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KOCHI: Setting the stage for Kerala's first-ever chartered flight service, a five-seater business jet landed at the Cochin International Airport in Nedumbassery on Tuesday.The Brazil made Embraer Phenom 100 the firstever 'nonscheduled' twin-engine jet aircraft owned by a Keralite has been acquired by the Joyalukkas Group.Joyalukkas managing director Joy Alukkas told Express that the group was planning to launch an aviation company with a fleet of four light aircraft within a couple of months."The plan is to start a company with four aircraft, including a helicopter," Joy Alukkas said."The first chartered flight will take off within two months. Right now the new plane will be used only for personal purposes but three more aircraft will arrive soon. They will have eight to 10seat capacity."He said the proposed company would cater to the needs of the tourism industry as well as business and medical travel requiring quick transit."As of now this is the first nonscheduled light aircraft in Kerala. Let there be chartered flights and helicopter services in our state as well," he said.The formalities to use the facilities of Nedumbassery airport will be over in another 20 days, he added.Costing Rs 21 crore, the Embraer Phenom 100, among the most advanced in its class, can cruise at a speed of 0.70 Mach with a climb rate of 4,760 ft per minute.The maximum range of the aircraft is 1,320 nautical miles and can reach a cruise altitude of 41,000 ft. Requiring a takeoff distance of only 3,400 ft, the purpose built aircraft makes it possible to access remote and short airstrips. As it taxied onto the parking bay, the Phenom 100 was given a customary water salute, reserved for the first landing at an airport, as per international practice.It took 10 days and stops in 19 different countries to ferry the aircraft from Brazil to Chennai. Joy Alukkas said that the aircraft was delivered around six months ago. "We were busy with getting our pilots trained in the United States and the registration process was completed in Chennai," he said.The plane was flown in by chief pilot Asif Punathil and copilot Shray Sahni.It was blessed by Angamaly St George Basilica rector Fr Joseph Kallarackal. CIAL managing director V J Kurian, CIAL director C V Jacob and airport director A C K Nair were present on the occasion.
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