Air Alpha Aircraft Sales is putting Intensive work into obtaining Moscow certification for Piper Aircraft to meet pent up demand from business owners and charter operators.

It has the dealerships for the Pilatus PC-12 in the Baltics and Russia and for the Piper in Scandinavia, the Baltics and Russia. Air Alpha Aircraft Sales gained certification in Russia for the PC-12 over a year ago and has already sold six to corporate owners.

Bjarne Jorsal, md Air Alpha Aircraft Sales, confirms: "We have a waiting list of more operators who would like to acquire the PC-12."

He adds "We also have had a lot of requests for all the aircraft in the Piper programme and are in the process of obtaining certification. It is difficult to say which Piper Aircraft is the most popular. Turbines are in demand because of the lack of Avgas but there is also a demand for the piston-driven aircraft. The demand is across the whole range of Piper Aircraft - from those still in production to those already built."

Jorsal expects to be in a position to begin to meet demand for the Piper range early in 2007. Meanwhile the sales focus is on the PC-12.

"Russian corporates and charterers like comfort and versatility and the PC-12 offers that and it is a very rugged aircraft so it is good for the weather conditions," says Jorsal.

The PC-12's range of around 3,000 kms and its ability to carry six to eight passengers in comfort are also selling points, he adds. It has aroused interest from operators planning to ferry passengers to middle distance destinations in Russia.

"I dislike the term air taxi," says Jorsal. "That is a term that should be used for cars and it doesn't reflect the demand in Russia. The PC-12s are in demand because they are good for air journeys in comfort to destinations in Russia. It is a big country and even the shorter routes are, effectively, medium distance journeys by air."

The PC-12 integrates a single turboprop engine into an aerodynamically advanced airframe.

Jorsal says: "This means it combines excellent economy, reliability and versatility with the inherent safety of this type of aircraft. It offers multiple configurations, ranging from standard nine passenger commuter seating to executive six to eight passenger seating."

He adds: "There are permutations that make possible different combinations of cargo, combined passenger and cargo, dedicated or quick change air ambulance and multi-mission surveillance."