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DRAGONFLY AIR CHARTER LOOKING TO EXPAND
02 June 2005
The go-ahead executive air charter company based at Cardiff International Airport is already considering the acquisition of a second business aircraft.
DragonFly Executive Air Charter, which became fully operational only in the New Year to provide a dedicated service to the South Wales business community, and is the only business charter organisation based at Cardiff International Airport, reports that business has 'taken off' this year.
DragonFly's first aircraft is an 8-passenger Beechcraft Super King Air turbo-prop, one of the world's most popular business aircraft. The aircraft's most recent charter involved flying actress Goldie Hawn into Wales for her book-signing and talk at the Hay Festival, of which DragonFly was a sponsor.
DragonFly is the creation of Penarth-based lawyer and businessman Howard Palser, who established leading UK regional law firm Palser Grossman before retiring as senior partner of the 130-strong practice in the summer of 2003.
Having qualified as a pilot some years ago and having flown extensively for business purposes Mr Palser is convinced that the use of aircraft is a cost-effective and practical tool for business people to whom time is a valuable commodity.
DragonFly has been fully operational only since mid-January 2005 when the all-Danish crew completed its line training.
The crew consists of Captain Sture Olsson, who is also the company's Deputy Chief Pilot, Captain Janiine Heldorf and First officer Thammes Madsen.
Sture and Janine have flown extensively for the United Nations in some of the world's worse trouble spots such as Afghanistan, Liberia, Congo and Sudan and have more than five years and 2,000 hours experience each on the Beech King Air 200, the turboprop aircraft flown by DragonFly.
Mr Palser explained, "DragonFly is aimed principally at developing the business aviation market in Wales and the company already has a number of influential businessmen who regularly use the aircraft for business and social purposes within UK and Europe.
"In addition the company has tapped in to the existing broker-driven market whereby potential clients contact charter brokers who approach several operators who then quote for a particular contract.
"As a result of competitive pricing this market has resulted in DragonFly becoming very busy with flights from London City Airport, Heathrow, Luton and Farnborough to destinations in Holland, Belgium, Germany, France and Spain, in addition to flights to various destinations in the UK and Europe from its base in Cardiff..
"Traffic is substantially ahead of predictions, so much that the company is already looking to expand by the acquisition of another aircraft, and increasing the number of flight crew and operations staff.
"Last weekend DragonFly was contracted to fly actress Goldie Hawn from London to an engagement in Dublin, before flying Goldie to Cardiff for her appearance at the festival on Saturday afternoon, and afterwards taking her to Amsterdam - the sort of schedule which is easily accomplished by private charter but otherwise would be impossible to achieve."
Mr Palser, added, "DragonFly represents an extremely exciting new service for Wales, not only shrinking journey times within Wales, but with the ability to fly passengers anywhere within the UK and Europe."
Cardiff International Airport's managing director Jon Horne said, "DragonFly brings another new element to our growing range of services and enables us to tick another box in our quest to increase the range of high quality services and facilities available at Cardiff International Airport."
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