Charter start-up Freedom II wants to connect the Caribbean island of Anguilla with the US East Coast and South-Central Florida using an in-house B757-200, and two in-house ERJ 170-100LRs, according to a regulatory filing.
The Bermuda-based limited liability company, founded in 2021, has applied to the US Department of Transportation (DOT) for exemption and a foreign air carrier permit to conduct foreign charters ferrying persons, property, and mail to the full extent permitted under the US-United Kingdom air transportation agreement. Bermuda is a British Overseas Territory in the North Atlantic Ocean and thus falls under the ambit of UK air transportation.
According to the docket, Freedom II is 99% owned by Olympus Aviation LLC, a Minnesota-domiciled limited liability company, which in turn is almost wholly owned by US citizen Richard M. Schulze. The remaining 1% is owned by Olympus Ventures LLC, the US-based family office and private investment company of Schulze and his family.
Olympus Aviation LLC and Schulze also have interests in Midwest Aero Club d/b/a Best Jets International (DOW, St. Paul Holman Downtown), a Part-135 charter operator based in Minnesota, and Freedom II’s line maintenance repair station in Fort Meyers.
Freedom II received its Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) and Operations Specifications from the Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA) on July 26, 2022, its application reveals.
Insurance documents submitted reveal it owns three Bermuda-registered aircraft: one B757-200 VP-BBE (msn 30232), and two E170-100LRs, VP-BEB (msn 17000146) and VP-BEC (msn 17000112).
According to its application, Schulze recently acquired a resort and golf course in Anguilla in need of restoration after hurricane damage. To facilitate access to the resort, he purchased four E170s and formed Freedom II to operate two of the Embraers, and the B757-200 for personal use and charters worldwide.
The resort, now named Aurora Resort and Golf Club, intends to sell tourism packages, including weekly roundtrips operated by Freedom II with the E170s to the US East Coast and South-Central Florida and ad hoc charters with the B757-200 to point/s in the US.
