London City Readies New Jet Center;
Airport Buys Falcon 900EX for Charter

London City Airport welcomes quiet business jets to its downtown location.

The new London City Airport Jet Center, due to open only a couple of weeks after EBACE, is also to be a corporate jet charter operator. The airport company has bought and will operate its own Dassault Falcon 900EX ($34.8 million) for commercial charter.

Says London City's managing director. Richard Gooding, "The airport's management is demonstrating its real commitment to corporate aviation by this purchase. Delivery is set for July 31, with completion undertaken by Jet Aviation of Basel".

The aircraft will operated under the airport's own brand new AOC (Air Operator's Certificate) and Gooding reckons that London City could be the only airport in the world with its own AOC. With a full load the 900EX will have sufficient range to fly directly from the Caribbean to London City, according to Gooding.

London City Airport is exhibiting at EBACE for the first time (Booth 7827) and is strongly promoting its FBO's Thames-side proximity to the City of London.

"We've already handled a couple of Falcon 50s from the U.S. and Canada which were flown here non-stop with three passengers aboard," said Gooding.

About $11. 6 million of investment has gone into an enlarged western apron (to around 8,500 sq. meters), which became operational in March this year, and can park up to 20 corporate aircraft at any one time. Another $1.45 million has gone into the brand new two storey FBO which should be ready for operation by mid June. The FBO has VIP lounges, dedicated VIP parking, immigration/customs clearance, as well as the latest crew facilities. Another $2.9 million has been spent on a small runway extension which increases the available length available to 1,335 meters due to be completed by September.

The latest corporate jet to meet London City's steep approach (5.5 degrees ­ and to demonstrate the 'abuse case' of 7.5 degrees) requirement is the Citation Bravo, and NetJets has already started operations with them. According to Gooding the Citation Excel is expected to cleared by the end of this year. The Bravo and Excel join more than thirty other corporate aircraft types and sub types cleared into London City.

The airport management took over responsibility for the handling of all corporate aircraft on December 1 after Signature Flight Support ended its tenure.

"We concluded that as the investment was down to us we should operate the FBO and the Falcon 900EX ourselves," said Gooding. "These decisions will stay under review but at the moment we believe that this is the way to do it."

By Mike Vines