Jet Aviation’s plans moved a step closer late in 2009 with the acquisition by the General Dynamics-owned company of US charter operator and aircraft operator’s certificate holder K Services, which has five fixed base operations in the USA as well as a completions and an engineering facility.

Before its acquisition by General Dynamics from European private equity company Permira in November 2008, Jet Aviation was ineligible for an AOC as it was “viewed as a foreign carrier”, says Jet Aviation Flight Services senior vice-president and general manager Robert Seidel. “We therefore provided aircraft charter brokerage – through New World Jet for 10 years and through Priester Aviation since November 2008.”

Jet Aviation Flight Services is in the process of transferring the remaining 21 managed aircraft from Priester’s AOC. Jet Aviation has a managed fleet of around 70 business aircraft and will add 12 new aircraft to its managed line-up over the course of the year, half of which could be added to the new AOC. “We have added two Gulfstream G1Vs and one G200 this month already,” says Seidel.

“We plan to double our managed fleet over the next three years and will expand the business within the USA to areas where we are currently not represented, including the upper Midwest and mid-Atlantic states,” he adds.

The company – which has seven facilities in the USA – will grow organically as well as through acquisitions. “We want to become an integral part of the business aviation infrastructure in the USA. We have 42 years of experience in this business and we plan to unleash the power of the Jet Aviation brand across the USA,” Seidel says.

Jet Aviation will grow steadily, but cautiously, he adds. “If we expand too quickly, we could crash like some of our competitors. We are profitable and that is how we plan to remain.”

via Jet Aviation plots US expansion.

“Our acquisition in November 2008 by General Dynamics, a US corporation, made it possible for Jet Aviation to become a Certified Part 135 US Air Carrier,” said Gary Dempsey, president of Jet Aviation Holdings, Inc., responsible for the company’s aircraft management, charter, FBO and staffing services for The Americas.

Previously, aircraft managed by Jet Aviation in the US were operated commercially under US Federal Aviation Regulation Part 135 rules by a third-party air carrier, which currently is Priester Aviation, LLC. The newly established Jet Aviation Flight Services operates two Gulfstream IV aircraft and will begin adding new jets to the certificate this month. The company will transition its managed aircraft from Priester Aviation to Jet Aviation Flight Services over the next 18 months. Jet Aviation recently extended its strategic alliance with Priester Aviation through July 2011.

Since the acquisition of Jet Aviation’s US Part 135 Air Carrier certificate, the company has undergone two third-party audits. As a result, Jet Aviation Flight Services was awarded a Platinum safety rating by ARG/US, an achievement held by only a select group of charter operators. Additionally, Jet Aviation earned registry in IS-BAO, the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations as defined by the International Business Aviation Council. In August 2009, the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) recognized IS-BAO as an industry standard for business aircraft operations. Only one percent of US Part 135 operators hold the IS-BAO certification.

“Our goal is to create an air carrier that exceeds customer expectations in delivering the highest service level, and to be second to none when it comes to safety,” said Bob Seidel, senior vice president and general manager of Jet Aviation aircraft management and charter divisions in the US.

via Welcome to Eva International – www.evaint.com – Eva International – www.evaint.com.

According to a company spokesman, there will be a reduction of almost 200 people at the facility with the departure of some contract personnel and some staff who are leaving voluntarily. The downsizing is spread across Jet Aviation Basel’s various aircraft completion and maintenance programs.

The group still employs 1,600 people in Basel, having hired more than 450 new staff in recent years when demand was exceptionally high. On Tuesday, Jay Johnson, president and CEO of General Dynamics, parent company of Gulfstream and Jet Aviation, said he is starting to see “traction” in aircraft maintenance and believes there is pent-up demand for service since many operators deferred maintenance during the downturn.

However, Johnson didn’t address the demand for aircraft completions work in his presentation at the Bank of America/Merrill Lynch Global Industries Conference. Industry sources indicate that demand for bizliner completions–the segment least affected by the downturn–has softened in the past six months.

via Jet Aviation Pares Down Basel, Switzerland Staff: AINonline.

The Dubai maintenance facility is an authorized service center for the Boeing 737 NG series (including BBJ), Gulfstream series, Dassault Falcon series as well as Hawker series aircraft, and an approved repair station for the Embraer Legacy.

“Due to increased customer demand, we have expanded our services and can now better support also the first UAE Hawker 4000 operator as well as Global Express operators that demand MRO services from us. With the addition of these aircraft types we have extended our ’under-one-roof service offering‘ and our capability significantly,” says Michael Rücker, senior vice president and general manager of Jet Aviation Dubai.

Jet Aviation’s Dubai maintenance and FBO location was established in May 2005. The facility has a total of 4,200 sq m (45,192 sq ft) of hangar space, a workshop area of 1,000 sq m (10,760 sq ft), and a two story FBO building with an area of 1,050 sq m (11,300 sq ft). Jet Aviation Dubai is certified by a variety of civil aviation authorities,

via Jet Aviation Dubai Adds Hawker 4000 and Global Express Approvals.