Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson is used to carrying the flag, brandishing a Union Jack while he performs The Trooper with the metal veterans. Now he’s got a new flag carrier role – having signed a memorandum of understanding with Air Djibouti to develop a national airline for the East African nation.
Dickinson signed the deal in his role as founder of Cardiff Aviation, the aircraft maintenance business he helped set up in 2012. The company is now to manage a European air operator’s certificate for Air Djibouti, find aircraft, provide operational management and offer technical support from its base in south Wales.
Air Djibouti existed from 1963 to 2002, but the country’s president, Ismail Omar Guelleh, has declared his intention to revive Djibouti’s aerospace sector, with plans for two new international airports. The revived Air Djibouti has identified markets based on the needs of its neighbours, and on military and aid programmes in Africa, as well as on long haul commercial flights, Wales Online reported.
“Djibouti is uniquely placed to provide a hub for investment from Europe, the Middle East and Asia into Africa,” Dickinson said. “By providing full airline support and project implementation to Air Djibouti, Cardiff Aviation will bring a wealth of industry expertise and capability to one of the most exciting aviation markets in the world to spearhead growth in a region with tremendous potential.”
Dickinson is a fully qualified pilot who has worked for commercial airlines during Maiden downtime, and piloted the band’s jet during world tours.
