Russian air taxi service Dexter plans to expand its fleet by purchasing eight-seat turboprop Pilatus aircraft, the company said in a statement Wednesday. Dexter said its board had approved plans to increase the fleet to 13 Swiss-made Pilatus aircraft and three M101T planes by the end of 2008. Dexter currently operates two Pilatus planes in the Cental, Volga and Northwest federal districts. Dexter plans to enter the Southern, Urals and Siberian federal districts in 2008. By 2013, the company plans to have a national network in place with a fleet of 80-100 planes, the company said.
Russia's Avia Management Group, the operator of the Dexter air taxi service, plans to invest approximately U.S. $400 million in the purchase of aircraft before 2013, according to earlier reports.
