The Seychelles Islands Development Company & Coast Guard
Brief history The Seychelles Air Force was established in 1978. However this small group of Islands has a different kind of structure in its Air Force than most other countries. Until 1991 only one political party ruled the islands and the Seychelles Defence Force Air Wing and the Coast Guard operated a few aircraft. After the elections in 1991 the defense budget was severely cut. All aircraft were transferred to the government owned Island Development Company Ltd (IDC) and became civil registered (S7-AAx and S7-IDx). This allowed the government to use the aircraft as charter aircraft.
Since February 2011, the Indian Government has provide a Dornier Do-228 martime patrol aircraft to help patrol the Seychelles' exclusive economic zone (EEZ) for anti-piracy efforts. The mission has proven very successful at discouraging piracy, as the double-engine Dornier aircraft is equipped with machine guns, loud-hailers, radar equipment and night-vision cameras. The aircraft, serialled CG774, was on loan to the Coast Guard Air Wing until they received at the beginning of 2013 a new built Do-228-201. The aircraft was donated by the Indian Government. China also provided economic and military assistance to the Seychelles, including the donation of a Y-12 utility aircraft for maritime patrol duties. Beside these two aircraft the Coast Guard Air Wing also operates one DHC-6. If the IDC still operating the Beech 1900, Cessna 150 and BN-2 is unfortunately unknown.
