Guatemala City-based ARMSA Aviación is a family business, with more than 35 years of experience serving the Mesoamerican region. Sales and marketing manager Cristian Salazar says: “We are one of the pioneers of civil aviation in Guatemala, currently leading the national market.”

Going forward, the company plans to expand commercial flights to Quetzaltenango and Huehuetenango. Currently it has around 100 employees, a team of more than 20 pilots and a maintenance department based in and around three hangars. Its fleet comprises a Twin Otter, Cessna Caravan, Titan and 206, a Beechcraft Baron and an Aero Commander 500. Salazar says they are all good for short airstrips, and for the private charters, cargo transport, postal services, sky diving and air ambulance operations that make up its daily flying. “The greatest challenge we face is the poor conditions of airstrips, especially in the winter season,” he says.