Silver Air has signed a Challenger 300 to its Los Angeles-based fleet. Available for immediate charter, the Challenger 300 is based at Van Nuys Airport and is helping Silver Air meet growing demand for private charters and the company's new COVID-19 Cleared zero-touch travel programme, an industry-first programme that reduces potential infectious touch points on its fleet of private charter jets to nearly zero.

The 2009 model CL300 is a modern luxury super-mid jet with executive accommodations for up to 10 passengers and a transcontinental range for international travel. The jet is equipped with a forward galley with refreshment centre, in-flight entertainment and ATG 5000 Wi-Fi.

“The super-mid category aircraft like the CL300 have been performing beyond expectations in the LA basin,” says Chuck Stumpf, Silver Air's president of business development. “This is the perfect aircraft for transcontinental travel and a better priced option for trips to Hawaii than a larger cabin aircraft. Demand for private charter is increasing, and the super-mid aircraft continues to show excellent performance.”

The safety of clients has always been a number one priority for Silver Air. To address the health concerns of air travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, the company has introduced COVID-19 Cleared, an industry-leading programme endorsed by Wyvern and developed with the support of medical professionals and infectious disease experts to eliminate all infectious touch points for the passenger and crew.

Silver Air has also signed a Phenom 100 to its Los Angeles-based fleet at Van Nuys airport. The Embraer Phenom 100 is a modern luxury small cabin jet with executive accommodations for six passengers and a range of 1,178 nautical miles for quick short-range travel. The recently renovated interior includes a new wool carpet and in-flight entertainment, paired with good headroom and space to maximise passenger comfort.

“There has been a growing demand for small cabin charter lift in the LA Basin,” says Stumpf. “The Phenom 100 is the perfect aircraft for non-stop short trips up and down California and beyond.”

COVID-19 Cleared was developed by the company's executive and safety team in conjunction with medical professionals and infectious disease specialists. Addressing all potential contact points during private charter travel, the safety reduces touch points around ground transportation at the departure location, during air travel and ground transportation at the arrival destination to virtually zero.

“The safety of our clients and employees has always been Silver Air's number one priority, but the current environment has challenged us to redefine what that means. More than ever, health and safety go hand-in-hand, and we've developed new protocols that eliminate touch points when traveling to ensure the safest environment possible for both our employees and our clients,” says Jason Middleton, CEO at Silver Air.

COVID-19 Cleared includes extensive cleaning, sterilisation and sealing of all aircraft and ground transportation vehicles until the passenger and crew arrive; medical professionals conduct virtual health screenings of both crew and passengers; and only when all protocols have been confirmed will they clear the trip. Each step of the COVID-19 Cleared process exceeds recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Reviewed and endorsed by the leading aviation safety auditor Wyvern, the new programme is being shared as a model for the private charter industry.

“The new Silver Air programme can be a model for private aviation, and Wyvern can help roll this out to the industry,” said Sonnie Bates, Wyvern CEO. “We encourage private jet charter companies to look at some of the innovative measures taken here and to implement similar procedures to make air travel the safest it can be as we help business leaders get back to work and drive the economy's comeback.”

“Private aviation will play a critical role in restarting our economy. Our clients include business leaders from all industries, and they are going to have to start travelling again to rebuild their businesses and get people back to work,” Middleton continues. “It is our responsibility to provide the safest environment possible while they are focused on rebuilding the U.S. and global economies. It's also our responsibility to keep the people in our industry safe, so they can do their important jobs.”