Austria's JetAlliance has ordered two more A318 Elites - and taken delivery of four new Cessna Citations that it will use to spearhead its drive for business in eastern Europe.

The Citations, which arrived in September and October 2006, take the number in the JetAlliance fleet to 41.

Lukas Lichtner-Hoyer, president, says: "The four aircraft are based in Vienna and will help our efforts to expand into the eastern European market. They are the first aircraft delivered out of a total of 23 Citations ordered at last year's EBACE in Geneva. Two of them are Citation X jets, the fastest business jets in the world. The two others are CJ2+, which means they are built on the proven success of the phenomenally popular CJ2."

He says the four new Citations means the JetAlliance fleet has an average age of three years "which is therefore the youngest within Europe."

"The CJ2+ series offers more speed, room and range than its predecessor. It can carry more payload and has the ability to climb even faster than the CJ2. But there is one thing that really makes it so attractive: it is so easy to fly, that it has been certified for single-pilot operation."

Lichtner-Hoyer adds: "Avionic-wise the CJ2+ offers the best for less money. Its Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite uses the very latest technology available in business aviation.

"The most advanced flight deck ever offered on this class of aircraft, includes an FMS performance data-base as standard equipment, provi-ding a breakthrough in information management and situational awareness normally reserved for aircraft costing millions more."

Pictured are Richard Gaona, Airbus vp executive and private aviation and Alexander Vagacs, the JetAlliance ceo. From left to right standing are Bernard Robin, Airbus area sales director, Christian Lang, JetAlliance chief officer marketing, sales and project finance, and Arnaud Martin, Airbus head of corporate jet and vip programme. Please turn to Page 14 for a detailed NBAA briefing.