Page 10 - Volume 13 Number 11

“The reliability, flexibility and functionality of our King Airs make them classic designs. They are our aerial SUVs and can fly into over 6,000 airfields in Europe alone.”
Herman van Kranenburg
Zeusch Aviation Managing Director
For two months during the summer of 2019, G-MEDZ was based in southern port-city Malaga, Spain, transporting
patients between Melilla (a Spanish enclave located on the north coast of Africa) and Malaga.
the Aircraft Operator’s Certificate (AOC) on which the aircraft presently operates. The initial services were flown early in 2019, a poignant mission being the repatriation of a terminally ill patient whose last wish was to pass away in his home country.
For two months during the summer of 2019 the aircraft was based in Malaga, a port-city in southern Spain, working for the Spanish aviation organization Eliance. Herman noted, “Our King Air B200 has transported 45 patients between Melilla and Malaga. Patient care was administered by a local professional medical team during the 30-minute flight.” Melilla is a Spanish enclave located on the north coast of Africa, sharing a border with Morocco. It has a population of approximately 86,000 and is served by three small hospitals that provide limited health care.
He continued, “The Zeusch flights were invaluable, flying patients to ground ambulances in mainland Spain, which then transferred patients to clinical centres of excellence. We were proud to be part of this special operation which was literally lifesaving in some cases – especially for triplets born 14 weeks early. These flights not only show the need for specialized equipment and well-trained personnel, but also highlight the capabilities of our King Air B200. Most importantly it also demonstrates the importance of cooperation between entities to fulfil a specific mission. This has enhanced our operational expertise and provided an excellent platform for expanding our medevac operations, which we anticipate will widen out across Europe over the next year.”
Discussions are in hand with three Benelux ground ambulance companies and also with Lelystad Airport management regarding providing ATC and emergency
8 • KING AIR MAGAZINE
cover for organ transport flights. Organ transport requires timely pickup and delivery to prevent deterioration, with a major transplant hospital being located not far away at University Medical Centre Groningen (UMCG).
Under the same AOC, G-MEDZ is also available for charter flights, seating up to eight passengers in a comfortable executive-style interior and can be changed to this configuration in two hours. King Air C90 (2- ZEUZ) is also a possibility for charter flight carrying up to seven people and again can be swiftly transformed. It is planned to have the B200 adapted for a third role by the installing a large 75 cm camera aperture. This would not only broaden the client base but also allow for an ever-developing range of cameras to be used. Herman adds, “The reliability, flexibility and functionality of our King Airs make them classic designs. They are our aerial SUVs and can fly into over 6,000 airfields in Europe alone.”
Looking ahead, the company has just purchased a fourth King Air, a B200, which already has a mapping aperture, Lifeport system and charter interior. It will be re-registered and upgraded with the same modifications as the other King Airs and is expected to be operational in the first half of 2020. Also, in 2020, Zeusch will bring its growing fleet under its own AOC.
Expansion of the Zeusch footprint at Lelystad is in hand, with the recent purchase of a 2,000 square-metre hangar, more than doubling the size of current facility. Lelystad is the largest general aviation airport in the Netherlands, however, on 7th November 2019, it will become a fully controlled civil airport in anticipation of which a large new passenger terminal has been constructed. It is expected that the authorisation of scheduled services being transferred from Schiphol (which is at its maximum allowed aircraft movements) will commence in 2020. Schiphol is the main airport in the Netherlands and is a short drive from Lelystad, making it an excellent alternative for those looking for a more passenger-friendly experience.
Other missions for Zeusch are under consideration and ongoing discussion with the relevant government bodies include surveillance flights for the military, law enforcement and other observers of activities on land and water, as well as calibration of airfield navigational and landing aids. The installation of suitable surveillance equipment is regarded as being fairly straightforward,
NOVEMBER 2019