Aerocardal
Versatile fleet covers multiple mission profiles flying throughout South America and beyond.
By Rafael Henríquez
Managing Editor
Aerocardal has masterfully navigated the complex airspace of South America, transforming itself from a small, specialized operator into a multifaceted powerhouse.
The company’s story is one of strategic diversification and unwavering commitment to operational excellence.
Founded in 1990, its origins were humble, operating from a small airfield in Tobalaba, Chile – a stark contrast to its current home at SCL (Intl, Santiago, Chile).
For its first 2 decades, the company carved out a niche as a reliable provider for the mining and air ambulance sectors.
However, when current Aerocardal CEO Ricardo Real joined in 2010, he encountered a company at a crossroads. “It was a company with lots of challenges,” he recalls.
“It only had a few older aircraft, and we had to restructure everything to try to make it more efficient.”
With the full agreement of the board of directors and the founding Kaufmann family, Real made a pivotal decision – to sell off the older assets and fundamentally redefine the company’s business model.
This strategic shift marked the beginning of Aerocardal’s dramatic evolution.
Under Real’s leadership, the company started to diversify, launching new divisions focused on executive charter, cargo, and fixed-base operator (FBO) services, while simultaneously expanding its maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capabilities and becoming a sales representative for major aircraft manufacturers.
This deliberate expansion was a buffer against the volatile cycles of the local economy.
In just over a decade, this blueprint transformed Aerocardal from a “kind of small” regional player into a comprehensive aviation solutions provider that is now celebrating 35 years in business and boasts a consistent annual growth rate of around 10%.
Leadership with a vision
Ricardo Real is a seasoned aviation expert whose leadership is defined by strategic foresight and a hands-on management philosophy.
Real brought a wealth of experience to Aerocardal, having spent 19 years with LATAM Airlines.
His career at the commercial aviation giant was diverse and impactful, encompassing roles such as director of cabin crew and director of operations, the latter based in Europe for 6 years.
This background in a large, complex airline equipped him with a unique perspective on efficiency, system integration, and customer service.
In 2010, with 2 decades of commercial aviation under his belt, Real was presented with a new challenge. The owners of Aerocardal invited him to lead their project. “I said, why not?” Real remembers. “It was a challenge.”
He saw past the company’s immediate challenges and recognized its immense potential. His mandate from the outset was clear – to restructure the company for efficiency and growth.
Unlike every CEO before him at Aerocardal, Real is not a pilot. He is an engineer by trade, which has proved to be a strategic advantage. The previous CEOs were often drawn back into the cockpit. The company’s owner even offered to send him for pilot training, but Real declined.
“I realized that the company needed somebody to be at the office all the time,” he explains. “I think that was a game-changer.” This decision allowed him to focus entirely on the business of aviation – that is, negotiating contracts, setting strategic direction, and managing the intricate details of the company’s daily operations.
He is the final decision-maker on hiring pilots, mechanics, and flight attendants, and personally negotiates all major management deals, client contracts, and vendor agreements. His leadership has seen the company’s workforce grow from 70 to more than 130 employees, and its income more than double since his arrival.
The pilot’s perspective
Chief Pilot Esteban Inostroza ensures seamless execution of Real’s strategy in the air and on the ground. He’s been with Aerocardal for 20 years, and his career mirrors the company’s own evolution. He joined as a line pilot, bringing experience from managing a flight school and flying smaller aircraft.
His promotion to chief pilot 5 years ago placed him at the heart of the company’s most critical asset – its people. With an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) license, more than 11,500 hrs TT, and type ratings on several aircraft, Inostroza embodies the deep, homegrown talent that has been vital to the company’s sustained growth and impeccable safety record.
As chief pilot, Inostroza is the guardian of the company’s aviation standards and its talent pipeline. His philosophy on hiring reflects Aerocardal’s core value of longevity and seriousness. For example, captains on contract to fly for the mining companies must have a minimum of 3000 hours, while first officers must have at least 1000 hours.
Inostroza seeks career-minded aviators, and the hiring process is rigorous. Candidates must have a commercial, multi-engine license and instrument ratings, and then pass a psychological exam. Once hired, Aerocardal invests heavily in their training. The company uses a dual-track system approved by the Chilean civil aviation authority (DGAC).
For some aircraft, they conduct in-house training using their own DGAC-approved instructors and programs. For others, pilots are sent to simulators in the US or Europe.
The training regimen is comprehensive. Pilots must undergo IFR checks and line checks every 6 months, alongside mandatory courses in crew resource management (CRM), performance-based navigation (PBN), and ground proximity warning systems. For single-pilot helicopter operations, they take pilot incapacitation training.
This commitment to continuous proficiency ensures that every aviator in the Aerocardal family is prepared for the diverse and challenging environments they face, from the high Andes to remote mining strips.
Aerocardal employs a cadre of 21 pilots for its fixed-wing operations and 6 pilots for the helicopter side.
