Market Intelligence: -Investments and Acquisitions

Canadian Pilot Training Organisation, Select Aviation College, Unveils New $13 Million World-Class Pilot Training Center

One of Canada’s leading flight training organisations Select Aviation College unveiled their new world-class pilot training center and the new parallel taxiway, a landmark initiative in collaboration with Gatineau Airport.

“We thank our distinguished speakers: Gilles Lalonde, ICD.D, President of the Board of Directors of the Gatineau Airport; Jean-baptiste CARRE, our VP Operations and Assistant-Chief Instructor; Stéphane Bisson, President of the Chambre de commerce de Gatineau; Jean Lessard, Municipal Councillor of the Rivière-Blanche district; Mathieu Lévesque, MNA for Chapleau; and Steven MacKinnon, Member of Parliament for Gatineau and Chief Government Whip; and our MC Michael Rafter, Director General of the Gatineau Airport–for their insightful discussions and continued support,” said Select Aviation College.

This substantial investment of $13.1 million, contributed by the federal government ($4.1 million), Quebec government ($4.7 million), the City of Gatineau ($1.9 million), and Gatineau Airport ($2.4 million), showcases a joint commitment to fostering the growth of the aviation industry. These contributions will create further economic development and ensure the sustainability of the industry.

Source: Select Aviation College Announcement
Photo Credit: Select Aviation College (shown as meta image)

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Portuguese Flight School, Sevenair Academy, Completes Acquisition of Flight School and Expands Maintenance Capabilities

Ponte de Sor, Portugal based Sevenair Academy, one of the largest flight schools in Europe, is pleased to announce the successful acquisition of Global Flight School (GFS). With this strategic move, Sevenair Academy further solidifies its position as a premier flight school and enhances its maintenance capabilities to offer a comprehensive aviation training experience.

This acquisition combines expertise, resources, and a shared commitment to excellence in aviation education. Sevenair Academy’s acquisition of GFS underscores its dedication to advancing the aviation sector by providing the highest training and maintenance services standards.

“We are thrilled to announce the completion of the acquisition of Global Flight School” said Carlos Amaro, CEO of Sevenair Academy. “This acquisition represents a significant milestone for us as we expand our reach and reinforce our commitment to delivering unparalleled aviation training. The synergies between Sevenair Academy and GFS will enable us to provide greater value to our students, employees, and industry partners.”

The acquisition strengthens Sevenair Academy’s maintenance capabilities. This expansion enables the Academy to maintain a robust fleet of training aircraft, ensuring the highest levels of safety and reliability for students and instructors.”We are excited about the new opportunities this acquisition brings” added Carlos Amaro. “By integrating GFS’s maintenance capabilities, we can ensure the impeccable condition of our aircraft fleet, providing a safe and dependable training environment for our students. This strategic move aligns with our long-term vision of establishing Sevenair Academy as the preferred choice for aspiring aviators worldwide.”

About Sevenair Academy

Sevenair Academy is a globally recognized flight training institution, committed to excellence in aviation education. With a rich heritage spanning over four decades, Sevenair Academy has trained countless pilots and aviation professionals who have gone on to establish successful careers in the industry. The Academy offers highly qualified instructors using state-of-the-art training facilities in Ponte de Sôr and Cascais, both in Portugal.

Source: Sevenair Academy Press Release
Photo Credit: Sevenair Academy (shown as meta image)

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Training Aircraft Manufacturer, Elixir Aircraft, Receives €13 million Grant from the French Government

On the eve of the Paris Air Show, French President Emmanuel Macron announced a €13 million grant to Elixir Aircraft. Part of a total financing package of some forty million euros, these funds will support the company’s industrialization, as well as R&D on biofuel (SAF) and hydrogen projects.

With a 4th generation aircraft already EASA certified, Elixir Aircraft is pursuing a pragmatic project to become a leader in General Aviation.

Thanks to this funding, Elixir Aircraft will be able to continue reducing the environmental impact of aviation. To achieve this, the company has made its choices: to work on weight savings, biofuels (SAF) and hydrogen. With its OneShot carbon aerostructure technology, Elixir Aircraft today offers a certified training aircraft capable of reducing its CO2 emissions by 70%; tomorrow, by 90%, thanks to SAF; and by almost 100% in several decades, thanks to hydrogen. But having an innovative aircraft doesn’t make you a leader. To find its place, Elixir Aircraft must industrialize production of its first aircraft, while developing other models to complete its range and thus become one of the manufacturers to replace the world fleet of 160,000 aircraft of the 1970s, and its colossal environmental impact.

