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Big Boost for Avanti with U.S. Fractional Breakthrough
Skyline Aviation Services is launching a new fractional
business aircraft operation with some very good news for Piaggio-Skyline
will take on six brand-new P180 Avantis (plus two options) to add
to the single aircraft it already has. What's more, the decision
to take on the sleek, plusher turboprop was an easy move to make,
according to Skyline's CEO, Steve Santo.
"The Avanti gives us a perfect combination of performance,
size and efficiency-particularly for the fractional market. Since
we took delivery of our first aircraft, every single demo trip
we have done for a customer has led to a 100% sign-up rate,"
said Santo, who is launching his company's all-new fractional
service entirely with the Avanti. "We evaluated other aircraft,
other jets like the Cessna CJ2, but there was just no competition.
With the Avanti you get the cabin of a midsize jet for less than
the price of a small jet. Its cabin is so much bigger (than a
CJ2), but the speed and range is not too different at all-you
cruise at about 8 knots less. You get so much more for your money
and we are charging less, in fractional terms, than you would
ever pay for the CJ2."
A one-sixteenth share in an Avanti is priced at $325,000, with
a monthly fee of $5,500 to cover all operating and support costs
and management fees. For that sum customers can have an aircraft
for 50 hours per year.
Piaggio chairman Piero Ferrari was on hand for the signing of
the Skyline deal and he noted, "This is a big opportunity
for us, to have our first fractional operator in the U.S., and
more will come. It proves that people are getting to know the
Avanti, and the more they fly it the more they like it. The good
word is spreading."
Skyline was established in 1999 as an aircraft lessor and it launched
its fractional ownership service last year. About six months ago
it gained access to an Avanti demonstrator aircraft from Piaggio
and liked it so much that it bought up the aircraft a few months
later. The first pair of new aircraft will be delivered in November,
with single aircraft arriving bi-monthly after that.
By Robert Hewson
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