AIRWAYS SPECIAL
EUROPEAN
CARGO
FROM AIRCRAFT TRADER TO TRANSPORT GIANT
Story & Photos STEWART MARSHALL
THE EUROPEAN AVIATION GROUP was founded by Paul Stoddart , who initially set up shop as a buyer and seller of aircraft and spare parts . Starting his first venture in 1989 , he acquired two recently retired BAC 1-11s , along with their spare part inventory , from the Royal Australian Air Force . He registered the aircraft as G-KROO and G-EXPM and ferried them to the UK to be readied for resale . Stoddart immediately began negotiations to sell the aircraft to Okada Air of Nigeria , which eventually accepted the aircraft in
January and August 1992 . The following year , looking to make another quick turn , European Aviation purchased another 20 BAC 1-11s from British Airways . Its intention was again to quickly sell the aircraft or break them up for spares if unsuccessful . However , with an entire fleet in passenger configuration ready to go , it decided to operate the aircraft itself in the ACMI ( Aircraft , Crew , Maintenance and Insurance ) and ad-hoc charter markets under the name European Aviation Air Charter ( EAAC ).
1 European Cargo 600 getting airborne from Bournemouth , operating a scheduled freight run to Chengdu , China .
34 AIRWAYS MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2024 www . airwaysmag . com