Jetflite of Vantaa, Finland, has put pen to paper for a Falcon 7X which is set to arrive next month. Sales director Kari Hirvonen underlines the importance of charter to the operator's client base: “We try to guarantee our own fleet and our management customers steady and reliable charter sales.

“It is very important that we have aircraft of different sizes and types in our fleet to accommodate different charter customer needs. Until now, we have not had a fully available long range charter aircraft and there was clearly demand, which the 7X will satisfy.”

Hirvonen believes that the operating costs of the fully-owned 7X are competitive given the range and cabin size of the aircraft, and he is also enthusiastic about the environmental impact: “The Falcon 7X's fuel consumption is lower than many of its peers, and it has modern and impressive avionics.”

The jet will be available to charter from Helsinki, Moscow or St. Petersburg. “There are plenty of owner-managed planes with 10 to 14 seats, but we see that there is a demand for capacity to seat more than 15 passengers,” she adds.

The Falcon offers steep approach capability, hud, evs and svs for increased situational awareness. It is also wifi and gsm compatible, with 16 passenger seats and beds for six.

“Business charter in Finland or in Scandinavia in general is not a large-volume business, but we have built up a solid, long term and stable clientele over many decades,” concludes Hirvonen “The situation is favourable, especially given the economic situation in general.”