FlairJet, the Oxford-based Embraer Phenom operator, is ready to widen its portfolio with other managed aircraft types. That is the message that ceo David Fletcher and his management team will be taking to EBACE in Geneva this month.

"We love the Phenoms and we don't see ourselves diluting our expertise with the type," he says. "However, we have some highly experienced ex-airline pilots in our team, three of whom have logged some 10,000-15,000 hours flying large cabin Airbus aircraft.

"We have learned a lot building FlairJet from scratch, achieving our AOC in record time and creating a strong, operationally and technically focused team. We are now ready to broaden the fleet."

Within the past two and a half years FlairJet has bucked the trend in Europe's light jet fraternity and grown its team from four to more than 22 personnel. The company is profitable and has doubled the office space at its Oxford airport home and established a summer base in Cannes, where it positioned a Phenom 300.

FlairJet has also lent its technical expertise to Phenom operators around the world, offering numerous training solutions and has managed the acquisition, acceptance and delivery of more than 12 aircraft.

Since entering operations in December 2009 FlairJet has logged some 3,120+ hours with its young fleet, the Phenom 100 having logged in excess of 2,300 hours and the Phenom 300 having logged 760+ hours. To date, the longest sector flown was from Bursa in Turkey to Liverpool, a distance of 1,760 statute miles.

FlairJet says it has garnered a loyal following from charter brokers, who account for more than 90 per cent of its bookings. As its clientele and geographical reach widened the company expanded its AOC area to embrace the Middle East, Africa, the Caucuses and Russia. "Now we're ready to grow that capability with a worldwide AOC," says Fletcher. "The addition of larger cabin aircraft in our managed fleet goes hand in hand with that ambition."

Chief pilot Gerry Rolls formerly held the same position at Air Atlantique and was an A320 pilot for BMI before joining FlairJet. "At start-up, the FlairJet team bought a great deal of experience from both the business aviation and airline world which has been consolidated over the last three years of development," says Rolls.

"We are now absolutely ready for the challenge of larger aircraft and worldwide operations. We have imbued a safety focused team in a professional, commercially minded environment, with a proven ability in introducing new aircraft to market. The difficulties we have faced, and overcome, stand us in good stead for the next phase of the company's growth."