Gestair


Gestair is an aeronautical group based in Madrid, Spain. In 2008 it operated three business units, including air cargo.

History

Gestair was founded in 1977 in Madrid. It specialized in offering private jets for short lease from key airports in Spain and with the years it expanded its operations to include six hubs spread across the country. The aircraft of Gestair's Business fleet section are categorized into four types: ultra long range, long range, medium-range and short range.
Along over three decades of operation the activities and services of Gestair group expanded to include charter airline services — through Audeli Air—, air taxi, flight training, handling, consulting, as well as maintenance and overhaul of aircraft. The maintenance and overhaul unit, initially named Corjet Maintenance, was later renamed Gestair Maintenance.

Cygnus Air

In 1994 Gestair founded 'Regional Líneas Aéreas' together with Regional Airlines. The airline operated scheduled passenger flights from Madrid with a fleet of Saab 340.
In January 1998 Regional was renamed Cygnus Air and by November the airline shifted to full cargo operations. Its fleet consisted then of two Douglas DC-862F aircraft. In July 2002, a DC8-73F was phased in. At that time the airline was owned 60% by Macholfam International, a branch of the Gestair group, and 40% by Imesapi of the ACS group. In May 2007, as part of a new policy of the Gestair Group, the name of the airline was changed to Gestair Cargo. At that time its main customer was Iberia Airlines.
Gestair Cargo expanded and modernized its fleet in 2011 adding two Boeing 767-300F. and by March 2010, following a capital increase, 73% of the company belonged to Imesapi and 27% to the Gestair group. In mid 2013 Gestair sold its cargo section to the founder of the Dutch Antilles Express airline, US businessman Arnold Leonora.
Gestair Cargo has been rebranded as Cygnus Air.

Fleet (Gestair Business fleet section)

Gestair used different aircraft along its history.
In 2009 it operated the following aircraft in its business fleet:
AircraftIn FleetTypePassengersBaseObservations
Gulfstream G5501ULR18Torrejón
Bombardier Global Express3ULR10-14Torrejón,Santiago,
Palma de Mallorca
Gulfstream V1ULR12Torrejón
Falcon 900B1LR12Torrejón
Gulfstream G2001MR8Torrejón
Falcon 20004MR8-10Torrejón
Barcelona
Hawker 900 XP1MR8Barcelona
Hawker 800 XP1MR8Barcelona
Hawker 400 XP1MR7Torrejón
Cessna Citation V1MR6-7Torrejón
Cessna Citation X1MR6Gerona
Learjet 401MR6Torrejón
Learjet 601MR6Barcelona
Beechcraft Super King Air1SR9Torrejón
Pilatus PC121SR6Barcelona
Cessna Citation2SR5Torrejón
Barcelona
Premier 12SR6Torrejón

Note: ULR=Ultra Long Range, LR=Long Range, MR=Medium Range, SR=Short Range