Ambassador Direct Limited, based at Hawarden airport near Chester, UK, has recently taken delivery of two new King Air aircraft, a 250 and a C90GTx operated on behalf of owners.

The company was set up in 2008 by directors Keith Barrington, Andrew Jones and Geoff Benton to operate and manage air transport for businesses across the north west and Wales. Ambassador provides a turnkey service including crewing, maintenance management and flight planning, simplifying aircraft operation for aircraft owners.

About the delivery Barrington says: "We made the decision to recommend the purchase of two Beechcraft King Air models earlier this year following our conversations with two clients who were looking for affordable, efficient and easy to manage business aviation.

"With these criteria, we had to look no further than the King Air 250 and the King Air C90GTx, which offer the perfect solution, providing quick short distance air transport facilities, at a low operating cost."

James Timpson, md of Timpson Limited and owner of the C90GTx, comments: "We have been really pleased with the performance; it's the second King Air we have owned since 2008. We run a very lean head office, and need a reliable, easy-to-run aircraft that allows us to visit our expanding store network across the UK and Ireland. The King Air is the ideal business tool – it provides fast, efficient transport across the country to enable us to meet store colleagues face to face and make multiple site visits in a day, while the shorter travel time means I am able to spend more time with my family at the end of the day. This makes the King Air perfect for our company and an obvious choice of business air travel." Timpson has almost 1,000 retail stores throughout the UK.

Says Barrington: "Both clients had previously used Beechcraft aircraft and were well aware of their strengths, so overall it seemed like a perfect fit.

"I first flew a King Air in 1970 and have always found them reliable, and little else can compete with them either operationally or financially. Furthermore, from our own perspective, Hawker Beechcraft models are easy to maintain and have a good lifespan, and we have the added advantage of having Hawker Beechcraft Limited based locally at Hawarden airport. With the King Air 250 based at Caernarfon airport and the C90GTx based at Hawarden, this means that help is close at hand should either client require maintenance or upgrades at any point during the contract."

Barrington adds: "These two purchases have opened up new windows of business for our clients. A business trip which would once have meant three or four days away from the office can now be completed in under a day. The increased flexibility allows our clients to quickly reach business in areas they had not previously considered, for example in Scotland or the south west, while it also gives the opportunity for them to strengthen existing relationships with clients across the UK."