JAA AOC Company for Sale in HELiDATA

[firebird_uk]

There's an advert in HELiDATA (04/03) looking for those interested in purchasing a JAA AOC operator.

Approved for AS355, B206B & B206L
Night and European operations paperwork
FTO/TRTO Flight & Ground Taraining Approvals also availableAnyone want to make an unifomed guess as to who it may be?

They're asking for serious enquiries only. That rules me out then! :}

[helimutt]

Well it can't be that hard to work out.

Which companies use 206's, 355's? Someone who does Ir training as well as aoc stuff?

What about a list of possibles:-
Starspeed? Premiair? Fast? PDG?

It's the European thing which is probably a clue.

[plus expenses]

Aeromega, its AOC is still kicking around

[levo]

It could be Dragon ?:cool:

[slingyerhook]

How about HG Heli's at Inverness??!:bored:

[Bravo73]

Judging by the font used in the advert (and the aircraft types involved), my money's on Dragon.

[Helinut]

Interesting idea, selling an AOC. What exactly are you buying? It could amount to very little, other than an "approved" Ops manual, if all the key people and some premises and aircraft are not included.

The CAA's approval is linked to the nominated postholders too. If they are the guys selling-out, there is no guarantee that the CAA will contunue to approve the operation.

And I have no idea who it is.

[fluffy5]

Well, well, well. What did I say from my old thread " how many fto's and aoc's will go this year "
My money is on Dragon, as I know that one of the main men to do with that company, his cv landed on my desk a few months ago.

fluffy

[jemax]

My money would be on someone Fluffy5 and I used to work for together, eh ;) or at least thats what a little birdie told me. Not the first one, the second one BTW.

[fluffy5]

Hello Darling,
Really, did not no that. Terribly bad news. the feeling I have cannot possibly explain how I feel, I bet wileycoyote will be deeply upset.
ps I hope is not the last company I worked for, as the the above comment is for the other one.

[firebird_uk]

Interesting idea, selling an AOC. What exactly are you buying? It could amount to very little, other than an "approved" Ops manual, if all the key people and some premises and aircraft are not included.

The CAA's approval is linked to the nominated postholders too. If they are the guys selling-out, there is no guarantee that the CAA will contunue to approve the operation.



I'm fairly sure you'll be buying the limited company along with the AOC and thus under TUPE all the staff that make the AOC viable.

In general when you take over another company you'll loose a certain number of the key individuals (unless they were directors / shareholders and have been tied in by the purchase agreement). However, at this point in the ecconomic cycle I think you might find individuals having a long hard think before they do something too rash and resign!

[WylieCoyote]

I think your getting a bit ahead of yourself there kiddo. It's not who you think it is.
I wouldn't have thought it's the last one either as I don't believe the ad mentions a 44 which I would have thought would be part of their AOC.

[southernjetflyer]

What about Sterling Helicopters ? Major 206 operator and do training too.

I have heard as well and seen on line that the Citation 5 they have is for sale.

Maybe this is a sign that the prime owner Mr B is in trouble.

Or am I simply barking up the wrong tree all together here

[Helinut]

I doubt it is Sterling. They also operate Bo 105 and BK 117 too, as well as Schweizer (at least for training).

Firebird, you are of course right that the AOC goes with the company. It may also include a lot of other things too but it need not. Lots of operators do not own their aircraft, and their staff can be pretty mobile. TUPE does not make people stay with a new employer, it just prevents a new operator from dumping people if it takes over an exisiting activity (in theory anyway). However, the CAA's approval is dependent upon such things as the nominated postholders. If they do not remain the same, then the CAA would review their approval and can pull it.

I am just saying that you need to be careful what you are really buying, if you were mad enough to buy a UK helicopter AOC at the moment.

All of my comments are entirely hypothetical as I have no idea who the company is.

[flyer43]

Helinut has a very important point. An Operator's AOC includes nominated post holders, all of whom have to be accepted by the CAA. Their names should appear in the various company documents.
If any of the post holders are changed, the proposed replacement(s) might not be acceptable to the CAA and the AOC will therefore be revoked until such time as suitable replacements are found.
Whoever decides to take over the company should do some careful research before plunging in!

[A.Agincourt]

Approved for AS355, B206B & B206L
Night and European operations paperwork
FTO/TRTO Flight & Ground Taraining Approvals also available


Av8

Best Wishes

[TJF97]

Can't be AV8, surely it would have mentioned EC120's??

[helicopter-redeye]

I'd bet on it being a part of the Dragon empire. The font at the top of the ad looks like theirs and Helidata tend to print what they are given.

Also, the AOC there was a bit different - not actually "Dragon" but a company they bought so maybe the sale is of the AOC and the CPL Ground School authorisations, leaving the Dragon name with the owners for the future.

[fluffy5]

Yep, told you so, my money's on Dragon.