Spain’s Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT) is facing renewed disruption to its Pegasus aerial surveillance programme after operator Eliance entered preliminary creditor-protection proceedings. Helicopters assigned to the Málaga, Seville and Santiago de Compostela bases have reportedly stopped flying, reducing traffic-monitoring coverage while leaving the status of the wider fleet unclear.
Eliance has informed about 230 employees of its financial difficulties after reporting losses of approximately €24 million in the relevant financial year. The company is seeking to maintain operations, and the preliminary proceedings do not automatically end its public-sector contracts or mean that the entire DGT aerial unit has been grounded.
The DGT awarded Eliance a contract worth more than €51 million to operate and modernise its helicopter fleet. The programme was intended to increase annual flying activity from about 2,700 hours to 5,500 hours, but financial, maintenance and staffing problems have instead contributed to reduced availability.
Aircraft based in Madrid, Zaragoza and Valladolid were also unavailable around 12 October while participating in Spain’s National Day parade, according to reported operational information. Valencia was consequently the only base identified as retaining flight capacity at that point. The reported disruption affects current aerial surveillance rather than confirming a permanent cancellation of the Pegasus service.