Club328 has purchased four brand-new Premier I and IA aircraft, making it Raytheon's biggest single Premier I customer worldwide. The Southampton-based operator intends to base at least one of the aircraft in the south of France.

The first Premier I was acquired in December, when captain Neville Mack - one of the firm's six captains and first officers trained on the aircraft - flew to Wichita for collection. The second aircraft joined the fleet in January. The first Premier IA will arrive in Southampton at the end of January, with the second due in March.

Club328 ceo Mike Farge said that the Premier Is were chosen in response to the needs of the company's clients. "We have an increasing number of requests for two-, four- and six-seat jets for business and leisure flights all over Europe and the Beechcraft Premier I is an ideal complement to our larger Hawker 700 and 800 mid-size jets and the Dornier 328s.

"The aircraft are known for their speed, so passengers benefit from shorter flying times. Raytheon Aircraft Company was also able to accommodate good delivery positions," he added.

In a move that reflects a growing trend in business aviation, Club328 has launched a prepaid block hour charter programme, named SkyClub. The scheme enables clients to purchase a minimum of 10 hours, which can be used as 'flying credits' on the company's fleet.

An entry level purchase of ten hours on a six-seat Premier I, for example, costs #30,000. Dedicated account managers will be on call to assist SkyClub members and create trip itineraries.

"We are responding to market demand for a high quality service which is more cost-effective and flexible," said Farge. "SkyClub is significantly cheaper than similar schemes from our leading competitors and we have already witnessed several customers switching to us.

"We are building a strong base of regular customers, especially on the corporate side, and they are keen to buy into the scheme.

"Importantly, for all our clients, the scheme will be completely transparent, with no hidden charges. Customers can clearly see what

they are going to be charged and receive a monthly statement so there is no ambiguity."

Additional services range from vip helicopter and car transfer to luxury gift incentives and loyalty rewards.

Club328's parent company, Corporate Jet Services, bought defunct aircraft manufacturer Avcraft Aerospace in January. Under the name 328 Support Services, the firm will not produce any additional aircraft once the final two Dornier 328 jets have left the production line. The company will instead focus on support and maintenance services.