Irish MRO Atlantic Aviation Group has bought Flybe Aviation Service’s (FAS) former maintenance facility at Brize Norton airbase in the UK.
The completion of the deal was announced Tuesday (Feb. 8) by Shannon-based Atlantic Aviation following an agreement with administrators EY. No transaction fee was disclosed.
The facility has undertaken military MRO work for the UK Ministry of Defence for to maintain Airbus A400 cargo aircraft operated by the Royal Air Force since 2014. More than 100 staff are employed at the site, based one mile away from the town of Carterton in Oxfordshire.
Atlantic Aviation Group CEO Shane O’Neill says the acquisition will further enhance the company’s capabilities to service customers in the UK and Europe.
Flybe collapsed as airline in March of last year less than two months after the UK government had agreed a rescue plan for the troubled carrier by deferring tax payments and allowing the carrier more time to find fresh investment.
However, the government later rejected Flybe's request for a £100 million ($129 million) taxpayer-funded rescue loan. At the time, passenger numbers had also been hit by the global COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. The services unit, which included the Brize Norton facility, continued to operate.
The commercial repair facility of FAS, located in Exeter, was acquired by Dublin Aerospace in September 2020 and became the company’s first UK-based facility. Operating as Exeter Aerospace, the facility specializes in Embraer 170/190 regional jets, Bombardier Dash 8/Q400 and ATR 72 turboprop family aircraft.
