Cello at EBACE

The world of business aviation  has a European focus for three days in  early May  where customers, suppliers, manufacturers, wholesalers and aviation press gather in Geneva.

If  you're buying aircraft, selling aircraft, buying systems for aircraft , chartering aircraft or just interested in business aviation, this is the place to  be.
Whether your need is for 3 or 93 seats EBACE has an aircraft for you

Check out  EBACE at:   www.ebace.aero/

Cello will be exhibiting  the ABJ  in the static park for  the duration of the exhibition in conjunction with BAe Systems, the manufacturer of the aircraft. True to the concept of providing an adaptable colour scheme for customers, we are using a hybrid logo during the exhibition with BAe displaying its house colours in addition to the Cello scheme.

All visiting  air brokers are invited to  visit  Cello aviation during the exhibition.  We are expecting a large interest in the aircraft  from  the sporting team, product launch and entertainment industry sectors and also from prospective business jet purhasers who are seeking a managed aircraft solution to their ownership plans.

The interior is unique to  the European charter market  with 46 seats at 43' pitch .Integral air stairs and APU provide a high level of self sufficiency, even at the more remote  airfields

On return from  EBACE the aircraft should have the necessary approval  allowing it to enter revenue service. By then the cabin crew will  be eager to start earning their keep !

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tel:UK (0) 121 507 8700
E: charters@flycello.com

Breaking News ----Cello touches base at Birmingham

Wednesday 28  April 1730 and the focus of our attention for the last 4 months  finally parks up at its base at Birmingham International

Parked in front of the Iconic Elmdon building

After the  post refurbishment flights Monday 26th and Tuesday 27th  from  Southend, the Birmingham based Cello staff finally get to see the focus of their attention for the last 4 months. View the first post refurbishment  flight  at   http://www.facebook.com/v/1436227986613

Nearly every box now ticked - Some anticipated edits to the manuals required by the CAA and then just awaiting the sign offs  and we can finally carry revenue passengers

So how do you like  your new flying office ?The staff frustration at wanting to  get on with it  is now being replaced by excitement

Photo courtesy of Keith Burton

Sunday sees its  departure to  Geneva for the EBACE exhibition

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Next week is flying week

The waiting for approvals is nearly over .  Sunday we finally get our hands on the aircraft for pre-service test flying and route proving . Low level flying around the Manston area and upper air work around the east coast. Positive noises  coming from  the CAA  re approvals .  Cabin crew get  to  operate some dummy sectors  to  confirm cabin equipment operation and service delivery standards.

The real deal. No longer  just an artists impression.

Can we please get those seats bolted down. We have customers waiting!

Thank you !! I know we want to keep the seats looking good - but we will take the protective covers off .

The view half way through the seat fit process 7 days ago. The buffer time built into  the maintenance programme gets used in part- a seat alignment problem is resolved  but this delays aircraft completion by several days. As the aircraft completion  and the AOC  process run in parallel, the delay has no impact on the business start date.

As part of the flying programme next week, the aircraft will  be visiting  its base at Birmingham International before departing to Geneva  for a week

http://www.flycello.com/

http://celloaviation.blogspot.com/

tel: UK (0)121 507 8700

charters@flycello.com

Its 'Wings' day

Cabin staff  are 'up in the air' -  'taking off '- 'heads in the clouds' - 'flying high.' Yes- lets get rid of all the old cliches right at the start.
It was wings day Thursday where  the efforts of the Cello cabin crew over  the last 5 weeks  have finally been rewarded. Seen here at Birmingham Airport, the airline's base after receiving their wings from  the airline's CEO. Memories of the concert party in ''It ain't alf hot Mum''

Pool dunking , escape slide friction burns, endless lectures, CPR  simulation, modelling the latest fashion accessory- smoke hoods,  unruly passenger role play, written examinations and finally after all that -approval to  fly  for the long suffering cabin crew.
Time to pose with the CEO!

Another tick in the box  and  with less than 2 weeks until the crews finally get airborne. Flights will carry 3 cabin crew to  cover the 46 passenger configuration

Picture courtesy of aviation photographer Keith Burton

Meanwhile  the aircraft is now spending more time out of the hangar than in, as it approaches first post maintenance flight-Flight deck crew are ready for the route proving flights. Initially generally low level flying to  re-check systems  before a 'cold soak' at 29,000' to  check cabin pressurisation systems.

Charter requests are coming in for dates well into  next  year in parallel with requests for June and July

http://www.flycello.com/

http://celloaviation.blogspot.com/

UK(0)121 570 8700

The Office- no not the Ricky Gervais one

Well it depends  which office we're talking about.

Up at the sharp end. The  pilots' office - and not a laptop or PC in sight. Flight instruments and FMS powered up  to  check for serviceability

Ground floor office-the business end -not a pilot in sight . It's good to see a fully staffed office  in preparation for  commercial and operational service. Roll on May and revenue operations! The long 'to do' list slowly but surely being ticked off , even down to  the ordering of the  Hi-Viz jackets for the airside staff..

Loading foreign airfield charges in to the costing software. The aircraft's ability to operate into  even the smaller regional airports means details for  several hundred accessible airports within Europe are required. Obviously no small task . A turnaround time of 30 minutes for each charter request, even the complex itineraries is the target using this software.
 Booking contracts and customer terms and conditions are now written . A brief exploration this week of a different market segment, the UK/European luxury weddings market segment produced some surprising results - a market definitely worth pursuing.

So who is  Frank Kane? Its a long story.


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Beyond the planning stage

Progress towards launch of Cello Aviation continues. Monday 29 March  and on schedule, Cello's Avro ABJ G-RAJJ sees the light of day for the first time in 3 months. Emerging from  the hangar where it has been undergoing pre delivery maintenance and internal refit. - The task today - Electrical systems  power up and Auxilliary Power Unit  checks . The beginning of a 10 day shakedown  prior flight. CAA inspection and pre-service entry  flying is still targetted for the period 16-25April.

No- not an out take from an episode of Dr Who! Crew smoke hoods get the once over. Who said it was an improvement?! The cabin crew training over 2 weeks ago is now a distant blur as the crew prepare for their first revenue flight.

Well it looks just like the brand designers said it would ! Externally complete but with some internal cabin work remaining to be complete over the next week. Spot the Cello logo. The aircraft relative size and internal design quality  sets it above comparable 40-50 seat aircraft currently available in the European VIP charter marketplace

Work to  complete the interior will continue over the Easter break  in order to  meet the company's internal deadlines.


Why do night shots always make an aircraft look good?


http://www.flycello.com/
http://celloaviation.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/flycello