First Ex-Avantair Aircraft Enters Charter Service

Sky Limo Air Charter of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., announced receiving FAA approval on Monday to place an ex-Avantair Piaggio Avanti (N306MS) on its Part 135 charter certificate, as well as the successful completion of the first charter flight with the aircraft yesterday. N306MS is one of five Avantis repossessed by Avantair creditor Midsouth Services before the Clearwater, Fla.-based fractional company entered bankruptcy.

Three were ferried to Sky Limo’s maintenance facility in late June, before the FAA revoked the airworthiness certificates of all 56 ex-Avantair Avantis, according to the company. The FAA restored the airworthiness certificate for N306MS on September 10, following an inspection and completion of maintenance by Sky Limo under the auspices of the FAA’s special emphasis investigation team.

Sky Limo plans to recertify the other four Midsouth Services Piaggios and add them to its charter certificate by year-end. “Once we have successfully integrated the first five into our fleet, we have plans to add several more [ex-Avantair Avantis] in the first quarter and beyond as demand dictates,” Sky Limo president and chief counsel Steve Markhoff told AIN.