United Kingdom: RVL Group works through lockdown Names new Head of Business Development. By Paul Eden.

A diverse fleet and wide variety of contracted and ad hoc work across freight and passenger charter; maritime surveillance, environmental survey, and aerial photography and special missions, are helping the UK’s RVL Group weather the COVID-19 storm.

Based at East Midlands Airport, the company operates four Beechcraft B200 King Air turboprops; three Cessna 404 Titans, one 402b, two 310s and six Reims-Cessna F406 piston twins. The Cessna 310s are for sale, while two of the F406s are assigned for Environment Agency work. One King Air is dedicated to Blue Sky for aerial photography and another of the turboprops is managed and operated under RVL’s AOC on behalf of Isle-Fly.

RVL Group operates a fleet of King Airs and Cessna piston twins.

While the King Air is the mainstay of RVL’s passenger operation, the Cessna F406 is also available as an eight-seater, while larger aircraft may be sourced, according to customer requirement.

Meanwhile, its freight operation centres around contract cargo flying, including services for a number of high-profile logistics businesses. Ad-hoc, ‘go-now’ charter for a variety of supply chain customers is also common and, in keeping with its passenger operations, RVL is happy to charter larger freighters if needed.

The four King Airs are primarily employed on passenger and aerial photography duties.

Considering its survey and special missions capabilities, RVL’s Part 145 maintenance facility handles many modifications in-house, but passes more complex work to any of a number of Part 21 strategic partners. The imminent addition of base maintenance approval for the King Air heralds a welcome capability expansion.

Through a combination of homeworking and social distancing at head office and in the hangar, RVL has flown throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, operating contract freight missions, and moving PPE and NHS transplant teams on the King Air among other operations.

David Lacy joins team

Continuing such a variety of missions might have been achievement enough, but on June 11, RVL announced the appointment of David Lacy as its new Head of Business Development. Starting a new job in the midst of a global pandemic would hardly be anyone’s choice, but Lacy says: “The whole team has been very welcoming and generous with their time - I’ve had a lot to learn. It’s been even more challenging with the majority of customer contact over the phone or via video call, rather than in person.”

None of which has dampened his enthusiasm. “There are plenty of opportunities to expand the business, both with current customers and new ones. My initial focus is on strengthening partnerships with existing customers and suggesting how we might expand our business together. Then it’s about developing relationships with new customers in the UK and further afield. Over the next few years we’ll be looking to renew our fleet and expand into larger aircraft types.”

A life-long, profoundly passionate aviation enthusiast, Paul E. Eden began writing about aircraft in 1996 and became a freelance aerospace writer and editor in 2003. He says his addiction began with a Matchbox Spitfire model kit and the Ladybird Book of Aircraft, around 1975. Since then, he has written for the Official RAF Annual Review and Salute publications, and currently edits and writes Executive and VIP Aviation International magazine. A regular contributor to a number of specialist publications, including Aerospace, the journal of the Royal Aeronautical Society, and airline, cargo and flight test magazines, he also blogs for Runway Girl Network.

His first book for Bloomsbury, The Official Illustrated History of RAF Search and Rescue, was published on 25th June 2020.

Blog: https://pauleeden.wordpress.com
http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/paul-e-eden/15/9a5/671
Twitter: @TwoDrones

BlueSky Business Aviation News | 2nd July 2020 | Issue #564

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