Clearwater, Fla.-based Piaggio Avanti fractional provider Avantair recalled all of its remaining 15 furloughed pilots yesterday, company CEO Steve Santo told AIN. This brings Avantair’s pilot ranks to 194 people, not including 10 pilots who opted to bypass during the recalls following a voluntary fleet grounding and subsequent pilot furlough late last year.
Avantair
January 29, 2013 - 4:15pm
Clearwater, Fla.-based Piaggio Avanti fractional operator Avantair says that its flight and maintenance operations have fully recovered from a three-week voluntary standdown that ended in November. Further, it has closed a second round of funding since the grounding and hired a new COO.
December 4, 2012 - 3:25pm
Piaggio Avanti fractional provider Avantair closed on $2.8 million in new funding yesterday via the issuance of senior secured convertible notes. The notes have a three-year term and an interest rate of 2 percent. In addition, the company restructured its existing aircraft financing arrangements with Midsouth Services, reducing its monthly lease payments by more than $1.8 million during the next 15 months and extending the maturities on two aircraft.
December 3, 2012 - 4:40am
Clearwater, Fla.-based fractional provider Avantair restarted operations on November 9, following a nearly three-week voluntary grounding of its approximately 60 Piaggio Avantis. The voluntary grounding was precipitated by a July 28 incident in which an Avantair-operated Avanti shed an elevator in flight and flew two subsequent legs before the crew noticed that the control surface was missing. “The Piaggio continued to fly normally for a few reasons, including its dual elevators, forward canards and high wings,” according to Avantair CEO Steve Santo.
November 13, 2012 - 3:20pm
St. Petersburg, Fla.-based fractional provider Avantair restarted operations on Friday following a nearly three-week voluntary grounding of its approximately 60 Piaggio Avantis. “We’re back and flying, and are covering all our trips now,” Avantair CEO Steve Santo told AIN yesterday.
October 29, 2012 - 3:00pm
Fractional provider Avantair continues to stand down operations and has retained safety expert Nick Sabatini to help complete a thorough examination of its fleet of about 60 Piaggio Avantis, including a comprehensive review of records and supporting maintenance documentation. It has also furloughed all of its pilots and operations staff.
October 25, 2012 - 3:12pm
The voluntary fleet grounding at Avantair apparently is continuing into its sixth day. Avantair told AIN earlier this week that it stood down its entire fleet of about 60 Piaggio Avantis on Saturday to conduct safety checks. According to sources, the action was prompted by a July 28 incident in which an Avantair Avanti shed an elevator in flight.
October 23, 2012 - 3:45pm
On Saturday, fractional provider Avantair grounded its entire fleet of about 60 Piaggio Avanti twin turboprops to conduct “a comprehensive examination of all maintenance records and aircraft.”
April 12, 2012 - 3:42pm
Clearwater, Fla.-based Avantair announced on Tuesday that its entire fleet of fractional Piaggio Avantis will soon feature airborne high-speed Internet. The company is now installing Aircell ATG 5000 communications systems in its twin-turboprop fleet and expects to complete the work this summer. The ATG 5000 covers the continental U.S. above 10,000 feet and portions of Alaska, providing broadband connection via a nationwide network of ground stations.
November 22, 2011 - 5:31pm
Two Avantair pilots and two passengers suffered only minor injuries when their Piaggio Avanti P.180 went off the west side of Runway 18 and flipped over while landing at Flint (Mich.) Bishop International Airport last Wednesday.
