Refurbished Conquests Offer Seating For 8-10
Aero-News has learned Wichita,
KS-based Yingling Aviation has introduced a joint ownership
program, which offers partnerships on refurbished and updated
Cessna twin-turboprop aircraft.
"By creating joint ownership arrangements for the purchase of
two Cessna turboprops--a Model 441 Conquest II and a Model 425
Conquest I --we are able to offer the buyers the benefits of
aircraft ownership without any of the drawbacks that go with buying
a fractional share," said Yingling President Lynn Nichols. "Since
they are recognized as owners by the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) and their names appear on the aircraft
registration, the partners share jointly in the tax advantages and
spread the operating costs equally."
Nichols adds participants in the program will not have to pay a
monthly management fee, or any added markup to fixed costs such as
maintenance or hangar rental. Owners will also receive discounts on
fuel costs and insurance rates.
"This joint ownership approach has already proven to be very
popular among clients from small to medium-size businesses,
especially in the health care industry," he said. "We currently
have four doctors who are participating and a number of additional
prospects who have expressed interest. This concept is particularly
well-suited to physicians who provide care to rural communities or
those with remote business ventures. It provides an affordable,
practical and versatile means of meeting their unique travel
requirements."
Yingling launched the program after securing initial partners
for the first two airplanes. The Conquest II, on which Yingling
remains a major partner, is also used by the firm in its Part 135
charter operation. It was acquired last year, and completely
refurbished.
The Conquest I, which is
currently owned jointly by Yingling and a building contractor,
underwent an identical interior and exterior refurbishment, and
re-entered service earlier this month.
Both aircraft offer updated three-way seats, new carpeting and
headliner treatments, a state-of-the-art entertainment package with
DVD and audio CD capabilities, and forward and aft bulkhead-mounted
10" video screens with wireless headsets. The Conquest II can seat
up to 11 passengers and cruise at speeds up to 295 knots. The
Conquest I offers space for up to eight occupants and a top speed
of 263 knots.
"Both of these airplanes are ideal for this type of program,"
Nichols said. "They provide the flexibility, cabin amenities and
the kind of range and performance that the partners desire-and
without the hassle or inconvenience associated with traveling on
the airlines. We have also gone to great lengths to ensure that the
owners we've put together have similar, compatible travel needs so
that aircraft availability and the expense and concerns associated
with 'dead-head' positioning legs-where no passengers are on
board-can be minimized or eliminated altogether," he added.
Yingling has assigned dedicated flight crews to each aircraft to
ensure that the aircraft are properly maintained and the owners'
travel needs are met.
Yingling is already in the process of expanding the program,
having acquired a third Cessna turboprop that will be refurbished
to match the others and enter service in January. The company also
plans to add a Citation to the program in the coming months.
"Our business model is built on our familiarity with operating
and maintaining Cessna products, so all of the aircraft we utilize
in our joint ownership program will be Cessnas. At present we have
more than 20 local prospects who are interested in shared ownership
and we definitely expect to expand the program over the next couple
of years," Nichols said.
Yingling is a full-service fixed base operation providing 24
hour line services at Wichita's Mid-Continent Airport (ICT). A
Cessna Authorized Service Center for nearly 60 years, Yingling also
offers charter service featuring single, multi-engine and turbine
aircraft and a rental fleet available to qualified pilots.
Cessna has also selected Yingling to design and build
executive-style Oasis interiors for its line of Caravan
single-engine turboprops.