It's Exhibition season

Cello's team will be exhibiting again at EBACE in Geneva and for the first time at IMEX in Frankfurt during May. Time to catch up with established contacts in the industry as well as meeting new faces . Early interest from  the conference/incentive market  for this aircraft  has prompted Cello to  explore this market further.

In the office, we've all set ourselves up on SKYPE so if anyone needs to look at us now whilst talking !!- Well, its your choice !

Meanwhile in a rare moment of cooperation between Cello's commercial and operations departments!

Anyone care to identify an appropriate caption!!??- the best to be covered in the next blog

And its off to Scandinavia and Estonia for the aircraft and crew in the coming few days  . ACMI business is not part of our core strategy. The internal aircraft  configuration is not designed to support this sector. Nevertheless , some acmi work, has been contracted over the next few days . Nothing surprises anymore in the VIP air transport sector !

A few days off for annual maintenance

A little time away from  revenue generation for its annual 'medical' has been the order of the week  for G-RAJJ. 

So what happens when you need to  replace a soon to be time expired escape slide  during routine maintenance?

Well you can just remove and replace it it OR if you work for Cello, you can have a more interesting 5 minutes  with camera and team

An opportunity for  a little refresher  training for the crew

Missing revenue opportunities is always a difficult call and scheduling maintenance against diary periods  which are forecast as 'quiet times' and less invasive towards the revenue generating flying schedule is a bit of a dark art. However it has been achieved with limited down time over 5 days.

And so it's back into service for a full flying week ahead, touching 3 London airports plus  Nice, Faro, Blackpool  and Marseilles in the space of 7 days.

Who said it was glamorous??

There is an image of life as a VIP cabin crew member .  But this isn't  the image !!

Loading the catering in the snow at Birmingham for a last minute 'shout', prior departure to  Stavanger  The customer then decided to  keep us busy for an extended period.

And just to  rub it in, some are rostered  for a Christmas day operation. Fitting in family life around a busy Cello December. 

Meanwhile  back in the office --

- Where are all the sales  force?? They are out selling !!

http://www.flycello.com/

http://celloaviation.blogspot.com/

Kellie's View

The blog gets handed to  Cello's Cabin Services Head Kellie Joyce this week  for a view from  the top!

The  day starts at 0400 when the crew operating our current trip finally landed and sent me a text report on their flight. Apparently all went well, and our latest service enhancement of inflight beauty therapy went down a storm! The principal passenger had an Indian Head Massage and a bottle of Stella!


During the course of preparing to go to work and the subsequent school run, I receive a number of calls and emails regarding the catering requirements for the next leg... I need to source a particular vintage of a Californian Cabernet Sauvignon; Can I put together a menu for a three course meal, which must include a red meat, white meat, fish dish and vegetarian option? A planned broker  aircraft viewing in Madrid is postponed  following last night’s snow diversion so can we cancel the catering?

On arrival at the office, the studio representing our current client contact me regarding the beauty therapist, they would like her on all the forthcoming legs if possible. I liaise with my supplier and he agrees. Pheew!

Then to work on the menu, I select the following, hoping that it covers all the requirements of our Hollywood starlet...

Starters

Asparagus Tips with Pea and Asparagus Mousse
Smoked Duck and Melon with a Thyme and Orange Compote
Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese and Chive Parcels with a Tomato Dressing

Entrees

Fillet of Beef with Shallots and Button Mushrooms in a Madeira Sauce with Carrots, Green Beans and Sauté Potatoes
Breast of Chicken with a Parmesan, Pancetta and Parsley Topping with a Tomato Sauce
with New Potatoes, Broccoli and Carrots
Supreme of Salmon with Spinach, Cheese and Mushroom with a White Wine Sauce and
New Potatoes and Peas
Roasted Red Pepper with a Butternut Squash Risotto and Tomato Sauce

Desserts
Vanilla Panacotta with Poached Blueberries
Chocolate Tart with Orange Compote

To finish

Local English Cheeses with Biscuits, Cheese and Celery
Coffee and Petit Fours


I receive a call from the caterer down route, as the aircraft was diverted how can they obtain the china and glassware from the previous sector? Luckily the crew and engineering guys are already up and about and happy to help....we exchange emails and texts, and the washing up gets done!