Arthur Léopold-Léger, co-founder and president of Elixir Aircraft: “The ecological and economic constraints on aviation are becoming more pressing. And yet, humanity has never wanted to travel as much as we do today, although we can no longer do so as we have done for the past 50 years. From one end of the chain to the other, everyone has a role to play. For example, improving the ecological footprint of the aeronautical industry also means reducing CO2 emissions when training airline pilots. With its 1930s engine, a training aircraft today consumes an average of 38L/h of leaded fuel. With the Elixir, we’ve reduced this figure to 12L/h, a reduction of almost 70%. This innovation is available now, without waiting for a hypothetical technological breakthrough! Of course, innovation is a prerequisite, but it’s not enough. Without industrial production capacity, an aircraft, no matter how innovative, will not decarbonize anything if it is not delivered! That’s what this grant is all about: we need to support the production of low-carbon aircraft in France, and Elixir Aircraft is at the forefront of this battle.”

In concrete terms, this state funding will enable Elixir Aircraft to create a brand-new 10,000m² production unit at La Rochelle airport. This will eventually employ around a thousand people in a high-tech production environment. The facility will be equipped with autoclaves, digital cutting machines, laser fiber placement equipment, etc. The aim is to achieve a production rate of over 300 aircraft per month.

“Producing is one thing, but we also need to prepare for the future, as R&D and certification times are very long in our field,” adds Cyril Champenois, co-founder and Marketing & Sales Director of Elixir Aircraft. Elixir Aircraft is already working on future aircraft variants, notably with low-carbon propulsion. Our company is a member of a CORAC program alongside Daher, Safran, Air Liquide and Turbotech, with the aim of developing a turbine-powered Elixir demonstrator over the next few months, first running on SAF and then on hydrogen. Turbines offer enormous advantages in terms of applications. First of all, you have to choose the right energy. With a turbine, Elixir Aircraft is banking on SAF, thanks to the production volume that commercial aviation will guarantee [AL4]. This fuel, already technically derisked, is the only means of decarbonization in the short term. Secondly, certification regulations, pilot and mechanic qualifications, maintenance procedures… everything already exists! Not to mention the fact that student pilots will no longer learn on a piston-powered aircraft and then fly their whole lives on a turbine, they’ll learn directly on a turbine!”

Elixir Aircraft now has the resources it needs to implement its 3-stage development strategy:

  1. Decarbonize its ultra-frugal aircraft in the short term with the Elixir;
  2. Decarbonize in the medium term with the Elixir turbine powered by biofuel (SAF); and
  3. Decarbonize in the long term with the Elixir turbine powered by liquid hydrogen.

About Elixir Aircraft

Elixir Aircraft, a company headquartered in La Rochelle, France, with nearly 100 employees, was founded in 2015 to meet the challenges of global light aviation.

The French company’s objective: to manufacture safer, more economical and more versatile aircraft. Complexity is the reason why today’s aircraft suffer from failures (technical or human), and are costly to operate (fuel consumption and maintenance).

Elixir Aircraft uses a technology from the world of competitive sailing, the Carbon Oneshot, to simplify structures. More simplicity means fewer failures, so greater safety, but also less maintenance, and lower costs (estimates of €40/h fuel and maintenance).

At the end of 2021, Elixir Aircraft opened a new production site in Périgny, Charente Maritime, to internalize all carbon parts production.

Elixir Aircraft in Numbers

  • 4th-generation two-seater aircraft EASA CS-23 certified since 2020
  • 100 employees, including more than 70 new hires since the first quarter of 2021
  • Two production sites in France, one of 2300m², the other of 2000m².
  • +70 aircraft on firm order
  • +140 aircraft on pre-order and letters of intent in the U.S. and Europe

Source: Elixir Aircraft Press Release
Photo Credit: Elixir Aircraft (shown as meta image)

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Paramount Aviation Services Announces Flight Simulator Financing Partner RESIDCO

Florida, United States based full flight simulator training center group Paramount Aviation Services, a leading provider of aviation training solutions, is pleased to announce a new partnership with RESIDCO in the financing of full flight simulators.

As the first step of this cooperation, Paramount and RESIDCO have concluded the sale and long-term leaseback of two Boeing 757 and one Boeing 767 simulators located at Paramount’s Miami flight training campus.

“We are excited to partner with Paramount Aviation Services and expand RESIDCO’s asset based aviation financing and lease services to include full flight simulators, ” said Glenn Davis, CEO of RESIDCO. “Paramount’s expertise and experience is a useful resource as we develop business in this sector.”

“Paramount is honored to have RESIDCO as a partner and additional source of financing for its rapidly growing training business,” said Vincent La Forgia, President of Paramount. “Our commitment to RESIDCO for the lease of three simulators is considered the first step of a broader commercial relationship between the two companies.”

