Indian private aviation startup company Stardustjets is launching a partnership with German charter operator Heron Aviation. The companies plan to offer aircraft from Heron’s eight-strong fleet for charter flights in and out of India. Stardustjets is in the process of negotiating to purchase a midsize jet that it intends to base at an as-yet-unconfirmed location in the country from late 2020.
According to Bhimal Rai, a co-founder of Mumbai-based Stardustjets, said his company and Heron Aviation will jointly apply for an Indian air operator’s certificate. Heron is an EASA-approved continuing airworthiness management organization.
Rai told AIN that Stardustjets is preparing for a full operational launch once current Covid-19 pandemic travel restrictions are lifted in India. He claimed that government restrictions that have previously constrained business aviation growth in India are being eased. These include complications in importing aircraft, tightly controlled cabotage rights, and airport access problems.
The Heron fleet includes a pair of Dassault Falcon 900EXs and a 900LX; a Bombardier Learjet 60; and a Cessna Citation Mustang, CitationJet, XLS+, and CJ2. Of these, only the Falcon 900s have sufficient range to fly nonstop between Germany and India.
Stardustjets is the trading name for Mumbai-based investment group Stratton Ventures, which is also preparing to launch a helicopter and fixed-wing emergency medical operation under the name Air Care World. The company is also backed by Indian entrepreneur Vaishali Verma and Vishok Mansingh, who has 30 years of experience in aircraft maintenance, operations, leasing, and airline restructuring. Rai, who is based in Mauritius, also founded healthcare investment group Camille International and told AIN that he has previously been active as a London-based private jet broker.