Originally Posted by lastofthefew
Word is that a decision will be made this week. Those parties in the running, of which I believe there are 3 are already in aviation. They want ALL the aircraft. Therefore those drivers twiddling their thumbs, dust of your headsets and pretend you know what your doing again. It won't be Emerald thats for sure !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Interesting.
Its not far from the truth, however the TWO prospective buyers (I have stated 2 for the last 3 weeks or so because I know for a fact one does not have the money they say they do) and in particular the one who I am hearing are the favourite, would have to put the 748 on their AOC and the authority seem keen to see 'new blood' on the training side of things and a few other changes. Initial 'discussions' between the authority from at least one of the bidders indicate that the 748 will take 3/4 months to get into the air again.
The mess created by a certain Accountable Manager makes it impossible to simply 'buy' a ready made AOC with aircraft types etc on it, both operators will have add aircraft types to existing AOC's, one of which 'may' not even be a UK AOC !
Be very wary of anyone that tells you differently, ask anyone involved in this 'due dilligance' and they will tell you that its gone far beyond just buying an AOC and starting to fly the week after, there is the small matter of a 'start afresh' maintenance programme that will be required, and a 'fresh' new set of postholders, whilst both bidders have AOC's only one is in a position to move quickly on any of the above.
Authority wise it will be like starting with a blank sheet of paper, and with the history of this sorry affair you can bet your life no one will be breaking their backs to run to break any records in getting the thing up and running again.
However its not all doom and gloom, expect the deal to be done next Wednesday and some of the Shorts will certainly be plying their trade with either sucessful bidder in a much shorter time.