About Paramount Aviation Services

Paramount Aviation Services provides flight training and simulator services that supports commercial, business, and military flight operations worldwide. Paramount’s Miami International Airport flight training campus is home to a state-of-the-art twelve (12) bay simulator facility situated at 3814 Curtiss Parkway, Miami, Florida, 33166.

About RESIDCO

RESIDCO provides aviation and rail leasing services and has an extensive track record of success in the acquisition, leasing and management of transportation assets. The company’s expertise spans aircraft, engines, and rail equipment, and its strong relationships with airlines, railroads and financial institutions, make it a trusted partner in the transportation industry.

Source: Paramount Aviation Services Press Release
Photo Credit: Paramount Aviation Services (shown as meta image)

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Simulator Manufacturer Acquires Leading Provider of Cabin Crew Training Services

United Kingdom based cabin crew simulator manufacturer EDM is excited to announce its acquisition of SkyPeople, a leading provider of cabin crew training services. The move comes as part of EDM’s efforts to revolutionise the future of cabin crew training in the UK and beyond.

“Having worked with SkyPeople for the past couple of years, I am delighted that they have joined forces with EDM to transform the future for Cabin Crew training in the UK,” said Tony Bermingham, Managing Director of EDM Ltd. “The combination of EDM and SkyPeople’s expertise and resources will allow for a comprehensive, approach to cabin crew training, from design and consultancy to delivery, recruitment, facility supply, and even crewing.”

SkyPeople has a long history of providing high-quality cabin crew training services to airlines, including third-party training to flag-carrying airlines post-pandemic. “For many years SkyPeople have trained cabin crew to CAA and EASA attestation level. In collaboration with EDM, we hope to grow our offering to the airlines to reduce their training costs and transform the delivery of cabin crew training,” said Bermingham.

Shaun Waddingham, Commercial Director of SkyPeople, added, “This joining of forces combines SkyPeople’s renowned depth of training expertise with the world-class facilities of EDM to form a unique one-stop-shop for all aspects of Cabin Crew training, for airlines of any size.” The acquisition of SkyPeople by EDM will undoubtedly help to bring about significant positive change in the world of cabin crew training.

Following the acquisition, SkyPeople is renamed as SkyPeople Training which secured an accreditation from the Civil Aviation Authority as a cabin crew training organization and security training provider. The institution has been awarded an ‘outstanding’ rating.

Moreover, EDM’s group financial director, Sarah Ferguson, assumed the role of chief executive of SkyPeople Training. Katie Wood, one of SkyPeople’s original three founders, maintains a full-time role within the company. Meanwhile, her co-founders Collette and Shaun Waddingham will continue to contribute their industry expertise and experience to support the company.

“We have exciting plans to grow the business as we look at new contracts with a range of airlines and the opportunity to deliver cabin crew training to them at our own base in Manchester,” said Ferguson. “Having opened our Aviation Training Academy in 2021, we have fantastic facilities which will enable us to expand our offering. The academy is becoming busier as airlines discover us, as we are able to fully support them with all their training needs.”

“We are looking at creating a similar facility in the south of England, as well as expanding our training offering in different areas and sectors, such as customer sales and support, leadership and management, and first aid. We have a diverse range of experience and talent in the team to support this expansion. The CAA accreditation means that as well as delivering Attestation, we can assist operators in many other ways, including completely supporting new airlines by developing their manuals, training materials and delivering the product. We can also support more established operators during busy times or periods of expansion by upskilling our team to deliver those clients’ own training, on site or at our facility.”

“We have worked with SkyPeople for a number of years, and the combination of expertise and resources across both businesses will allow for a comprehensive approach to cabin crew training, from design and consultancy to delivery, recruitment, facility supply and crewing,” said Group Managing Director Tony Bermingham. “We aim to grow our offering to airlines to reduce their costs and transform the delivery of cabin crew training by being a one-stop shop for airlines of any size.”

About EDM Ltd.

EDM is a leading global provider of training simulators to the civil aviation, defence, rail and other industries. Combining the highest engineering standards with leading-edge technologies, EDM provides airlines with Door Trainers, Cabin Service Trainers, Cabin Emergency Evacuation Trainers and Full-Size Mock-ups and defence organisations with Procedure Trainers, Maintenance Trainers, Ejection Seats, Simulators, and Full-Size Replicas. Serving organisations worldwide from its UK headquarters, EDM is committed to delivering exceptional quality and value to its clients to help them enhance safety and operational efficiency.

About SkyPeople Training Ltd.

SkyPeople is a collection of highly experienced airline specialists with a wealth of experience, a huge catalogue of qualifications, and a common belief in the power of personality as a key training tool. Our key staff have held senior roles in major airlines and have a collective skill set which is diverse and comprehensive.

Source: EDM
Photo Credit: EDM (shown as meta image)

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