Airways Aviation Academy Loses At Least Three Diamond DA-42s

In the early hours of May 20, France’s ESMA Airways Aviation Academy lost at least three of its twin-engine trainers to a suspected arson event. Luckily, no injuries were reported, but the flight school fleet has faced serious damage.

ESMA Airways Aviation Academy is an extremely well-established flight school, with nearly a dozen locations across France, Italy, Portugal, Finland, Australia, India, the UAE, Morocco, and Cabo Verde. It has a fleet of more than 100 aircraft, many being Diamond models, as well as a range of certified simulators.

One of these sites, Montpellier-Mediterranee Airport (MPL) in southern France, recently became the target of what the flight school’s Founder and Chairman calls “a disturbing and unacceptable act of planned sabotage.”

“While we are relieved that no one was injured, the destruction of our aircraft will have severe consequences on our operations, and it is a personal blow to our dedicated team,” stated Airways Aviation Group Founder and Chairman Romy Hawatt. “We are fully cooperating with authorities and will take every measure necessary to ensure the future safety.”

The school’s statement claims that, at around 4:30 am on May 20, a group of people snuck onto a secure ramp area on airport grounds and attempted to light the entire fleet on fire. At least three Diamond DA-42 twin-engine trainers were destroyed before firefighters were able to stop the flames, though several more are facing severe damage. The extent of the loss remains under evaluation, and no injuries were reported.

French Police are treating the area as a crime scene, sectioning it off and reviewing security camera footage. A ‘specialist investigation team’ is also being brought in to provide support where necessary and ensure that the perpetrators are held responsible.

In the meantime, the flight school is closed for business. ESMA Airways Aviation France is working with the board of directors to mitigate training disruptions as much as possible by continuing ground lessons and attempting to restart operations shortly.

FMI: www.airwaysaviation.com