FlyMe (Villa Air) (Maamigili and Mahe) has taken delivery of its first ATR 72-600 (8Q-VAS, msn 1069). GE Capital Aviation Services Limited (GECAS), the commercial aircraft leasing and financing arm of GE, announced the delivery of a new ATR 72-600 aircraft leased to FlyMe, the Maldives carrier operated by Villa Air.

The aircraft comes from GECAS’ existing order book with ATR.

FlyMe currently operates two 50-passenger ATR 42-500s on routes within the Maldives.

Villa Air was incorporated in 1997 by the Chairman of Villa Group, Qasim Ibrahim, with a vision to develop an airport and an airline owned by Villa Group.  Following the incorporation the company embarked on two major projects to simultaneously develop an airport in the island of Maamigili in South Ari Atoll – the biggest tourism precinct in the Maldives and establish an airline that will be operated from the airport as its main base.

FlyMe commenced service between Villa Airport Mamigili (VAM) and Ibrahim Nasir International Airport on October 1, 2011.

Copyright Photo: Eurospot. ATR 72-600 F-WWEF (msn 1069) completes a test flight at a cloudy Toulouse. The turboprop became 8Q-VAS on the hand over.