Viessmann Werke, manufacturer of heating technology products and one of the largest employers in the Allendorf region of Germany, has acquired a Citation Sovereign.

It is not the first aeroplane that the company has operated. The first company jet was a Citation II, followed by a Citation V Ultra and a CitationJet.

In 1999, the company acquired its first Citation Excel and operated it with the Ultra. Two years later, the Ultra was replaced by another Excel, which will continue to operate alongside the Sovereign.

The latest aeroplane will cater for the travel needs of the ceo and management, as well as for the transportation of customers.

Chief executive Dr Martin Viessmann is the third generation of his family to manage the company, which has around 6,700 employees. It manufactures a number of products including boilers, heat pumps and ventilation systems.

Viessmann, who holds an ATPL, will fly the aeroplane, as well as two pilots trained at FlightSafety International. The Sovereign is expected to log approximately 300 hours per year. Flying is clearly

a passion for the company, which also established a landing strip in the area.

Viessmann Werke chose the aeroplane because of its perfor-mance - the runway measures just 1,240m. Range, speed, cabin space and operating costs also played a major role in the decision, chief pilot Juergen Hoffmann told EBAN. "[The Excel and Sovereign are] two reliable aircraft with short field performance capabilities and present cabin size which cover all the needs of the company," he said.