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Post by expressflight on Mar 4, 2014 10:48:53 GMT
The aircraft became N880PA and was operated out of MSE in 2013 by a private owner through Southern Aircraft Consultancy. It was obviously resprayed early in 2013 and I believe it had a VIP interior fitted, so it might actually be in very good condition. Let's hope there are no difficulties putting it back onto the UK register.
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Post by tagron on Apr 15, 2014 5:57:45 GMT
Jota have announced that they expect to commence BAe146 operations in May . It's not yet on the website but can be seen at this link www.handbook.aero/hb_news_story.html?release=25438It may seem surprising that they have not chosen the SEN-based MRO Inflite for their maintenance support, and even more surprising that a news release dated April 9 refers to Manston. Better left unsaid I would have thought! Edit: The news item is now (17 Apr) on the Jota website, though without the question marks that crept into the link above!
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Post by expressflight on May 16, 2014 15:43:27 GMT
I understand from a Yahoo Group that Jota are moving out of Hangar 2 and have taken a lease of the 1st floor of Viscount House. It is reported that their fleet will park on the North apron once this move is complete.
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Post by Thames Gateway on May 18, 2014 8:34:10 GMT
It looks like JOTA still waiting for the grant of their AOC to include BAe-146 aircraft; the aircraft is still I believe at closed/unlicensed Manston, so was presumably not ready to leave by last Thursday.
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Post by tagron on May 22, 2014 13:58:30 GMT
It appears that Jota are setting their sights on operating more than one BAe146/RJ according to this article dated May 7: - www.ebanmagazine.com/mag_story.html?ident=11147So it would seem to make good sense for them to move from the confines of the maintenance area with this scale of expansion envisaged. On the downside the continuing non issue of the Class A licence some six weeks after they announced it to be imminent does not exactly inspire confidence, nor does the 146's continued presence on the ground at Manston. (I am assuming there has been no change in the last few days) It also raises the question of Jota's ongoing maintenance arrangements. Short of some unexpected reprieve for MSE or relocation (where ?) it is hard to see how Avman Engineering will be able to provide ongoing maintenance support. Presumably there are arrangements in place to enable the 146 to leave MSE, but then will it be allowed back even if Avman are still in business at MSE ?
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Post by EGMCfollower on May 22, 2014 14:46:40 GMT
How hard will it actually be to get that aircraft out of Manston now it has closed?
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Post by tagron on May 22, 2014 14:59:26 GMT
I think the answer is that it should not be too difficult for a non-revenue and presumably VFR departure. The airport owner's permission would be required of course and this could entail the implementation of some basic safety measures to take account of possible liability issues.
Edit: I understand that the B767 which is also still at MSE only arrived there on the last officially open day. So there must be some agreement already in place to allow movements to/from the based MRO. I wonder what the contractual situation is between MSE and Avman, because Avman would have been given no more than two months notice of the closure.
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Post by expressflight on May 23, 2014 6:33:12 GMT
I believe the 146 is due to depart MSE early next week.
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Post by aurigny72 on May 30, 2014 17:06:32 GMT
Anyone know any further news on the long awaited 146 arrival at SEN, or has Jota had problems with the issue of the class A licence or any other problems known? It does seem a long time now as the operator did state the aircraft would be ready for service in May and now we are nearly in June and still no sign of it.
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Post by expressflight on May 31, 2014 7:14:44 GMT
I don't have any information regarding there being any problems with the Type A licence or adding the aircraft to the AOC, but I was told a week ago that it would depart MSE on 28 May. It was due to leave after the 767 which is also there and I heard yesterday that this is due to depart MSE today to LTN. A Yahoo site also reported that the 146 may go to Lydd before coming to SEN, reason unknown.
Edit 4 June 2014:
It seems that Jota may be operating the 146 (which has still not received UK registration by the way) under some sort of usage arrangement with Avman, who will remain its owner. This seems to account for its positioning to Lydd where Avman will be responsible for line maintenance - they are reportedly looking at moving into a hangar at Lydd now that MSE is no longer operational. Quite how attractive a proposition the aircraft will be to prospective charterers if it is 'based' at Lydd must be open to speculation. Many ACMI sub-service charters crop up at very short notice and I would have thought having the aircraft at SEN, Jota's home base with its London designation and H24 capability, would have many an advantage.
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Post by tagron on Jun 7, 2014 12:56:16 GMT
So if Avman is the owner of the 146 that certainly explains part of the problem. If they are to move their maintenance base to Lydd they will need to share the hangar space with the existing tenants assuming that is practicable and can be agreed. I imagine they will also need fresh CAA approval for a new 146 maintenance facility. It would seem to me that Jota will not be willing or able to use the 146 until there are robust and reliable maintenance arrangements in place, and Avman will not be prepared to hand over maintenance control of their aircraft to an alternative MRO.
Avman had plenty of warning of the impending closure of MSE. If they were unable to turn the 146 out in two months (and it was already a supposedly airworthy aircraft) that alone speaks volumes for the situation.
Meanwhile, keep it in the hangar at MSE where it will not rack up parking charges ? I can't help thinking that Jota could be well advised to pull the plug on what smacks increasingly of a shoestring set up. There's hardly a shortage of 146/RJs on the market and they would come without the shackles of maintenance remote from their operational base.
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Post by tagron on Jul 9, 2014 10:16:05 GMT
The latest edition of the CAA list of AOC holders (July 2) still lists Jota's approval as only for King Airs, not as yet the BAe146. GINFO as of today still does not show G-SMLA.
But the situation may not be completely static. By entering G-OZRH (the aircraft's previous identity) it can be seen that application was made to restore it to the UK register on May 6, with a review date of July 31. An application for Subsequent Issue of the C of A was made on June 9 with an expected date of processing of July 7.
Has anyone any news of Avman ? I note they did not join TG Aviation in their legal action attempting to keep the MSE runway available for unlicensed use. Perhaps they felt the potential liabilities would make it economically prohibitive even if the case were won. That would be an understandable position but it's hard to see how their business can survive in the present situation, unless engine overhauls generate enough work to keep them afloat.
Edit: And in fact TG have failed to get the injunction they sought though the judge ruled there was a substantive case to answer in a full high court hearing later in the year.
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Post by expressflight on Jul 11, 2014 7:17:18 GMT
I heard yesterday that the 146 should take to the air within the next week and that it should be in passenger service by the end of July. As for Avman's future they still plan a move to Lydd as far as I know.
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Post by wetlanding on Jul 25, 2014 13:58:04 GMT
Any more news on the wereabouts of the JOTA 146 does anyone know it present location, charter start date.
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Post by expressflight on Jul 26, 2014 7:02:53 GMT
None of the information that I've been getting on this over the past few weeks has turned out to be reliable, so it's anyone's guess what is happening.
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