You have spent years in aviation. You understand flight operations, crew management, and charter clients. But building an AOC-ready company from scratch takes 12–18 months and costs tens of thousands in consultancy fees, legal work, and documentation. Volantis is ready now. A complete, registered company structured as a 2-aircraft charter operation — every document written, every operations manual in place, and a live website already online. Aircraft are separately financed post-acquisition. All you need to do is step in and run it.
You are not buying an aircraft. You are buying a complete, registered company with every document needed to apply for a CAA Air Operator’s Certificate.
The £50,000 buys the operating company and all 476 documents. Aircraft are separately financed or leased. The company and documentation are the foundation — the part that takes the longest to build and costs the most in professional fees.
Projected Year 1 figures modelled on a 2-aircraft fleet operating at moderate utilisation. Aircraft are separately financed. Margins depend on fleet hours and client mix.
| Fleet (modelled, not included) | 2 Aircraft |
| Citation Longitude Charter Rate (market rate) | £7,000/hr |
| Phenom 300E Charter Rate (market rate) | £4,200/hr |
| Weighted Average Rate | £5,600/hr |
| Year 1 Fleet Hours | ~960 hrs |
| Projected Year 1 Revenue | ~£5.38M |
| Variable Costs (fuel, crew, maintenance) | ~63% |
| Fixed Overhead | £34,000/month |
| Startup Capital (excl. aircraft) | £385,000 |
| Hull Values (not included — separately financed) | £27.5M |
As an owner-operator, you are the Accountable Manager. Your income comes from the company’s operating margin after variable costs and overheads. At moderate utilisation, the projected revenue potential is significant — but margins depend entirely on how efficiently you manage flight hours, crew scheduling, and client acquisition. The financial models included with the company show exactly how these numbers work across different utilisation scenarios.
The £50,000 company purchase can be funded through a Start Up Loan. Aircraft finance is a separate, well-established market.
The UK government runs a programme called Start Up Loans. It is exactly what it sounds like: a personal loan for people starting a business. Here is what you need to know:
Aircraft are not included in the £50,000 purchase — they are separately financed or leased. The private aviation finance market is mature and well-established. With a fully documented company, financial models, and a credible business plan, you approach aircraft finance providers from a position of strength.
Your application comes backed by 476 professional documents, detailed financial models, fleet utilisation projections, and a live business website. That is the kind of preparation that aircraft lessors and finance houses expect to see.
If you have never been through the AOC process, here is what you need to know.
CAA stands for the Civil Aviation Authority. They are the regulator for all commercial air transport in the UK. Before you can operate charter flights, the CAA needs to grant you an Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC).
The AOC application is one of the most demanding regulatory processes in any industry. Normally, applicants spend 12–18 months preparing documentation. They write Operations Manuals. They create Safety Management Systems. They develop Crew Training Programmes and Maintenance Programmes. They format everything to CAA standards. Many pay specialist aviation consultancies tens of thousands of pounds to help.
With Volantis, all of this documentation is already done. Your AOC Application-Ready pack includes:
The CAA AOC process typically takes 6–12 months from formal application. During that time, you secure aircraft finance, recruit your crew, and establish your operating base. When the AOC is granted, you are ready to fly.
From purchase to your first charter flight. Here is how it works.
Pay the purchase price directly or fund it through a Start Up Loan. The company, all 476 documents, financial models, website, email, phone, and AOC Application-Ready documentation pack are yours. This buys the operating company — not the aircraft.
You are the Accountable Manager. Submit the formal AOC application to the CAA with your complete documentation pack. The CAA assigns an assessment team and the review process begins. Typically 6–12 months from submission to certificate grant.
While the CAA processes your application, approach aircraft finance providers and lessors. Your financial models and business plan demonstrate the commercial viability. The 2-aircraft model is based on a Citation Longitude (£18M hull value) and Phenom 300E (£9.5M hull value).
Hire your flight crew, cabin crew, and ground operations team. Your crew training manuals, employment contracts, and HR documentation are already written. The CAA will assess your crew as part of the AOC process.
Once the CAA grants your AOC, you are authorised to operate commercial charter flights. Your aircraft are on the line, your crew is trained, and your website is already attracting client enquiries. Your charter company is open for business.
The Air Operator’s Certificate process is the CAA’s way of ensuring you can operate aircraft safely and commercially. It involves submitting your Operations Manual, Safety Management System, crew training programmes, and maintenance plans for review. The CAA assigns an assessment team who review your documentation, interview key personnel, and conduct proving flights. It is thorough, but with 476 documents already prepared to CAA standards, the documentation phase — which is normally the longest and most expensive part — is already done.
The Accountable Manager is the person the CAA holds ultimately responsible for the safe operation of the airline. You do not need to be a pilot. You need to demonstrate that you have the authority and resources to ensure compliance with all CAA regulations. In practice, you oversee the operation, manage the budget, and ensure the nominated postholders (Head of Flight Operations, Head of Continuing Airworthiness, etc.) have what they need to do their jobs. The CAA will interview you as part of the AOC process.
You are buying the operating company and everything needed to apply for an AOC. That includes the registered limited company, 476 professionally written documents (operations manuals, safety systems, crew training, maintenance programmes), financial models, a live website, business email, phone system, and 12 months of managed infrastructure. The aircraft are separately financed or leased — that is standard in the aviation industry. The company and documentation are the foundation that takes the longest to build and costs the most in consultancy fees. That is what you are buying.
The realistic timeline from purchase to first commercial flight is 9–18 months. The CAA AOC process typically takes 6–12 months from formal application. Aircraft finance and crew recruitment happen in parallel. The wide range reflects the complexity of the process — simpler operations with experienced personnel can move faster. Having all 476 documents ready from day one removes the biggest bottleneck, which is documentation preparation.
The CAA publishes indicative timelines of 6–12 months for an AOC application, but this varies depending on the complexity of the operation and the quality of documentation submitted. Operations that submit incomplete or poorly prepared documentation can take significantly longer. With Volantis, your documentation is professionally prepared to CAA standards, which gives you the best possible starting point. The CAA process includes documentation review, personnel interviews, facility inspections, and proving flights before the certificate is granted.
Volantis Aviation — an AOC Application-Ready company structure and 476 documents. Financial models. Live website. Aircraft separately financed. Ready for you to run.
