Austrian-based Avcon Jet has appointed an entrepreneur and a former finance minister to its supervisory board as it brings a Challenger 300 based in Kiev into operation.

Alexander Vagacs, ceo, says the expansion of the fleet to 14 aircraft and the addition of former finance minister of Austria Andreas Staribacher and the entrepreneur Erwin Soravia will give Avcon Jet an added business edge.

"We have made the right decisions at the right time, and have drawn our attention to markets like Eastern Europe and the Middle East which are still growing, even in the momentary situation", says Vagacs. "The extension of our supervisory board underlines our effort to invest in the future of this company."

He adds: "Erwin Soravia is one of the most influential and successful entrepreneurs in central, southern and eastern Europe. The Soravia Group is a company with many years experience in the real estate development and investment sectors. Its many and varied projects, either already realised or currently in development, range from multi-purpose building complexes, hotels and innovative business start-ups such as Megaboard outdoor advertising to successful acquisitions such as the auction house Dorotheum or Devin mineral water."

Staribacher is a tax adviser and chartered accountant active in supervisory boards including Flughafen Wien (Vienna International Airport) and has worked as a pilot and examiner.

Vagacs says the Challenger 300 is configured for up to eight passengers in a club and couch seating arrangement and a cabin with stand-up headroom. The aircraft which was financed by Hypo SuedLeasing joins the G150 and CJ2+ Avcon already operates. Peter Scholz of Hypo SuedLeasing says: "I am sure that the brand new Challenger 300 will have the same utilisation as the rest of Avcon Jet's fleet - and that means far beyond the average of the industry."