Having received its JAR OPS 1 AOC on April 8, Flowair Aviation has started operating two privately-owned Beechcraft King Air 90s. The aircraft, which are based at Lyon-Bron and Grenoble St Geoirs airports, are performing charter passenger, freight and organ transportation flights.

Owner and general manager Franck Alpanes told EBAN: “I was working with another French operator for 10 years and decided

to create my own company to

operate aircraft that are owned by private companies.”

Alpanes believes that the King Airs offer the ideal entry into the European charter market. “For a basic air operator it’s the best aircraft, as there are many in service and lots of pilots with type ratings, as well as plenty of service centres.”

The company anticipates that the aircraft will each log about 400 flight hours per year, flying to key European destinations, including London, Madrid, Milan and Rome.

Flowair recently won a contract with a French hospital to transport human organs for transplantation – an encouraging achievement for a start-up operator.\r

“We offered the solution for the types of flights they needed, offering 24-hours service.

“It’s very important to operate such flights, because human organs often need to be transported at night or during the weekend,” he added. “We have to be prepared to give a very quick response, which is what the hospital requires.”

Although only a month old,

plans are already in place to expand the fleet. Two privately-owned Diamond DA42 Twin Stars will join the fleet in May and June, and will

be marketed towards groups of two

or three travellers who wish to

make short flights.