News

First Low Cost Private Jet Service in the UK

A new era of low-cost private jet travel has been launched by London Executive Aviation (http://wwwflylea.com) (‘LEA’), the UK’s largest private jet charter operator, which has become the first UK and European fleet operator to introduce the Cessna Citation Mustang. The four-passenger Citation Mustang is the first of a new generation of entry level business jets and will enable LEA to reduce the price of jet chartering by up to 30 percent.

The new aircraft is to enter charter service with LEA in mid February, making LEA Europe’s first Citation Mustang fleet operator. With ten of the aircraft joining its fleet, LEA will be one of the largest Citation Mustang fleet operators in Europe. The company’s first Mustang, tail number G-LEAI, was the 52nd to be produced by Cessna.

The aircraft was unveiled at a celebratory launch event held on the evening of January 31, 2008 at Farnborough Airport in the UK, attended by over a hundred and fifty customers, brokers and aviation industry figures.

LEA’s chief executive Patrick Margetson-Rushmore said: "LEA is delighted to be the first UK operator to introduce the Citation Mustang. It is the perfect business aircraft for Europe, with ample space for the average group size and a non-stop flying range that comfortably includes virtually all the Continent’s top destinations. With the Mustang, we can offer all the key benefits of a larger jet, but at a substantially lower price. We call it the Mercedes S Class with wings."

Roger Whyte, Cessna’s senior vice president for Sales & Marketing, flew over to the UK especially for the event. He remarked: "Cessna has been delighted at the strong demand for the Citation Mustang from charter businesses and private owners alike. We feel it has an important role to play in helping expand the market for business aviation, both for business and leisure travellers. We are therefore delighted that a respected operator such as LEA is first to introduce the aircraft in the UK."

London Executive Aviation is the UK’s largest executive aircraft charter operator and was named Best General Aviation Operator in the Baltic Air Charter Association’s 2007 and 2006 Excellence Awards. The company operates the largest diverse fleet of executive aircraft in the UK. LEA is the only executive aviation company with a full base at London City airport; it operates five further bases around London. LEA is owned by its management and has maintained a record of unbroken profitability since it was founded in 1996. More information can be found at www.flylea.com.

The six-place Cessna Citation Mustang has a top speed of 340 knots, a range of 1,150 nautical miles and a service ceiling of 41,000 feet, enabling more efficient operations above most weather and commercial traffic. Further information about the Citation Mustang is available at http://mustang.cessna.com/home.chtml

Based on unit sales, Cessna Aircraft Company is the world’s largest manufacturer of general aviation airplanes. In 2007, Cessna delivered 1,272 aircraft, including 387 Citation business jets, and reported revenues of about $5 billion. Cessna has a current backlog of $12.6 billion. Since the company was originally established in 1927, some 190,000 Cessna airplanes have been delivered to nearly every country in the world. The global fleet of more than 5,100 Citations is the largest fleet of business jets in the world. More information about Cessna Aircraft Company is available at www.cessna.com.