Chauffair sold?

[Daifly]

So, who's bought it then?. .. .A European based operator has apparently paid $17m for the assets, but at the moment I can't find out who.

[KERDUNKER]

Where did you get your info and please tell more.....am more than interested.

[incipientspin]

Daifly i think you've been hearing chinese whispers...

[Daifly]

KERDUNKER - it was from a decent source at Farnborough, it'll have to remain at that though.. .Have heard some more over the past week, which reenforces that it was an assets only purchase. The administrators are at Farnborough until the end of the month, I'd guess that the prospect of a sale as a going concern is too far down the river now. A great pity, there were some great people at CFR (some of which have found other work, which is good), and they certainly didn't deserve the ignominious ending that came.. .. .INCIPIENT SPIN - give me some credit please. Having read all of your posts about PPSC and SFT I can't imagine you're right in the thick of things... Chinese Whispers aren't what keep every aspect of aviation going.

[incipientspin]

Daifly i'm not having a go i've just heard there is a certain Australian with a vested interest talking to the bank...

[srs what?]

I've not heard any news recently but I think it's unlikely the company would be taken on by anyone as a going concern. Not only was there 18 million of finance left on aircraft worth about 10 there was also a £10 million trading deficit.

[Daifly]

Hiding...?

:p

[AlanM]

Just wondered if anyone has heard any more about CFR??

Hope the crews got other jobs.

No more pics like this (http://www.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/open.file?id=124578)

[NigD]

Gents

I heard GAMA aviation have bought Chauffair. Whether as a going concern or not, I dont know.

This is just a chinese whisper, though from a usually reliable oriental bloke!!!

Regards

NigD

[MSoftAir]

I think Gama is renting the offices that Chauffair used in the taq building, nothing else.

[Mzee]

Hi All

Thought a few words of clarity might help:

Not yet sold, yes there is interest but not as a going concern. Our MBO failed not through lack of commitment or sound finance. It was a good plan but we got sidelined by bigger money and perceived bank disinterest in us. (How come they couldn't stop what was going on sindrome!)

Yes we were all owed variously considerable sums and no there was not such a huge trading deficit as quoted. The total a/c value is only what someone will pay but is reckoned to be reasonable at £12m

Only 5 pilots have found jobs including another one today thank goodness and I start next Wed. Ops have all found jobs but only a few of the admin and Eng staff have.

All this heartache for the crass incompetent management and greed of the owner.

GAMA have only taken over the rental of the offices from TAG

:mad: Still bitter for all the waste of good people, a classic in how not to manage.

[Bailed Out]

Mzee, Compassion is so rare today that you deserve acknowledgement. I'm not a former employee but that's my loss. I was however an "observer" and anyone who failed to realise you and your staff's potential as a "going concern" missed a unique opportunity together with a very good PROFIT centre and a fun business to boot....If only I'd had the resources at the time......

[srs what?]

I have indeed heard the very same.

[incipientspin]

Sorry Daifly you were saying...........:p

On the subject has anyone heard of "calljets"?

[Daifly]

It's good to see you're not bitter Incipient Spin...

It's a strange one though. Only one of the aircraft, the 800, is RVSM'd and GPWS'd, the others, of which there are what, seven?, aren't. To get them all public transport-able again needs anything up to $150,000 per aircraft spending.

PWC are seeking prices for the aircraft way in excess of the market value for Private Cat. aircraft, which is what they are until the upgrades are completed, so why would you spend all the money doing that when there are cheaper aircraft available in the States.

The company's momentum has gone, the clients have gone off with the various Ops people to their new companies. Why take on such a challenge at such a time in the industry?

I was told by one of TAG's senior people, and I mean SENIOR, that it was a European operator - hence my post. WS, I seem to recall, has some involvement on the continent? I might be wrong.

Anyway, off to study for my ATPL's, just like Incipient Spin - my industry advisor...

[incipientspin]

Not bitter Daifly just don't enjoy being patronised,
anyway no hard feelings and good luck with the atpl's.......;)

[NigD]

Daifly

The 800 is not RVSM's or EGPWS'd yet as I believe the bill for installing the equipment hasn't been paid yet, so there is an open modification on that aircraft and therefore it's grounded until it is paid.
Under the current climate that may be a while.

[Daifly]

Phew, that makes 8 non-AOC aircraft for sale at above market rates.

Anyone who's surprised that WS hasn't paid then, postcards to...

[KERDUNKER]

"WS" Would that be Wayne Sleep ? Oh and it is actualy four aircraft awaiting rescue, one C560, two 125/800 s and one fun 125/700 (Have flown all of them!)Toodle pip.

[srs what?]

The story I heard was the an Australian company had bought (but not yet paid for) the 3 125's and the Engineering side. Nothing else.

From memory the Citation V had some major undercarraige work to be completed.

[Daifly]

OK, it's

G-CZAR, Citation 560
G-HCFR, Hawker 800
G-ICFR, Hawker 800
G-NCFR, Hawker 700
G-OCFR, Lear 35

So, that's only 5 aircraft being offered for sale non-RVSM'd and EGPWS'd at higher than market rates.

I stand corrected!

[NigD]

Daifly

To add yet more woe, one of the 800s is non standard honeywell (as the 1000s) avionics. Would you want to buy an aircraft that hasn't got a ready made RVSM package approved never mind installed?
True the 800XPs and 1000Bs have Honeywell avionics and an RVSM SSEC curve programmed in to them but this is an oddball (1 other like it) 800B........CAA requests for flight trials to prove curve, 'B' conditions, certification....blah blah blah.

:eek:

The 700 can be modified for RVSM/EGPWS fairly easily and was waiting to be done so until Chauffair went belly up.
I don't know what the other 800 or the L35 are like.

I hope the takeover is cleared up soon for all concerned.

[srs what?]

I understand that the Lear 35 is a no, no when it comes down to being RVSM'd.

[Daifly]

RVSM and EGPWS on the Learjet 35A aren't strictly a "no-no", but they are very expensive to do.

The Lear 35 is so packed with Avionics in every bit of spare space that the equipment required simply wouldn't fit.

I know that there was a company in Cranfield working on a solution which would work with Citations and the like.

The Lear could still operate private cat below FL245 so you could always buy it for booze runs to Cannes. Although the runway's a little bit short for the Lear...

(I know, it's possible, but it's a wee bit short!)

[mark tuck]

I know of at least 2 LJ35's operating on Public Transport certificates in Europe and both have been EGPWS's and RVSM'd.
Your comment about the equipment not filliting is incorrect.

[srs what?]

Would you be referring to NEX?

I had heard the same as Daifly has just stated. That there simply is no room to put the equipments. That's what I meant by a no-no, just didn't bother to elaborate. :p

[Mzee]

Just to clarify a detail - the Lear did not belong to Chauffair and is therefore not part of the deal. Just parked there for convenience until owner sells it.

[KERDUNKER]

Hi Mzee, hope the new berth is to your liking, long live Unwins Airlines.

[srs what?]

I thought G-OCFR did belong to CFR but G-GJET was for sale sperately.

[PURPLE PITOT]

I will be test flying the first UK RVSM lear35 this week,so we know that the kit fits,we just dont know if it works yet!

P.S. Who owns the other two approved aircraft? I have seen the german one at Dusseldorf, but thats the only one i know of

[mark tuck]

PP

TAG Aviation operate the 2 35's out of Geneva

[NigD]

Apparently the Australian company mentioned previously (Calljet???) have definately bought them.

The Honeywell avionics equipped Hawker 800 is about to have its EGPWS and RVSM mods completed in the very near future.

I'm trying to take up not being cynical, so I won't add anything else!!

NigD