UK-based FlairJet is adding another Phenom 100 to its managed fleet. The aircraft is configured in a four-seat club arrangement and will be offered for third-party charter based at London Oxford airport. It joins a privately owned Phenom 100 based in Bari, Italy, and a Cessna XLS and Citation Bravo based at Cambridge International airport under the FlairJet AOC.

FlairJet absorbed the operations of Marshall Executive Aviation under one AOC in June, following the company's acquisition by Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group in March. The management teams have subsequently been merged with an operations base at London Oxford airport and administration and accounts at Cambridge International.

“Our main role is aircraft management, so people buy aircraft and approach us for management,” explains FlairJet chief executive officer captain David Fletcher.

“Because we are known to be the Phenom people, when our client found an aircraft and decided on the Phenom 100, then they contacted us for management. So we are very pleased.”

FlairJet has carved out a reputation for managing Phenom aircraft reliably: “I'm not sure of the exact number now but we have probably delivered 27 or 28 Phenoms,” Fletcher adds. “The majority were from the factory in Brazil. We've delivered some second hand aircraft to people all over the world. We are well known in the Phenom community, being the first to operate on the G register both the 100 and the 300. So it's nice to get calls like that from people who are looking or who have found an aircraft and want it managed.”

The aircraft is currently going through re-registration, and is a 2010 model with about 350 hours total. “It's been fairly well utilised over the past two or three years,” continues Fletcher.

“People love the interior of it. For a relatively small aircraft it is very roomy inside and it is also beautifully appointed. BMW was involved in the design so it makes for a seamless transition for people when they turn up in their BMW or their Bentley. It's a very spacious and well-appointed cabin.”

Fletcher also details the likely destinations of the 100: “It will do a lot of routes to Paris, Zurich, Geneva, Nice and Cannes.

“I hope that now the market is picking up we are going to see more and more of these come into Europe and hopefully we can pick them up for management. We've flown a lot of Phenom hours and got some of the most experienced pilots outside of north America. We hope to grow our fleet significantly over the next couple of years.”

Fletcher does not, however, want his company to be seen as a 'one trick pony'. “We are trying to avoid being known just as the Phenom people and we are looking out for other managed aircraft. We will be expanding our AOC area to cover worldwide operations very shortly,” he concludes.