A fleet for every mission
Aerocardal’s operational prowess is reflected in its versatile fleet, which is strategically deployed across 2 distinct divisions – rotary-wing and fixed-wing. A core philosophy instilled by Real is the concept of a versatile fleet.
“Each aircraft can be modified to do medevac, cargo, and VIP/executive transport,” he states. This multi-role configuration provides tremendous operational flexibility, allowing the company to allocate resources dynamically based on demand.
The helicopter division is focused on medevac services, and forms a vital link in Chile’s healthcare system. The company operates 3 Leonardo AW109 GrandNew helicopters dedicated to this mission. Two of these aircraft are permanently stationed at the 2 major clinics in Santiago, providing 24/7 emergency response.
The 3rd example acts as a dedicated spare, ensuring service is never interrupted for maintenance or repairs. These helicopters perform primary medevac, meaning they are fully equipped with advanced life-support equipment to provide intensive care during transport.
The mission profile is predominantly domestic, responding to emergencies across Chile, with a significant focus on winter injuries in the Andes mountain ski centers.
A key differentiator for the helicopter division is its embedded service model.
Inostroza explains, “The 6 helicopter pilots are assigned to fulfill Aerocardal’s contracts with Clínica Alemana and Clínica Las Condes. Two pilots are dedicated to each clinic, working on a shift roster to provide 24/7 emergency medical response, with additional pilots serving as vital backups to ensure uninterrupted service.”
The fixed-wing fleet, on the other hand, is far more diverse, and serves every segment of Aerocardal’s business. The mining and commuter divisions are served by 3 Dornier 328s and 2 (soon to be 3) LET L-410 NG turboprops.
These aircraft are the workhorses for a major 20-year mining contract, shuttling 150 personnel weekly on a 35-minute flight that replaces a 6.5-hour car journey.
The executive and VIP segments use a Pilatus PC-12 NG, a Pilatus PC-24, a Gulfstream G280, and 2 Gulfstream G150s. These aircraft are used for domestic and international charter, flying to destinations across South America, as well as the US and Europe.
The G150s, with their 3000-nm range, are particularly effective for long domestic routes like Santiago to Punta Arenas. They are also of great value to the advanced medevac division, since they can be fully configured for long-range medical evacuation, and are capable of carrying 2 stretchers.
“I think we’re the only ones who can perform 2 stretches for medevac in South America,” adds Real. These jets can cover immense distances, reaching Easter Island, the Falkland Islands, and all of South America, and are frequently used for patient repatriation to Europe and the US in partnership with international insurance companies.
Behind the scenes, every mission is under constant surveillance. Aerocardal employs a proprietary operational software system named Workflow to generate flight orders and log all flight data. More critically, the company uses the Spidertracks global aviation tracking system, which is installed on every aircraft.
A dedicated dispatch team, staffed 24/7, monitors every takeoff, route, and landing in real time. “If something happens, they are the ones who inform the chief pilot, the operations manager, and the head of security,” says Inostroza.
The aviators
Supporting this complex operation is a dedicated team of 21 full-time fixed-wing pilots, plus 6 part-timers, and a separate team of 6 for the helicopter fleet. Chilean legislation limits pilots to a maximum of 3 aircraft types, so the crews are specialized by fleet segment.
A significant and recurring challenge for Real is pilot training. “Training used to be easier in the past,” he notes. “Local authorities have tightened regulations, making it increasingly difficult to conduct certain types of training in-house.”
Consequently, Aerocardal sends its pilots worldwide for type-specific training, which is a costly and logistically complex endeavor.
The company deals directly with major training providers, such as FlightSafety International and CAE.
Pilatus and Gulfstream training is conducted in the US, while Leonardo helicopter training takes place in Italy and sometimes in the US.
Training for the LET L-410 fleet is conducted exclusively in Prague, Czech Republic.
Real endeavors to negotiate better pricing by planning the year’s training schedule in advance and bundling slots, but he identifies the lack of simulator infrastructure in South America as a major impediment to the region’s aviation growth.
The MRO backbone
Aerocardal’s MRO division is a critical pillar of its business and a significant growth center. The company has positioned itself strategically as an authorized service center for a who’s who of business aviation, holding certifications for Cessna (certain models), Embraer, Gulfstream, Leonardo, and Pilatus.
This capability is underscored by dual certifications from both the Chilean DGAC and FAA, allowing them to also work on N-registered aircraft.
The MRO division has secured several high-profile contracts that testify to its quality and reputation. It performs all maintenance for the Chilean Air Force’s Gulfstream G-IV fleet and Cessna Citation series aircraft.
(L) Long-range business jets allow Aerocardal to offer trans-oceanic flights for executive transport and medical evacuation. (C) The Pilatus PC-12 can access unimproved runways, allowing mining company workers to land closer to camp sites. (R) Three Leonardo AW109 helos serve Santiago’s 2 main hospitals, providing patient transport with ICU-level equipment onboard.
