EP Aviation based in McLean, Virginia, is an aviation company owned by Academi (formerly Blackwater Security). Assets may include an Embraer Super Tucano[1][2][3] and 28 other aircraft[4] including eight SA330J Puma and 14 Bell 412 helicopters.[5] Blackwater has another affiliate known as Presidential Airways which also has a number of registered aircraft. The Pumas were former Bundespolizei and were purchased from HELOG. EP Aviation is active in Afghanistan and Iraq.
EP Aviation is named for Blackwater's owner, Erik Prince.[6]
Fleet
editThe EP Aviation fleet includes the following aircraft (as of August 2016):[7]
| Aircraft | In Fleet |
Orders | Passengers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bombardier Dash 8-100 | 4 | — | ||
| Total | 4 | |||
The airline fleet also included the following aircraft (as of October 2011):[8][9]
- 14 Bell 412 helicopters
- 3 Hughes/MD 369 "Little Bird" helicopters
- 4 Bell 214ST medium-lift helicopters
- 3 Fairchild Swearingen Merlin IIIC turboprop airliners
- 9 Aérospatiale Puma utility helicopters
- 1 Maule Air MT-7-235 STOL aircraft
- 1 Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano counterinsurgency aircraft
- 1 Mooney M20E fixed wing aircraft.
Incidents and accidents
editSA.330J (c/n 1358) N605R, ditched in an unknown location within Afghanistan around mid December 2008.[10]
See also
edit- Aviation Worldwide Services an affiliated company
References
edit- ^ Warplanes: Blackwater Buys Brazilian Bombers
- ^ The Penny Drops: COIN Aircraft for Blackwater? – Defense Industry Daily
- ^ "Report: Blackwater Worldwide Purchases Brazilian-Made Fighter Plane". Fox News. 2 June 2008.
- ^ "Aircraft Enquiry". Retrieved 2011-10-20.
- ^ Previous post Next post (2008-04-07). "Blackwater Bulks Up Air Power Using Little-Known Company | Danger Room". Wired.com. Retrieved 2011-10-20.
- ^ Previous post Next post (2008-04-07). "Blackwater Bulks Up Air Power Using Little-Known Company | Danger Room | Wired.com". Blog.wired.com. Retrieved 2011-10-20.
- ^ "Global Airline Guide 2016 (Part Two)". Airliner World (November 2016): 38.
- ^ "FAA REGISTRY Inquiry". Registry.faa.gov. Retrieved July 7, 2011.
- ^ "Aircraft Anquiry". Retrieved 2011-10-20.
- ^ "Scramble Messageboard • View topic - Ditch EP Aviation SA.330J Puma N605R". Forum.scramble.nl. Retrieved 2011-10-20.
