FAI expands in Algeria as it welcomes 11th Learjet 60.

Wednesday 19th October 2016

German special mission operator FAI rent-a-jet AG is pleased to announce it has been awarded a one-year public tendered contract to operate two Learjet 60s out of Algiers, the capital of Algeria.  The aircraft will be used for multi-purpose missions including both passenger transport and medevac services. This latest win, in a new territory for FAI, underlines the company's capabilities on the African continent which has already included operations with aircraft based in Sudan, South Sudan, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Mali.

Commenting on the tender win, Volker Lemke, Head of FAI´s Air Ambulance Division said: "We are proud that our significant expertise on the African continent has been recognised with the selection of FAI for this work. It demonstrates our strength in this field and strengthens FAI´s position as a leading player in patient transport by air ambulance." Operations for the new contract will begin before the end of the year with two aircraft and operating crew setting up a base in Algiers.

FAI recently took delivery of a new Learjet 60, bolstering the number of Learjet in its exclusively Bombardier fleet to 11.  The latest aircraft will be used to support the new operations in Algeria and will replace FAI's last remaining Learjet 35A.

FAI's dedicated air ambulance fleet now comprises: six Learjet 60s; two Learjet 55s and three Challenger 604s. This complements FAI's multi-purpose fleet of five Learjet 60s; two Challenger 604s and three Global Express', which serve both passenger transport and air ambulance roles.   FAI´s combined fleet totals 21 aircraft making it one of the largest business jet operators in Europe, by fleet size.

FAI´s Chairman Siegfried Axtmann adds: "We are very pleased to take delivery of our 11th Learjet 60. Time and time again the aircraft demonstrates its suitability for multi mission activity and really adds value to our offering for the new Algerian agreement. "

FAI continues to maintain a young fleet by outsourcing aircraft older than 25 years which enables us to keep the average age of our entire fleet below 20 years old, he added. We are pleased to say that we operate one of the youngest air ambulance fleets in the industry. By end of 2017, we expect to have replaced our remaining two Learjet 55s with Learjet 60 models."

FAI's fleet is based at the company's home base of Albrecht Dürer Airport in Nuremberg, Germany and maintained by FAI Technik.

About FAI:

FAI operates Germany's largest fleet of business jets in General Aviation and flew more than 13,000 hours of flight time in 2015. FAI operates 20 jet aircraft including 3 Bombardier Global Express, 5 Bombardier Challenger 604, 9 Bombardier Learjet 60, 2 Bombardier Learjet 55 and 1 Bombardier Learjet 35. Headquartered at Albrecht Dürer International Airport in Nuremberg, Germany, it operates a 9,000 m² carbon neutral FBO which will be expanded by another 4,800 m² by spring of 2017.

FAI employs a full time staff of 180 people, including 60 mechanics and engineers at FAI´s in house MRO plus some 50 part time physicians and paramedics. FAI operates satellite offices in Dubai and Miami, as well as line stations in Baghdad, Bamako and Dakar.

www.fai.ag