Aerus (ZV, Monterrey Mariano Escobedo) has placed an order with Cessna Aircraft Company/Textron Aviation for six regional turboprops, comprising two 19-seat Cessna 408 Sky Couriers and four 14-seat Cessna (single turboprop) C208EX Grand Caravans. The first three of the latter have already been delivered.
"When we looked at options within the market to operate the routes we had in mind, it was a no-brainer decision to choose the Grand Caravan EX and the SkyCourier from Textron Aviation, which will be the cornerstone of the Aerus project. We are very proud to be one of the first operators of the new SkyCourier, which we are sure will be a great success for Textron Aviation and Aerus," Chief Executive Javier Herrera said.
In its certification filing, the airline said it would operate three C208Bs (msn 208B-5712, -5713, and -5714) and two C408s (msn 408-0034 and -0035). Its more detailed fleet and network plans, as well as financial projects, were redacted.
Aerus has been active since 1990 as an air taxi operator but is currently undergoing certification as a scheduled 121 carrier and hopes to be able to launch said operations in the first quarter of 2023. The airline is based out of Monterrey Mariano Escobedo, although it previously said it would focus its network on San Luis Potosí. It hopes to establish itself on currently unserved domestic and international routes. The carrier is backed by the automotive industry player Grupo Herrera.
The parties did not disclose the timeline for the deliveries of the C408s. The type is currently only in service in a freighter version with Mountain Air Cargo and Empire Airlines operating theirs for FedEx.
