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TJS Malta issues Citation XLS+, Tyrolean Jet & Service takes over the fleet

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TJS Malta recently decided to retire the only Citation XLS+. However, this move is not the end for the aircraft type, as it will continue to be operated under the Austrian certificate of Tyrolean Jet & Service. The move is seen by experts as part of a strategic restructuring within the business airlines.

The Citation XLS+, a widely used business jet, completed its final flight under the Maltese registration 9H-GRM on July 29, 2024 near Zurich. The aircraft was then exported to the United States on August 24, 2024, where it received its new registration as N933MR. The journey took it through several international airports, including Glasgow Prestwick, Reykjavik Keflavik and Vancouver International, before finally landing at Pittsburgh International Airport on August 27, 2024. There it entered service three days later, on August 30, under the Aircraft Management Group's new operator code RVJ and immediately completed three test flights. CH-Aviation.com was the first to report on the change at TJS.

The Citation XLS+ has quite a history. The 11,8-year-old aircraft was originally delivered to the German company ProAir Aviation (PAV) and had a varied registration history that took it to Slovenia and Austria, among other places. The Tyrolean Jet & Service fleet, which is currently being acquired by Gama Aviation (GMA, Farnborough), now includes a total of seven aircraft registered in Austria, including several Citation models and other high-end jets.

One aspect of the fleet policy is the fact that the Citation XLS+ has never been operated under the Maltese Air Operator Certificate with the codes “TYJ” or “TJS”, indicating a clear separation between the Maltese and Austrian operating structures. This separation could possibly be due to regulatory or operational considerations that make the integration of the aircraft into different fleets difficult.

With the retirement of the Citation XLS+ in Malta, Aircraft Management Group, a US-based operator, will now operate a second Citation XLS+ in its Part 135-certified fleet. This fleet includes the Citation XLS+ as well as other models such as the Citation Latitude, the Citation Sovereign and several Hawker models. Part 135 certification is of key importance to business aircraft operators in the US as it allows them to offer commercial charter services.

The events surrounding TJS Malta and Tyrolean Jet & Service reflect the larger trends within the aviation industry, particularly the increasing consolidation and relocation of operational bases. With Gama Aviation acquiring Tyrolean Jet & Service, the efficiency of the fleet could be increased, helping the companies to remain competitive. This could be a wise move, even if it leads to a reduction in the number of aircraft operated in Malta in the short term, given the growing demands of the market, where efficiency and cost control are becoming increasingly important.

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