After selecting corporate gifts for our suppliers, I get to work on the wine request. We have an excellent local supplier, whom has access to some of the most exclusive vineyards in Europe and the New World... if anyone can find it, Nick can. It’s a tricky request, and strangely named “CakeBread” .
The studio advises they are happy with the menu choices and so I set about ordering everything, with the various suppliers across Europe and the UK. Nick then calls to advise he’s sourced the wine, and a fabulous white as an alternative given the menu.

We receive another call that the passenger figure has reduced to 17 for the next sector, so the crew are going to eat very well tomorrow, I’ve ordered enough for 40!

The day is now drawing to a close, and we are hoping for an impromptu glass of wine after work to welcome our latest addition to the team. But the No1 on the trip calls me with a further brief from the PA to the principal passenger; apparently she likes to “keep things simple” and now wants just cheese and tomato pizza and a beer on the next sector.... Oh well! Best get back on the phone.

 And now preparing for the next sector

An operation a bit like the graceful swan--elegantly demure above the waterline   and paddling with some considerable enthusiasm  beneath!!

So --which of our customers ( with the availability of all the bespoke food on offer )  ordered   Subway  and Coke?

Out and About

Operating  around Europe sees yet another visit to Cello's favourite  Eastern European field Zilina,  for a French football club. Moving the aircraft to  Madrid on behalf of MTV, then back to  the UK for  a Premiership  football team and then on  across the channel to  support the European Parliament ,the aircraft has seen little of its Birmingham base over  the last 4 weeks .

Dispatch reliability for this aircraft  has exceeded even our expectations thanks in part to  a strategy of carrying an engineer and spares pack.

Cello is becoming the carrier of choice for customers  requiring access to  tight European fields  with Auxerre also featuring in the recent operation for an Italian football team.  

It seems certain brokers are still not aware of Cello's  banking arrangements  whereby monies are paid into a trustee account  offering protection  for the customer and broker. Only after flight completion is that money released to  Cello Aviation.

Meanwhile the conference and event organisers  and European brokers were on the contact list for the Cello commercial team's  visit to  the  annual EIBTM  exhibition for travel organisers  in Barcelona .

An excellent exhibition with many good contact made, marred only by  the issue of snow in parts of Europe preventing many visitors  from reaching  Barcelona

http://www.flycello.com/

http://celloaviation.blogspot.com/

UK(0)121 507 8700

An interesting week

Whether it's carrying an iconic rock group around  Europe  or a national football team to  a Euro qualifier, its been an interesting week.  A pretty full order book for the whole month is keeping the C.E.O happy.

 A last minute Celtic Manor  departure provided a  photo opportunity for the Daily Mail- A certain Ryder Cup player enjoying the legroom  in  a slightly more relaxed state than the previous afternoon !
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/golf/article-1318235/Graeme-McDowell-takes-US-Tour-card-2011.html

Once again, our favourite overseas station Zilina hits our live flight screen 5 times over the next 10 days for 2 different customers.

New European based contacts  from  France and Italy are keeping  the commercial team  from  falling asleep with car launch  and football requests for flying dates from November well into next year.

The commercial  and cabin services team enjoyed the hospitality of  a charter broker anniversary evening during the week with great views from  the top of London.

And whilst on the subject of  anniversaries - Cello is 3 months old today.  Multum in parvo-as Caesar would say!

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

UK(0) 121 507 8700

Keeping the focus

It never surprises,  the range of business opportunities that present themselves- but  how they often dont 'quite fit' neatly into  the established business model slot!

Of course they all deserve our attention. Should we develop additional and different product standards to accommodate the opportunity, or will that confuse the market?

Certainly there are no  negatives so far from  the customer base regarding  the established product.

And the challenge is always to ensure the primary focus remains  the original business plan  and  the opportunities outside the box do not become too distracting.

Still, with  an already large  and ever growing number of contracted flying hours - Cello is well on its way !

It  also seems to have found a little niche  with Zilina  for both football and  car  product launch market segments.

A challenging airfield  for most larger aircraft types - but just the airfield type for  the Avro.

