Krimson Aviation, the Addis Ababa-based flight support, charter and aviation consultancy, is marking its fifth year of operations following one of its busiest weeks since its inception. The handling in one week of a dozen flights with some 24 legs for a mix of customers including medevac, government, investment, humanitarian, crew rotation and repatriation flights demonstrated the company's versatility.

Founder and CEO Dawit Lemma is now looking to further enhance the business aviation offering in Ethiopia. “My team is at the forefront of east African aviation and works continuously to meet and exceed customer expectations. I am extremely proud of the accomplishments we've achieved,” he says. “For the next five years our aim is to support the improvement of infrastructure at Addis Ababa Bole airport, and we plan to advocate for, and get involved in, development of a first rate FBO and MRO facility at the airport. As home to the African Union and hosts to an increasing number of international investors and tourists we are perfectly positioned to maximise the opportunities presented by business aviation in the region. Despite the pandemic we can see great potential as we head towards our next five years.”

Initially focused on Ethiopia, the business now operates in ten African countries including South Sudan, Djibouti and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In 2018 it was granted one of only five Ethiopian CAA aviation licenses, confirming the company's ability to offer consistent services to international standards, and Lemma continues to be a shaping force for African business aviation. Prior to the advent of COVID-19 Krimson had become such experts at handling medevac missions that Lemma and his team collaborated with local regulators to modify protocols to streamline the delicate process, which during the height of the pandemic became invaluable as Addis Ababa became a hub for medevac and repatriation flights.

Lemma is also president of the Ethiopian chapter and board member of the African Business Aviation Association (AfBAA) where he has been integral in the organisation's development and its mission to raise the profile of business aviation in Africa. He is also a familiar voice advocating for African aviation at many international events.