Slovakia's Opera Jet is working on business plan to add a heavy jet to its fleet after bringing a managed Mustang into service. Faheem Azhar, senior adviser to the company's board, says both aircraft will complement the existing fleet of a Citation Jet, CJ2 and two CJ3s. "We are still working on heavy jet category addition which is in the pipeline and for that we might need cabin crew plus cockpit crew."

He adds: "We chose aircraft to meet the needs of business people who require flexibility plus cost effectiveness. The major demand in the European charter market is from business people with these requirements and destinations with high aircraft utilisation include Nice, Zadar, Split, Prague and Warsaw."

Azhar says: "Business is growing slowly, however the profit margin for the operator is next to nothing. But despite the difficult times in 2009 each one of our aircraft did approximately 470 flight hours. This level is quite low when you compare these figures with 2006/2007 but, despite the results of the economic crisis, when we compare our company with our competitors, we are quite satisfied with the number of hours we achieved in 2009. It has indeed been a great effort by our team who really are the true asset of our company."

The company, which was launched at the end of 2007 as a subsidiary of Opera as with one light jet, now expects to operate six or more aircraft less than three years on. Another subsidiary Opera Aircraft Sales has been appointed as a Gulfstream sales representative for Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania.

Chairman Dr Martin Hudec and md Martin Sykora say that Opera Jet plans carefully controlled expansion. But Sykora adds: "Aircraft are the tools of the trade and the more aircraft you have in your fleet, the more variety and choice you can provide to the end user.

"But you have to bear in mind that quality, safety, security and airworthiness cannot be compromised at all."