It also holds a comprehensive contract with the Carabineros (Chilean national police) for spare parts, maintenance, and engineering help on their fleet of 5 Leonardo AW109s and an AW139. A recent and significant addition is the MRO division’s authorization as an Embraer service center for the Phenom 300 after Aerocardal sold an example in Chile.
The company leverages its fleet size to add value for its management clients. It has a specific agreement with Jet Aviation to provide management and maintenance support for a Cessna Citation Latitude, applying Jet Aviation’s standards within its own FAA-approved framework.
The MRO division has been a key driver of the company’s overall growth, expanding at 10–12% annually for the past 5 years.
Coordination between flight and maintenance operations is a well-rehearsed process rooted in transparency. Before any flight is even offered to a client, a multi-departmental feasibility check is conducted.
Maintenance confirms aircraft availability and airworthiness, Operations verifies pilot and route feasibility, and FBO/Dispatch checks airport conditions and meteorology. This integrated approach is part of the company’s ISO-certified processes, and ensures that every proposed mission is viable and safe.
When a pilot arrives for duty, he/she is presented with the aircraft’s logbook by the maintenance team, which details all recent work, the hours remaining until the next inspection, and any items deferred under the minimum equipment list. This culture of open information allows pilots to make fully-informed decisions.
For major components, Aerocardal relies on leading service providers and insurance programs. The company holds comprehensive hourly-cost coverage for engines and has avionics support contracts with manufacturers such as Garmin and Honeywell, ensuring that failed components can be swapped out rapidly without grounding the aircraft.
The gateway to Chile
As the first FBO established in Chile, Aerocardal’s SCL facility sets the standard for executive travel in the region. From its humble beginnings in a 180-sq-meter space, the FBO has been completely rebuilt and now spans an impressive 900 sq meters.
Its most significant physical asset is its massive 12,000-sq-meter private ramp – the largest for an FBO at the airport – which allows it to accommodate everything from a Pilatus PC-12 to a Boeing 737, 747 freighter, or a military Boeing C-17 Globemaster III.
The service offering is comprehensive and designed for seamless efficiency.
The FBO integrates customs and immigration services, enabling a swift 15-minute processing time for international arrivals and departures.
“This was the first FBO in South America that offered everything,” says Real.
The facility includes a VIP lounge capable of handling the passenger loads of 3 medium-size aircraft or 2 large aircraft.
A key differentiator is its fuel operation.
Since 2010, Aerocardal has held an exclusive contract with World Fuel Services, which includes 120,000 liters of underground fuel storage and 3 fuel trucks.
This makes Aerocardal entirely independent for fueling its own 11-aircraft fleet and allows it to sell executive fuel to the other 2 FBOs at SCL.
Furthermore, the FBO is a member of the Air Elite network. This membership provides clients with preferential treatment and consistent high-quality standards across a global network with 80-plus locations. When its aircraft travel abroad, the ops team prioritizes using other Air Elite FBOs to ensure a consistent experience for its passengers.
Charting the future
Looking ahead, Real envisions a future of sustained growth built on a foundation of long-term contracts and strategic regional expansion. The cornerstone of this future is a landmark 20-year mining contract that was secured recently. This deal required investing in a new L-410 NG aircraft, but will provide unprecedented financial stability.
Real believes this, coupled with Chile’s potential in copper, lithium, solar, hydrogen, and salmon industries, will drive flying hours up by 10–15% annually.
To overcome the inherent limitations of Chile’s small executive aviation market, Aerocardal is deliberately looking beyond its borders. A key strategic move is a joint venture with the Czech group Omnipol.
This partnership is not limited to selling the L-410, but extends to other products in Omnipol’s portfolio, including radars and the L-39 Skyfox – a derivative of the popular Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros military jet trainer.
Real and his team are also pursuing tenders actively across South America for both civilian and military applications. “We’re trying not only to put our feet in Santiago, but also to be known and be part of the business in Argentina, Brazil, and Peru,” he explains.
On the innovation front, Aerocardal is exploring new missions, including potential flights to Antarctica with its PC-24.
The company also prides itself on its home-made operational systems, developed in-house for management and numbers, which have even attracted interest from other companies.
For Esteban Inostroza, Aerocardal represents a life-long career and a source of profound professional satisfaction.
“If I can retire at Aerocardal, I will do it,” he says. What keeps him engaged after 2 decades is the company’s dynamic nature, unwavering seriousness, and forward-looking mindset.
As for Real, his commitment to the project he has led for a decade and a half remains firm.
Despite other offers, his loyalty lies with the board that believed in his vision, and he sees himself leading Aerocardal in the future, guiding it through the execution of its long-term contracts and the realization of its regional ambitions.
Under his steady, engineering-focused leadership, Aerocardal is perfectly positioned to continue its ascent as a dominant and innovative force in South American aviation.