aerobd.news : German Special Mission Operator FAI rent-a-jet AG, continues its fleet expansion with the addition of its first Bombardier Challenger 850. The German registered aircraft, (D-AFAN) joined the fleet this month and will be available for ad hoc charter from mid-November. The aircraft is currently undergoing new paint and interior enhancements at FAI Technik, the company’s maintenance division. The Challenger, S/N 8081, will be based at FAI’s corporate headquarters at Nuremberg Airport, Germany and brings its total fleet size to 25, including ten managed aircraft.

Siegfried Axtmann, Chairman of FAI Aviation Group, comments: “We are very pleased to welcome our first Challenger 850 model which features a comfortable three-zone cabin as roomy as a Global Express and low operating costs comparable with a Challenger 605. I am confident that it will prove a popular choice with our customers.” The latest addition also serves to strengthen the company´s position as one of Europe´s largest Bombardier fleet operators which brings significant operational cost benefits.

In related news, last month the company bid a final farewell to its last Learjet 55. The aircraft, S/N 124, took off from Nuremberg on August 29 for its new home in Mexico where it will continue operations with air ambulance operator, Med Jets. Axtmann comments: “We are obviously sad to say farewell to our last Learjet 55. It has proved to be an effective workhorse for FAI over the years. By focusing on the operation of only one type of the Learjet family, the Learjet 60 however, FAI anticipates greater efficiency through further cost savings in crew-training and spare part stocking.” With a total of eleven Learjet 60’s in service, FAI continues to be the largest Learjet Bombardier 60 fleet operator worldwide.

About FAI Aviation Group

FAI Group operates Germany’s largest fleet of business jets and utilized ca. 13,000 hours of air time in 2017. FAI´s group fleet of 24 jet aircraft and one turboprop includes six Bombardier Global Express, five Bombardier Challenger 604s, one Challenger 850, 11 Learjet 60 plus one Premier 1A and one King Air 350. Headquartered at Albrecht Duerer Intl. Airport in Nuremberg, Germany, FAI runs a 14,000 m² carbon neutral FBO. FAI Group employs a full-time staff of 200 people, including 60 mechanics and engineers at its in-house MRO plus some 50 part time physicians and paramedics. FAI operates satellite offices in Dubai and Miami.

FAI was the recipient of the Diamond Safety of Flight Award from the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) in May 2018 marking the highest safety recognition awarded by EBAA to member companies operating business aircraft for 50 years or 100,000 hours without an accident.