Diamond Executive Aviation

Diamond-Executive Aviation Ltd.
IATA ICAO Callsign
- WKT WHITE KNIGHT
Founded 2006[1]
Hubs Retford Gamston Airport, Aeroporto di Padova, Wick Airport
Fleet size 12
Company slogan More Capability, More Class, More Carbon: Less CO2
Headquarters Retford Gamston Airport
Website www.dea.aero

Diamond-Executive Aviation Ltd. (DEA) is an aircraft operator and executive airline based at Retford Gamston Airport EGNE in the United Kingdom.

It operates a fleet of twin-engined aircraft for corporate charter or air taxi flights,[2] aerial surveillance[3] and Flight Inspection and Flight Path Validation in collaboration with Radiola Aerospace [4][5] The company also operates an airborne ISTAR service in support of British Army training and both pollution control and oil response flights.[6]

DEA holds an EASA-CAT Air Operators Certificate issued by the UK-CAA and a CAA issued Type B Air Operator's Licence. It is licensed to carry cargo and passengers in aircraft with a maximum take-off weight not exceeding 5,700 kg and not more than 9 passenger seats.[7]

DEA holds a Part M Subpart G with ARC privileges for managing airworthiness[8] and a Part 145 approval for maintaining composite and metal structure aircraft up to 5,700 kg[9]

History

Diamond-Executive Aviation AKA DEA was founded by Peter Bondar (a former director of Acorn Computers and Tadpole plc) and Chris Dawes (a marine biologist) in 2006.

However application for an operating licence did not commence till 2008 and its operating licence (EU-OPS)(GB2339) was granted by the UK CAA in July 2009, at which point operations started with the first AOC operational aircraft, a Diamond DA42.

Initially the company operated from Bagby Airfield in North Yorkshire with a registered operational office nearby from an adapted garage in the grounds of founder Peter Bondar.

Two more DA42 joined the fleet in August 2009 and April 2010. In December 2010, DEA was granted a revised EU-AOC allowing Flight Inspection operations to be performed, the first DA42 based flight inspection service offered. This service was offered in partnership with Radiola Aerospace a New Zealand-based company who subsequently were granted a CAP670 approval for Flight Inspection by the UK CAA.[10]

In 2011 saw the addition of two DA42MPPs and partnered with 3SDL it successfully tendered for a number of ISTAR contracts with the MoD using these DA42 MPPs.

The company formally moved to Retford (Gamston) Airport (EGNE) in April 2012. Follow on contracts for delivering ISTAR training to UK Forces training in Kenya were awarded in 2012 and later years with 3SDL[11] and operations commenced in Italy.

DEA joined the European Space Agency SASISA (Small-Aircraft Service for Instant Situational Awareness) project using a DA42 MPP G-PEEK along with Viasat and several other partners.[12]

2013 saw the purchase of a Britten Norman Islander to support a contract with Cobham and Oil Spill Response Ltd.

Frontex, the European Border Agency awarded the company a contract for aerial surveillance in March 2014.[13]

October 2014 saw the company sign a 3-year lease on a second hangar and additional office block at Gamston Airport.

Fleet

DEA operates the world’s largest commercial fleet of Diamond DA42 Twin Stars[14]

Fleet includes:

References

  1. ↑ Business Summary
  2. ↑ Air charter guide
  3. ↑ Diamond Airborne Sensing scores three in a row with DEA
  4. ↑ DEA website
  5. ↑ Radiola partner website
  6. ↑ DEA supports north sea rescue
  7. ↑ CAA website - Type B Operating Licence Holders
  8. ↑ http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/1204/20150501Part145ApprovedOrgsList.pdf
  9. ↑ http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/1204/20150501Part145ApprovedOrgsList.pdf
  10. ↑ http://www.radaero.com/wp-content/uploads/Newsletter-Aug-2011.pdf
  11. ↑ http://www.3sdl.com/news/events/3sdl-supported-ukti-s-trade-mission-to-kenya.html
  12. ↑ https://artes-apps.esa.int/projects/sasisa
  13. ↑ http://www.statewatch.org/news/2014/aug/frontex-aerial-surveillance.htm
  14. ↑ DA42 MPP GUARDIAN in use for Airborne ISTAR Service

External links

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