EBACE Show News - May 21, 2008 - (Page 48)

EBACE 2008 Aero-Dienst, 50, Opts for Steady Growth Guess which company holds the second oldest Air Operator’s Certificate in Germany? Naturally, state airline Lufthansa holds the first, but number two? Well it’s the oldest German business aircraft operator and maintenance specialist, Aero-Dienst GmbH of Nuremburg. It holds ‘D-002 AOC’ and is celebrating its 50th birthday here at EBACE. It’s not resting on its laurels either, with a full expansion plan underway and further news to come. The company was originally formed to service Beech Twin Bonanzas, and then moved on to operating demonstration aircraft. The rest, as they say, is history. “We have plans to grow our fleet slowly, but healthily—that’s how we’ve managed to survive 50 years,” said Aero-Dienst’s CEO Martin Bauer. The company is modernizing and has recently added a Falcon 900EX and a new Learjet 45XR to its owned and managed fleet, both of which are approved for 5.5° steep approach procedures, enabling them to fly into London City and Lugano airports. “We are building our third hangar at the moment, 1,500 square meters, which will be used for maintenance on Challengers, Falcon 2000s, Falcon 900s and eventually the F7X,” Bauer told Show News. “We are an authorized service center for Challenger 300, 604/605, Falcon 2000EX EASy, Falcon 900EX and 900EX EASy. We have a 900EX in our own nineaircraft fleet as well as a Learjet, two Dornier 328Jets used in the air ambulance role, and a couple of King Air 350s.” The company has been a Hawker 700/800 authorized service center for years and additional support is to be announced here at EBACE. In cooperation with ADAC Air Ambulance, Aero-Dienst can provide aid swiftly. “We keep the ADAC ambulance fleet ready for European and worldwide use 365 days a year, and are ready for takeoff within two hours. Additional ambulance aircraft can also be chartered if necessary,” says Bauer. Aero-Dienst’s main operational base is at Nuremberg and Munich airports, with line maintenance support in Vienna where it maintains Bombardier’s European demonstrator fleet. Apart from aircraft maintenance and operations the company also manages aircraft and has its own sales team. “As an internationally approved maintenance and design organization according to EASA/FAR Part 145 and EASA Part 21 respectively, we serve customers from all over Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the U.S. and Southeast Asia in our hangars at Nuremberg Airport,” notes Bauer. Martin Bauer of Aero-Dienst. One Aero-Dienst challenge is a shortage of skilled maintenance technicians. Airbus Awards Its Customers At April’s annual Airbus Corporate Jetliner forum in Paris Airbus presented awards to three ACJ and Elite customers: Comlux Aviation, which put the first A318 Elite into operation; the Ruler’s Flight of Sharjah, which is the longest continuous operator of an ACJ; and Skytraders, in recognition of its pioneering ACJ flights into Antarctica. Here, Capt. Garry Studd, deputy chief pilot of Skytraders (center), accepts the award from Airbus evp Customer Services Charles Champion (left) and vp A320 Family Antoine Vieillard. “We are adding manpower with more pilots and maintenance personnel. But the problem is the shortage of skilled maintenance technicians, and recruitment can be difficult. We are located in a good place, and because of our company history we are fortunate in getting some excellent young people through. But the market is very difficult, caused by the growth of new business aircraft operators, and the new EASA regulations requiring everyone to employ more skilled technical people at administrative level. More aircraft manufacturers are hiring good technicians, or skilled people, to act as their field representatives, so taking more technicians out of the market. “We are interested in operating larger aircraft, and more at the lighter end of the market such as the Citation XLS, but we’re not interested in VLJs at all, as I don’t think they’re right for Europe, although probably OK for the rest of the world. “I think the VLJ hype is very similar to what we saw with the regional jets a few years ago,” Bauer said. Show News asked how the current financial situation would hit European business aviation? “We are seeing some German aircraft operators struggling, especially those with managed fleets. I think present deliveries of private jets, ordered over the last few years, are cutting the need for charter.” Martin Bauer is here at AeroDienst’s Booth 847. —Mike Vines 48 May 21, 2008 www.aviationweek.com/shownews http://www.aviationweek.com/shownews

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of EBACE Show News - May 21, 2008

A318 Elite is on a Roll A Circle Around London P&WC Deliveries Triple Avanti Sees Sales Shift RUAG Eyes Needy Cabins Global Gets Even NICEr Embraer Beefs Up Support Honeywell ‘Virtual VFR’ Signature Europe Grows Gestair Seeks to Double Aero-Dienst Turns 50 Gama Doubles in Size All is Not Woe with Oil Ocean Sky is Aggressive

EBACE Show News - May 21, 2008

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