Avantair Sells Phenom 100 Jet Positions to Executive AirShares
 

Any thoughts from the Avantair pilots out there? Is this positive (simplification of fleet) or negative?

From AIN online:

Avantair Sells Phenom Positions To Executive AirShare
Central U.S. regional fractional provider Executive AirShare (EAS) last week signed an agreement to acquire 18 Embraer Phenom 100 delivery slots from Clearwater, Fla.-based Avantair, which offers shares in Piaggio Avanti twin turboprops. EAS also has an option to buy Avantair’s two remaining Phenom 100 positions. The move ends Avantair’s plans for the 20 very light jets, which the company ordered in October 2006. Under the deal, which was sanctioned by Embraer, EAS now has firm orders for 28 Embraer Phenom 100s and four Phenom 300s, with options on 12 more 100s and four more 300s. EAS’s first Phenom 100 will be delivered next June, 14 months earlier than the company’s original order for the VLJ. According to EAS chairman and CEO Robert Taylor, the deal will allow Avantair to focus on building its national program, while EAS can more quickly “expand our regional fractional program into new markets.” Kansas City, Mo.-based EAS currently operates four Beechjet 400As, five King Air 350s, five King Air C90Bs and a Beech Baron. The Beechjets are likely to be phased out after the Phenom 100s arrive, a company spokesman told AIN.

I think it's a good thing. I never understood why they wanted them in the first place. It's a less capable plane the the Piaggio. Goes slower, less room in cabin, fewer seats, burns more gas, ect. The only positive is it cost less. So you could buy in for half the cost of a Piaggio but the monthly management fees would be the same. My take is if you can afford the management fee then the buy in is no problem. So who would these be marketed to? On top of that the Phenom would compete with the Piaggio. Why would you want two planes at the same company competing with each other?

Anyway, I think it's a good thing that they're not coming.

I tend to agree. Why add complexity to your operation? I was sorta surprised that Executive AirShare jumped into the mix - although I recently read that the current COO at EAS formerly worked at Piaggio (that's the likely connection). I wonder if Jetsuite (JetSuite) also looked at the positions because I know that it is trying to buy-up as many Phenom slots as possible before its roll-out in 2009.