Second Hawker 800 Joins Charter Certificate

Elite Air has added another Hawker 800XP to its fleet, and the aircraft is now available for charter after completing the Federal Aviation Administration approval process. The aircraft gives Elite Air customers another midsize option out of the St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE), critical for a growing number of customers, according to company President AJ Becker.

“The Hawker 800 is reliable, cost-effective, and comfortable,” Becker said. “The 800-series aircraft that have been on our certificate over the years have been some of our most popular charter jets.”

The Hawker 800XP, the second now available on the Elite Air 135 certificate, seats up to eight passengers and has a range of 2,900 miles. The jet offers increased stability and more efficient operations compared to its predecessors. It is capable of 516 mph at 41,000 feet of altitude and offers a standing-room cabin. For longrange flights, it operates best at 400 knots at 39,000 feet.

The new Hawker is crewed by pilot-in-command Karl Joseph Kopec and SICs Eric Michael Strong and Steven Patrick Paris II. Other Hawker 800-ratedcrewmembers, including Kirk Muramatsu Cenotto, Jeffery Joe Suttle, and Carlton Clayton, are available to pilot both of the Elite Air-managed Hawker 800s. The aircraft are charter-friendly and often on the road at the same time.

The 800XP is capable of coast-to-coast flights at industry-leading values. The newest 800 to the Elite Air fleet is configured to seat eight passengers and features an enclosed lavatory, full galley, satellite phone, onscreen airshow with flight data, and complimentary ground-based wifi. The aircraft was refurbished inside and out in 2023.

Elite Air has been operating Hawkers for about 15 years, according to company CEO Gray Gibbs.

“These jets have served the industry reliably for a long period of time,” Gibbs said. “Every time we have the opportunity to add one to our certificate, we take it.”