Eurofly Service, an Italian charter operator that can trace its roots back more than 40 years, is ready to compete on a pan-European level.

"We might be big in Italian terms but there are leading European operators from other countries who are larger," says vp Alessandro Baviera. "The first-ranked European operator has in the region of 30 to 50 aircraft. In the next two years we want to be up there with them in terms of our fleet and our capabilities."

Eurofly, a managed aircraft specialist, is looking forward to the delivery of a second Falcon 900EX in September. "Negotiations currently in progress might also bring us a 7X around the same time," says Baviera. These acquisitions would expand the Eurofly jet fleet to 15, adding to its existing aircraft including a 900EX, four 2000s, a Falcon 50 and a Challenger 601. In addition it has a Learjet 40, two Citation Excels, two Bravos and one 400A. Eurofly's Agusta 139 and 109 Power will be augmented by a 109 Grand later this year.

The fleet expansion comes as Eurofly begins to really feel the benefit of its move to new facilities at the Turin aviation terminal and its approval as a regional service station for Falcons. "We are working on projects that will bring us additional business," says Baviera, "However, we expect that other opportunities to grow will emerge. These might involve acquisitions, mergers or organic growth."

Eurofly finds the Swiss market attractive and its Swiss shareholder is analysing possible avenues for business growth. "Ideally expansion will be where our major clients are or on the routes they tend to use," says Baviera.

He says that Eurofly is happy with its Cessna aircraft but is also attracted to the large private jets of the Dassault range. "Our focus is on being one of the biggest and most efficient aircraft management companies in Europe that can also provide competitive maintenance and sound acquisition advice," Baviera adds. "We would like to expand the corporate side. This will bring business in for both smaller jets, that tend to be used by middle management, and the larger jets favoured for the long distance work of more senior company executives."

Eurofly, which started life as Fiat's flight department, now carries out around 130,000 flying hours a year. "We firmly believe we can double that in two years," says Baviera, Eurofly chairman Rodolfo Baviera says: "A 40-plus year track record of worldwide flight operations, many of them on behalf of Italy's major industrial corporations, has earned Eurofly Service an enviable reputation for safety and reliability."