Sectra, a company which provides medical IT and secure communication services, has purchased a Piper PA46-500TP, which was ferried from Tallahassee in Florida, US, on May 1st. The company, based in Linköping, Sweden, will use the aircraft to transport its employees to customers around Northern Europe.

The aircraft is in high demand at the company, as Johan Hammarstrom, business develop-ment and flight operation manager, told EBAN: “We have seven pilots in the company flying frequently. The president of Sectra, Dr. Torbjorn Kronander, has a PPL with IR and uses the company aircraft regularly to transport himself and his colleagues on business trips within Europe.

“A further 10 people in the company are in flying school getting their PPL and IR,” said Hammarstrom. “The company has a pilot programme for employees who are interested in using the aircraft for business purposes. In five years we might have 20 employees flying our aircraft.” Sectra considered both twin and single-engined aircraft but chose the PA46-500TP to complement its fleet because of its low direct operating costs and high performance. “It is fast and has one of the most reliable engines on the market,” he commented. “We also fly a Mooney Ovation and a Piper Seneca. Our aircraft are used several times a week and we often have to rent aircraft from other companies in order to fulfil our needs.”

The company has encountered weight issues with the PA46-500TP, however. “Even though a weight increase kit is installed, you cannot fill all the seats with passengers and fill up the tanks,” said Hammarstrom. “Its endurance could be better as well.” Although it intends to keep the PA46-500TP for some time, Sectra has expressed an interest in the Eclipse Jet.