Stewart Penney/LONDON
Bombardier is to sell its Bombardier Services UK company which provides flying training and maintenance services to armed forces in the UK and the Middle East. The decision comes shortly after the company received the first four of 99 Grob G115 trainers to fulfil a UK contract to provide light aircraft training to the Royal Air Force (Flight International, 25-31 August).
The move comes as a surprise as it follows a build-up of the business in recent years. Bombardier says that the defence services company is not seen as a core activity, with annual sales of less than 2% of its regional and business aircraft businesses. The group's aerospace sales were around C$6.4 billion ($4.29 billion) last year. No timescale has been set for a sale, says Bombardier. The company will not be closed if no buyer is found, it adds.
The Bombardier Services UK name will not be part of the sale, but the Airwork brand will be included. Bombardier acquired Airwork in 1994 and continues to use the name in the Middle East.
Bombardier declines to name likely suitors, but they could include British Aerospace, Brown and Root, FRAviation owner Cobham, Hunting Aviation, and Serco, all of which provide flight training or support services.
Source: Flight International
