News Release

The aircraft will be based predominantly at Cardiff's airport and is available for charter.

DragonFly adds jet to turboprop fleet

DragonFly Executive Air Charter has announced the arrival of its first jet. The company, well-known for its operation of King Air turboprops, has acquired a Nextant 400XTi, a seven-seat light jet, which was added to the company's Air Operator's Certificate on 27 April and now is available for third-party charter. The Nextant joins the company's fleet of three Beech King Air 200 Blackhawk/B200 aircraft.

DragonFly chief executive Howard Palser said that the arrival of the Nextant marked a further phase in the development of the business that he founded in 2004, and enables the company to offer clients the facility of travelling greater distances more rapidly than in the King Air.

The Nextant XT400i is recognised as an extremely capable aircraft, being one of the fastest light jets, cruising at 465 kts (535+ statute mph), with a range of over 2,100 nautical miles, (2,400 statute miles), and a maximum ceiling of 45,000ft. Internally the aircraft features a seating arrangement of a club four and three place couch arrangement.

The aircraft will be based predominantly at Cardiff's 24/7 airport and has already attracted firm charters to Mediterranean destinations that are generally regarded as out of range for the King Air without a fuel stop. The timing of the aircraft's arrival is particularly fortuitous in advance of the busy summer season.

Another important benefit in commencing jet operations is that DragonFly can now offer its crew an in-house career progression from the King Air to the jet. The company is now recruiting additional type-rated pilots.

The DragonFly team are flying the Nextant to Geneva for EBACE on 24 May and are able to arrange viewings of the aircraft by appointment.