Zimex Aviation: Swiss Operator Flying Remote-Field and Special Missions Since 1969
Why It MattersThe profile shows a niche where an integrated operator, maintainer and trainer on EASA standards serves oil and gas, humanitarian and government clients, a segment separate from conventional charter.
Zimex Aviation Ltd, established in 1969 and headquartered in Glattbrugg near Zurich Airport, Switzerland, specializes in remote-field and special-mission flying in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America and Europe. The group holds a Swiss Air Operator Certificate and, through a subsidiary in Austria, an Austrian one. Its work includes oil and gas crew rotations, humanitarian flights for organizations such as the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross, government and mail contracts, express cargo and passenger charter. Since 2016 it has also operated in the European express cargo market.
The company is vertically integrated. It holds Swiss AOC CH.AOC.1025, a Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation approval (CH.CAMO.1025), a maintenance organisation approval (AMO CH.145.0230) covering 2 base and 20+ line maintenance facilities, and an Aviation Training Organization approval (ATO CH.ATO.0165). Its management system follows the principles of ISO 9001:2015, and the fleet is operated and maintained to European EASA standards.
Zimex's own company page states that it operates and maintains a fleet of over 20 turboprop aircraft, while the article cites over 30 turboprops in its portfolio, with CAMO and maintenance support extended to additional aircraft across partner operators. The fleet centers on the DHC-6 Twin Otter: 9 DHC6-300 and 2 DHC6-400 aircraft, additional Twin Otter Classic 300-G variants, and one ATR72-500 freighter used for European express cargo and regional freight. Zimex took delivery of the first Twin Otter Series 400 in 2010 at the Farnborough Air Show as launch customer for the model.
On October 14, 1987, a Lockheed L-100-30 Hercules operated by Zimex for the International Committee of the Red Cross was shot down by a missile during a humanitarian flight in Angola, killing its crew.