With a Cello arrival at Faro caught on You Tube 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11ifs1c0of8

W: http://www.flycello.com/

B: http://celloaviation.blogspot.com/

T: UK(0) 121 507 8700



Getting busy at Cello

Hitting the ground running isn't the easiest of tasks when  the regulators do not allow (and rightly so) the marketing of the operation pre AOC. It has been gratifying to see the faith that the market placed in us over that period with  a surprising July and August flying order book.  More football team charters last week and next week are contracted and its good to  see the product launch season upon us again, with several in the plan  for the next 8  weeks

All the  major market segments  identified in the business plan including VVIP and the entertainment industry  have all  now  sampled  the Cello product.

A little 'repatriation ' work from  the Greek Islands for returning UK holidaymakers provided an unexpected bonus in the bank account at month end- organised  and airborne within 3 hours of agreement - but that's what the business is supposed to  do .

Last week  saw the sales team 'hit' the Gatwick  Charter Brokers.The scope of business tasks  provided by some of them results in  them appearing are more like  virtual airline operations than brokers.
We are anticipating a good autumn!

W:    http://www.flycello.com/
B:      http://celloaviation.blogspot.com/
E:       charters@flycello.com
          and on Twitter

Flexible operation, Flexible staff

So the cabin crew  thought they  were  operating Wednesday to  Faro for a customer and positioning straight back to  Birmingham  empty- Well they thought wrong .

A late booking  confirmation  sees the aircraft  position  from Faro to  Barcelona empty and then Nice  instead, in order to  operate   a VVIP  back to  the UK this weekend, Insh'Allah  - still I dont suppose they minded missing an odd episode  of Eastenders to spend a night or two in the Catalan capital . Good job they took their overnight bags  just in case .
Never use pen in your diary in this industry sector - things change and often at short notice.

Who is that arriving at the Cello Birmingham  terminal ?

and departing  for Portugal

A look at the Aston Villa  website  will reveal all

http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/Paul_Brown/0,,10265~2104395,00.html

W: http://www.flycello.com/
 B: http://celloaviation.blogspot.com/

T:   0121 507 8700

Farnborough week

Some healthy  air transport aircraft ordering  and up beat  signals regarding  business and VIP aviation make for an optimistic Farnborough week. The chance to  touch base with the good and great in the charter broker and  VIP executive charter industry whilst there is always a plus.

The requests  for  September flying are arriving in healthy numbers and we have a good order book for August  considering  the AOC is only 14 days old.

So what will be  our dominant market segment ?? Sporting team movements,  entertainment tours,  product launches, VVIP  needs?  Well they are all showing themselves. So far a fairly equal balance with football just nudging ahead (even though its the closed domestic season) The Champions and Europa League  early fixtures are just starting to  kick in .

Planning for some Eastern European operations next week, we are reminded  how much  VIP terminal passenger charges and catering costs in that region can make your eyes water!

An air transport operator with its tail up !

W:   http://www.flycello.com/

B:    http://celloaviation.blogspot.com/

E:    charters@flycello.com

T:    0121  507 8700

No longer just a business plan

This is no  longer just a business plan. July 9 saw Cello move from  a business plan in progress  to an licenced  executive jet operator.

Within 3 days of licence grant, G-RAJJ was  airborne on its  first revenue earning flight to Germany on behalf of a car manufacturer supporting a new vehicle product launch.

Post World Cup, the  football league teams are into pre season friendly mode. Firming up other potential   customers sees  football requirements across Europe. Cello are involved with movements to/from  Portugal and Germany over the next 4 weeks.

The first operation confirmed the accuracy and resilience of the  flight planning, operations and crewing software with flight times and forecast fuel burns within 5% of forecast.

Was the onboard product design correct?- Feedback from the first customer has been very positive.

W: http://www.flycello.com/

B:  http://celloaviation.blogspot.com/

Tel:  uk (0) 121 507 8700

Cello Aviation is open for service!

Cello Aviation  is pleased to  advise the grant by the UK CAA of AOC and can formally receive requests for charter

The CAA Flight Operations Inspector  assigned to  us and the team at the CAA   provided the encouragement to  deliver the approvals and licence to  fly in record time .

