Spain’s Clipper National Air has taken delivery of a Citation 501, equipped with a brand new interior and a new exterior paint scheme. The aircraft replaces a Citation 500 the operator has just sold and joins another 500 also in the fleet.

Clipper’s commercial manager, Alfred Bijl, told EBAN: “The aircraft arrived just over a month ago and we’re very pleased with it. It seats six and is arranged in a club four configuration, with two in the front. It also has a toilet.

“We have worked with the 500s for three years now and have good experience with this range of aircraft. It is also the best aircraft for our market. We do plenty of flights within Spain – mainly to the south where a lot of the business is – and we also fly quite regularly to France, the UK, Italy and North Africa.”

In addition to the executive flights, Clipper flies for the largest insurance firm in Catalonia and carries out plenty of medical evacuations. In fact, that’s the reason the company operates two aircraft.

“Said Bijl: “The 500 is always ready for medevac work and human transplant flights, while the 501 was bought primarily for vip passengers – although it is also certified for air ambulance work.”

Clipper has grown its operation in Barcelona from a Beechcraft 100. Bijl himself has worked in aviation for 50 years and says Barcelona airport is an excellent place at which to base your operations.

He said: “It’s a 24-hour airport and the people are very helpful. There are ample slots and we have a very good working relationship with the staff here.

“What’s more, airport officials have signed documentation stating that we will have a new general aviation terminal and extra parking here in the next one and a half to two years.

“We already have a fairly new terminal here – built for the Olympic Games in 1992 – but the airport is growing at such a fast rate that they are having to diversify and move everybody into new buildings. When we move into the new terminal, our understanding is that our current office and terminal will be used for regional flights.”