Private Sky has acquired a new aircraft type for its fleet, a Global 6000. Having been delivered in late September to the operator's Shannon facility, the aircraft will be based at Vnukovo airport, Moscow.

Accountable manager Ray Mills highlights the difficulty of operating from Shannon and explains that the move to Russia was far more viable: “We used to have aircraft based (in Shannon) but due to the downturn we locate primarily in London and Moscow, because that's where the business is. I'd love to have an aircraft based here but the way things are at the moment, business isn't coming out of Ireland. I hope it will return.”

Initial handling for the delivery at Shannon was undertaken by Quintessentially Handling. Mills says he received an approach: “We were taking delivery and they asked if we could give them the chance to do the handling, which we did. I know the individual involved and I gave him the opportunity.”

Private Sky's fleet is mixed: “We have, starting from the bottom, a Citation XLS, a Learjet 60, a Falcon 900EX, a Challenger 850, and the Global Express. We took delivery of the Express two weeks ago, new from Montreal. We've had to do some training here in Shannon so we've probably done about 30 hours training, and it is now online.

“The performance has been excellent. It's a lovely aircraft, a great performer,” Mills says.