Overall 18 months has been spent in total in the planning,  but the real visible changes  have been seen in the  months of 2010

In the space of 5 months we've gone from 

to

and from

to

and from

to

Many people go through their careers without  ever having the good fortune or opportunity to  be involved in creating a business  from  a green field site.

Some of us started earlier in the process- some later, but non  of us would have passed up the chance of being part of the creation.

We are open for business!-  CAA  AOC  GB2373

And now the fun really starts!!!

W: http://www.flycello.com/

B:  http://celloaviation.blogspot.com/

T: Uk(0)121 507 8700

E: charters@flycello.com

And wait a bit more !

Will this coming week be THE week?

We know how the little child in the back of the car feels - ''Are we nearly there yet??''

Trying to  coincide  the imminent AOC licence date with  contracting/revenue service flying is like trying to  hit a moving target whilst blindfolded and running through treacle.

The man from  the ministry  is with us next week  for what is hopefully  the final  'checks and balances' 3 days with the last task being the proving flight planned for  the final day.

Celloland commercial life carries on forward  with approval received as preferred supplier for the London 2012 Olympics.  Theres nothing like planning ahead, given the  situation  where 2 of the Olympic teams are  based in the Birmingham area during the event  and the football program is taking place across the UK.

Waiting----just waiting. Roll on next week .

W: http://www.flycello.com/
B: http://celloaviation.blogspot.com/
E: charters@flycello.com
T  UK(0)121 507 8700

Hurry up and wait!

Never has a short 2  week period  felt more  like 6 months confinement  as we wait  for the one final piece of paper providing licence to operate.

The CAA surveyor  inspection  of the aircraft  has been completed satisfactorily and the paperwork to   support that is on its way to us.
Every one is ready. All the crew training has been completed. We've established lines of communication  with brokers  and sports team travel agents in the UK and around Europe.
The broker day visits are complete and the aircraft is polished,serviceable and ready.
Quotation software is tested, live, the contracts are ready for  mailing and the Bank accounts are ready.
The website has been updated with that Cello touch  after an aircraft photo shoot last week and Flycello's  facebook  and twitter sites seem to have found a large following too.


The aircraft's  even slipped onto  you tube  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-DECE8uDB0

Hurry up and Wait!

W: http://www.flycello.com/
B:  celloaviation.blogspot.com
E: charters@flycello.com
T: UK(0) 121 507 8700

Are we there yet??

Weekend of the 29th/30th saw  the aircraft  operate 10 pre-service entry sectors in line with the  CAA approvals process . Seen here taxiing for departure to  Liverpool, many  of the UK's northern airports  were visited.
Each flight  was treated  as   a 'commercial  flight' for the purposes of testing the processes,systems and on board product delivery

This view will become a familiar sight at Birmingham(and many other European Airports) over the next  months

The man from  the ministry arrived for 3 days to discuss the  manuals and processes   inspections-a few amendments identified to be achieved. The operators certificate within touching distance, and achieved  within a timescale significantly less than any  previous AOC grant.

Pushback tractor, even the GPU  have been given a makeover.

Just in case anyone has forgotten the name of the airline!

Follow the airline from  this week on  Facebook  and Twitter (Flycello)

W: http://www.flycello.com/

B: http//celloaviation.blogspot.com

T UK (0) 121 507 8700

E: charters@flycello.com

Brokers, guests and press

Another non standard week in Celloland. After a couple of  training visits by the aircraft,  G-RAJJ finally arrives  to be based at  Birmingham.   Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are given over to  broker and guest days, with many invited guests reviewing the product.

Scrubbed up  and  ready for the guest arrivals-That's the staff and the aircraft  !

A hectic 3 days  with the aircraft populated by football clubs,  air charter brokers, sports team travel agents, product launch organisers and then ''the meeja.''

We get to  show off the  aircraft  and the on board product.

New hand held inflight entertainment  system with its integral iPOD/iPHONE docking station gets the thumbs up from  the customers and the brokers. Customers have the choice of watching their own iPOD loaded films or choosing from  system preloaded films or games. Product launch customers  can provide DVD based messages and films to  be viewed  enroute to  product viewings. 

Management staff  from  Birmingham Airport, its security staff  and the tower and radar  Air traffic Controllers at Birmingham get the walk around Friday afternoon. It's great to  see such interest in this operation.  

