ACIA Aero Leasing, an innovative provider of regional aircraft leasing and lease management services, and German OEM Deutsche Aircraft announced an MoU to collaborate on marketing the D328eco. The efforts will focus on the D328 and D328eco variants providing passenger, multi-role, and firefighting aircraft configurations. ACIA breaks new ground with Deutsche Aircraft.
The firefighting-configured D328eco is an ideal multi-role aircraft that can be used as either a water-bomber or full-passenger aircraft. This underscores the collaboration between ACIA and DA to cover Leasing, Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance (“ACMI”) operations, and related support, delivering multiple advantages to operators with different requirements. ACIA will become a preferred lessor of DA aircraft for the marketing of D328 and D328eco aircraft in firefighting configurations, supporting cost reductions and efficiencies for various government agencies. The aircraft will be powered by the Pratt & Whitney PW127XT-S engine, as was announced in June.
Unstated from this news is the ongoing settling dust from key people from Bombardier and De Havilland Canada programs finding their way around the industry in new roles. For example, former colleagues at DHC, are now respectively ACIA’s marketing SVP Sameer Adam, and DA’s Vice President Sales and Marketing Anastasija Visnakova. Doing deals with people who know and trust each other is highly effective.
As former DHC colleagues, they know and understand the water bomber and regional passenger market. The pause at DHC has left a vacuum of uncertainty. Creative people see and exploit opportunities while customers relate to clarity. This is why the PR released this morning included this:
”ACIA believes in supporting the firefighting sector as we see increasing devastation from wildfires in many parts of the world. We support the initiative from Deutsche Aircraft to engage in this sector, where we can offer leasing solutions and support the marketing of their multi-role aircraft,” commented Sameer Adam, Senior Vice President, Commercial of ACIA Aero Leasing. “Multi-role aircraft can be challenging projects and we see an opportunity to offer a different approach to governments around the world. As they are managing multiple economic priorities, leasing can be a viable solution to support cost management and budget controls, while also bringing operational efficiencies through our partner organizations.”
Anastasija Visnakova, Vice President, Sales, and Marketing of Deutsche Aircraft added: “Our brand new D328eco will provide unmatched flexibility to special mission firefighting operators and prides a logical, reduced risk path towards sustainable aircraft operations,” with Dave Jackson, Chief Executive Officer of Deutsche Aircraft, concluding that “we are delighted to partner with ACIA as the preferred lessor for firefighting aircraft configurations to address the increasing issues of climate change and related devastating fires.”
