Wealthy Guyanese and corporate citizens are being urged to save time and money when flying by purchasing executive jets, which cost between US$4 million and US$12 million and can now operate out of the expanded and recently certified Ogle International Airport.
Yesterday, a Cessna Citation XLS+ jet, for the first time, landed at the Ogle Airport, to not only coincide with the 100th Aviation Anniversary celebration activities but also to market the jet to prospective buyers.
Speaking at a press briefing held at Ogle yesterday the company, Cessna Aircraft Company, through its distributor, Tropical Aviation Distributors (TAD), said that it saw this country as a lucrative market.
“This is a new option that is available to the Guyanese business traveller that was not available… possession of a plane like that could facilitate a number of executives flying in and out of Guyana,” Communications Consultant Kit Nacimento said yesterday.
The jet seats eight passengers, has a stand-up cabin, bathroom facilities and a bar. According to company officials, it provides the client with speed, comfort, safety and class. It flies to most Caribbean and South American countries non-stop and is both fuel and time efficient.
With trade between Caricom and South America being at its highest ever, members of the corporate community are being urged to invest in a jet as it can save much on executive time.
Pilot Brian Roggenbaum, who flew the plane from Miami to Guyana, informed that it took his four-member crew just four hours to get from Miami to Ogle.
By the same flight calculations, Chris Correia informed, the plane would take only 15 minutes as compared to get to the Kaieteur Falls area, as compared with 45 minutes on regular aircraft.
Time saving was stressed by the John Prince, Vice-President of TAD, as he compared using a jet to a regular aircraft. “The difference with travelling with [the airline] and a jet… is you can come out to Ogle airport get on the aircraft and leave… You would probably drive to Timerhi for an hour; you are supposed to check-in three hours before, so that’s four hours right there … [With] this one you can walk out to the airport get on and leave whenever you like. So the time saving is huge,” he said.
He further underscored the importance of savings on executive time and other benefits to the corporate worker. “It can be high-level employees who travel a lot.
Some people have jobs that require a lot of travel and puts them away from home… It allows you to be back home with your family the same day… It’s more efficient; it’s convenient and it’s the ability to travel around the Caribbean and South America and come back the same day. So basically a three-day trip turns into a one-day trip” he stated.