A little liquid refreshment for some of the attending visitors.

Not a bad bunch of people !!

Mystic Meg  tells us that 7th June is an important date

It's not all designer passenger terminals and 10,000 foot runways

The beginning of the week brought some interesting requests for quotation. The  a.p.u and integral airstairs on  the ABJ  provide a high level of self sufficiency. Coupling this with a good short field performance  gives this aircraft type advantage  at the more remote regional airfields. Which is just aswell . Of the many requests for quotation  a couple already have requested  some of the remote European airfields with limited  support facilities- ideal for the ABJ.  It  looks like  the man with the key to the front gate will be providing the security checks, escorting the passengers to the aircraft, providing the re-fuelling and filing the flight plan in some instances! But if it's licensed  and can provide category 6 fire cover- we can go  there. It may save the customer  considerable ground transportation time to  actual destination compared with  the use of more distant but larger airfields.

A quick look at the Jeppesen airfield plates and the aircraft performance  charts will determine any payload / range restrictions.

Meanwhile the 'normal' charter requests for premiership sports teams closed season movements, entertainment industry tours  and car product launches continue to arrive.

G-RAJJ  will be visiting  other Uk midlands and northern airfields over the next few days  as it completes its  CAA required 10 sector proving flights 

So which lucky 3 will crew the first revenue flight?

http://www.flycello.com/

http://celloaviation.blogspot.com/

charters@flycello.com

Back in Birmingham

Things get  back  to normal  in the office after  a very successful week in Geneva - that is if anything at a start up carrier like Cello is normal!

The flight deck crew have one final slot in the sim next week to  complete the London City approvals, followed by 10 proving flights over 2 days in G-RAJJ

Considering the  airline was a complete unknown in the VIP air charter market 8 weeks ago, its gratifying to  see such a large number of  brokers and customers placing their faith  in this new product.
Since EBACE we 've been receiving  up to  10 requests a day  from UK and European brokers supporting  a wide range of customer types.

A new member of the marketing team, Vince Essex joins us as the business workload  increases to help with broker liaison.

We get the aircraft  for charter broker days on 26/27/28 May  at Birmingham, where we are scheduling group broker visits and separately, individual brokers with their guest customers . Email invitations are sent today, but there already seems to  be an overflow of demand and so the commercial team has  additionally reserved the aircraft  3 and 4 June against additional broker visit requests.
Any brokers who  have 'slipped through the net' are welcome to contact us at vince.essex@flycello.com  to  receive a broker day invitation.

http://www.flycello.com/
http//celloaviation.blogpsot.com
charters@flycello.com
UK(0) 121 507 8700

That's it -a successful EBACE is over

No rain , no wind  and the blue sky sees a rush of  visitors  from  the exhibition halls to  the aircraft static park .
Thursday proved to  be the busiest of the 3 days for the Cello staff  with the British and European  air charter brokers continuing to  not only visit the aircraft, but also  leave charter requests for quotation. One of the visiting UK brokers gets to  make the Business aviation press with a photo call in front  of  the Cello Aircraft.
The final count has yet to be done but early estimates are up to  200 air charter broker visits.
The 'competition'  are in attendence again - well it's a product different in quality from  anything else in the market  

More visitors from  the Middle East meet with BAe staff - the aircraft type already a success with the region's Presidential and Royal flightsin VVIP layout.

Same aircraft -different customers.  The smell of new leather ( and the occassional offer of something a little alcoholic) seems to  leave the visitors with that feeling of wellbeing!

And its all over . The doors are closed and the staff finally get 5 minutes to  relax before  prep'ing the aircraft  for a 1820 local  slot departure from  Geneva back to  the UK .

It's back to  Birmingham for the crew and staff while the aircraft  gets another 10 days in Southend  with the final shake down on the interior. The visitors don't see them - but the staff have a list of minor cabin cosmetic snags for remedial attention .

Attention to  detail  is what Cello Aviation is all about.

So back to the office to plan for UK broker days and broker guest days in Birmingham between 20 and 30 May

And its not just about the large air transports

What  an elegant 4 place interior  for this Embraer Phenom on the adjacent stand

  

What a great industry this is !!!