BVI Airways has acquired its first aircraft ahead of its planned launch of nonstop flights from Miami, the carrier announced.

The company has completed the purchase and taken delivery of its first AVRO Regional Jet 100, which has a seating capacity of 86 (that includes 12 in Premier Class).

The four-engine plane has a cruising altitude of 31,000 feet and a speed of around 500 miles per hour, meaning the planned route from Miami to Tortola should take around 2.5 hours.

“This plane marks a major milestone in preparing BVIA for the commencement of this entirely unprecedented service between the United States and the BVI,” said Jerry Willoughby, CEO of BVI Airways. “The AVRO RJ is the perfect answer to the shorter runway at EIS. The plane was designed to land on shorter runways such the London City Airport where the runway length is also constrained by the geography. It’s well-known as being a quiet plane and has a proven track record of safety and reliability.”

BVI Airways said it intended to built out its fleet with another two aircraft.

“We are currently undergoing the certification process with our regulator,” Willoughby said. “Updates on the start of ticket sales will be posted on our website and people can also sign up to receive email updates. We are eagerly looking forward to opening this new route that will make getting to the BVI faster, easier and more comfortable than ever before.”