*AAG Chief Executive, Shane O’Neill.
A Shannon based aviation aircraft group has acquired a former Flybe business that maintains cargo planes for Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF).
Atlantic Aviation Group (AAG) has announced it has taken control of Flybe’s former aviation maintenance services operations (FAS) at Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, England for an undisclosed sum. The facility has a contract with the UK ministry of defence to maintain Airbus A400 cargo aircraft used by the RAF, some of which are currently deployed to transport Covid-19 vaccines.
Aviation training, maintenance, continuous airworthiness management, repair and overhaul aircraft modifications are among the services offered by AAG. Its base of customers include DHL, Ryanair, ASL Airlines, Star Air, TUI Group, Jet 2 and major aircraft lessors such as GECAS, Aer Cap, Bank of America, SMBC, BBAM, Seraph, Aergo and Avolon.
Acquired by Patrick Jordan in April 2015, AAG employs 317 staff and 24 trainees at its Shannon headquarters as it recorded an increase in staff numbers of almost 100 over the past five years. The company was founded in 1962.
Chief Executive of AAG, Shane O’Neill said the acquisition “will further enhance our capabilities to service clients in the UK and Europe. AAG Defence Services employs 112 highly-skilled engineers and management team, of whom we look forward to working with along with our customer, Airbus”.
Both O’Neill and Pfizer Senior HR Director Eileen O’Riordan have been appointed to AAG’s board of directors.
O’Neill also praised the company’s “unmatched reputation in training aviation mechanics”. Since 2015 more than 80 apprentices have participated in AAG’s industry-leading four-year Aircraft Maintenance programme. This year’s class of 14 apprentices includes three females.
He said the apprenticeship programme further underlines the commitment of the company to grow its workforce and develop best-in-class skillsets that can underpin and future-proof its business development in what is a challenging time for the aviation sector.
