A Montana-based aircraft leasing company, LAFT, LLC, placed firm orders for 35 Liberty XL2 aircraft late in January. LAFT, in turn, leased the two-place planes to Florida-based Ormond Beach Aviation, which will use them as trainers.
Ormond Beach Aviation plans to operate the XL2s as replacements for its current single engine Cessna and Piper training aircraft. Operating from Ormond Beach Airport (OMN), it offers accelerated residential flight training, particularly to pilots from Europe who are working on JAA licenses and ratings. Formed in 1991 by Adrian Thompson, a former British airline training captain, Ormond Beach Aviation claims to be one of the largest JAA training establishments in the world.
Since closing the Ormond Beach deal, LAFT has taken options on an additional 65 XL2s, with delivery dates scheduled over the next three years.