Following the air ambulance crash in Jharkhand's Chatra on Monday night that resulted in the deaths of all seven on board, attention has now turned toward the operator of the aircraft, Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd.
The medical evacuation flight was travelling from Ranchi to New Delhi when it went down on Monday evening in a forested area near Simaria, under the Kasaria-Bariatu panchayat region of Chatra district.
The aircraft had taken off from Birsa Munda Airport around 7:11 pm. Within 20-25 minutes of departure, it lost communication and radar contact with air traffic control. The aircraft involved in the crash was a Beechcraft C90 with registration number VT-AJV.
Who Owns Redbird Airways?
According to a report by News24, Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd was founded in 2018 by entrepreneur Akshay Kumar. He is the Managing Director and promoter of the company. The firm is based in Delhi and operates charter flights, air ambulance services and other general aviation operations.
ALSO READ: Jharkhand: All Seven On Board Ranchi-Delhi Air Ambulance Killed In Crash
Akshay Kumar reportedly has 14 years of experience in the aviation sector and is professionally trained as an aircraft engineer. He is described as one of the youngest entrepreneurs in the aviation industry to own and operate a fleet of aircraft.
After beginning his career in aviation through operational support services, he later entered the aircraft charter business and gradually expanded into other aviation segments.
When Did The Company Start Operations?
The company was established in 2018. It got its Air Operator Permit (Non-Scheduled Operator Permit – NSOP) in August 2019, which allowed it to operate charter services and specialised medical evacuation flights.
According to information available on LinkedIn acessed by News 24, Redbird Airways is a DGCA-approved non-scheduled air transport operator. The company received approval in August 2020 to conduct non-scheduled flights, including charter and air ambulance services.
ALSO READ: Takeoff To Crash In 23 Mins: Jharkhand Air Ambulance Sought Route Deviation Before Losing ATC Contact
Redbird Airways is currently reported to be in a growth phase and is expanding its fleet of business jets to support both domestic and international operations.
Fleet Details As Of 2024
By 2024, the company's fleet included the following aircraft:
- Beechcraft King Air C90
- Beechcraft Super King Air B200
- Beechcraft Super King Air B250
- Hawker 850XP
- Falcon 2000
- Agusta 109 helicopter
The Beechcraft C90 aircraft that crashed in Chatra was part of this fleet.
ALSO READ: Air Ambulance Crash: Plane Lost Contact With Tower 20 Mins After Takeoff
Redbird Airways provides multiple aviation services. These include air charter services, air ambulance operations, corporate jet services, private jet services, wedding charters and helicopter flower-dropping services.
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