercial air transport and will be under the AOC of Regency Jet Limited. As always, there is a substantial amount of applying and waiting when bringing an aircraft onto the UK register but, having now received a UK Certificate of Airworthiness, all hurdles but the last have been vaulted and it should be a relatively short wait until charters are available.”

Oxford, UK-based SpireJet previously flew from 2014 until 2021, undertaking 4,404 airborne hours, 1,280 individual charters and 3,581 sectors on its previous Bravo. “The second time round we will need to be making genuine carbon-offsetting contributions. It will be nice finally to get back in the air,” concludes Freeden.