Global business jet operator VistaJet announced at Lanseria International Airport (north-west of Johannesburg and south-west of Pretoria) on Friday that it would now be operating to and from South Africa. The company also exhibited its latest aircraft, a band new Bombardier Global 6000 long-range business jet.

“We have a few South African companies as clients,” company founder and chairperson Thomas Flohr told Engineering News Online. “These companies came to us and asked us to come to South Africa.”

VistaJet describes itself as “the world’s luxury aviation company” and has three categories of customers – major corporations, governments and high net-worth individuals. It targets clients who need to fly between 51 hours and 550 hours a year. Anyone who flies less than 50 hours would charter aircraft, while anyone who flies more than 550 hours would buy an aircraft.

Clients buy flying hours off VistaJet and the company guarantees than an aircraft will be available in 24 hours of the requirement being made. Positioning flights are not included in the customer’s flying hours allocation. A uniform luxury standard of service is also guaranteed.

VistaJet has been active in Africa for some years, starting with operations in Nigeria. It then spread to other parts of West Africa and is now moving into Central, Southern and East Africa. “In 2012 alone, we had more than 900 take-offs in Nigeria,” he reported. In South Africa, the ground handling for VistaJet will be provided by ExecuJet at Lanseria.

Worldwide, the company carried out more than 10 000 international point-to-point flights, carrying 25 000 passengers. VistaJet currently operates 35 long-range business jets, all manufactured by Bombardier, in Canada, and recently it placed a $7.8-billion order for 56 new Global series aircraft from the Canadian manufacturer, with options on 86 more. This is the biggest single order in the history of business aviation.

“VistaJet only flies new aircraft – aircraft under five years of age,” Flohr told a press conference at Lanseria. This is because manufacturers’ guarantees cover the first five years of an aircraft’s life. The policy of VistaJet is to sell its aircraft before the manufacturer’s guarantee expires. “We only deploy brand new aircraft to Africa.” New aircraft are also maintained through the manufacturer.

VistaJet is domiciled in Switzerland and its aircraft – except those operating in Russia – are registered in Austria or Malta. The aircraft operating in Russia are registered in that country. The company is also seeking to register aircraft in China.