Oriens Aviation is preparing to add more aircraft to its managed fleet as the company marks its 10th anniversary by moving into expanded hangar facilities at London Biggin Hill Airport (EGKB). An additional Pilatus PC-12 turboprop single is about to be added to its air operator certificate. This will be deployed on air ambulance flights and will soon be joined by the company’s first PC-24 jet, which will be available for charter bookings.

The UK-based business aviation services group is an established authorized service center for Pilatus and Italian aircraft manufacturer Tecnam. Since mid-2022, the company has also provided support for Cirrus Aircraft’s customers.

Over the past decade, the Oriens engineering team has logged almost 100,000 hours of maintenance work on a variety of light jets and turboprops, responding to an average of four aircraft-on-the-ground situations each month. It has supported aircraft on six separate national registries, including one model operator for military special missions.

Having opened in 2015 with a single employee, Oriens now has 43 people on the payroll, engaged in activities that also include aircraft sales. Over the past decade, the company has handled around 70 aircraft transactions.

The relationship with Pilatus has been the bedrock of the Oriens business model. This year, at least six PC-24s are scheduled to arrive at Biggin Hill for annual inspections, and the company recently helped a UK operator increase its fleet to include multiple PC-12s and a PC-24. Oriens itself also operates a HondaJet, which it flies privately for the owner.

Edwin Brenninkmeyer, who earned his private pilot’s license at the age of 17, founded the company. He serves as an ambassador for Aerobility, a charity that teaches disabled pilots to fly, and Oriens also provides PC-12 flights for terminally ill children and their families through the Fly2Help organization.

“We have made great strides over the past decade and I want to thank our fantastic team of exceptional employees for their continued support and dedication,” Brenninkmeyer commented. “We are now in a strong position for the next ten years to take advantage of some significant advancements in aviation technology coming to market. We are following these developments with great interest.”