Three Bidders For Romania's Avioane Craiova
Alenia Aeronautica, Aero Vodochody of the Czech Republic and Romanian bidder INAV Bucharest have placed offers with Romanian privatisation agency AVAS for an 81% stake in Avioane Craiova. The company, established in 1972, is Romania's only maker of military aircraft and performs structural and subassembly manufacturing for aircraft programmes including the Airbus A330 and A340, Gulfstream GIV and Reims Cessna F406 turboprop. Craiova lost €2 million ($3.1 million) in 2007 on revenues down 7.5% to €6.87 million. In 2006 losses were €330 million.
Service Is The Way Forward: Thales
Thales's aerospace division is considering acquisitions to make a "significant increase" in its service activities, says senior vice-president aerospace François Quentin. "We have moved from repairs and spares to more services [and are] looking at opportunities to grow and acquire in this area - it is a question of affordability," he says, adding that Thales's civil division should learn lessons from its military business, including in obsolescence management. Last year Thales aerospace sales amounted to €3.6 billion.
Factory Move Hammers Aerosonic
Avionics maker Aerosonic plunged into loss for its year ended 31 January as moving production from a Virginia plant to its Clearwater, Florida location took its toll on costs, revenue and operating efficiency. The company also acquired OP Technologies, hired a new chief financial officer and controller, and had to search for a new chief executive. Net losses totalled nearly $3.4 million on revenue down 19% to $25.4 million, but the order backlog increased nearly 3% to $24.9 million. Doug Hillman became chief executive in April.
Hawaiian To Fly American
Trading in shares of Hawaiian Airlines' parent Hawaiian Holdings moves from the American Stock Exchange to the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol "HA" on 2 June in a bid to "improve the visibility of our stock, enhance trading liquidity in our shares, and provide ... greater exposure to institutional investors", according to chief executive Mark Dunkerley.
Equity Sale Supports Let Turboprop Output
Aircraft Industries of the Czech Republic is now 51% owned by Russia's Ural Mining and Metallurgical chairman Pavel Vacha said the move was to raise funds to modernise and expand production of its Let L-410/420 turboprops. Aircraft Industries is a successor to the bankrupt Let Kunovice.
3M Expands Its Aerospace Business In Poland
3M late next year plans to open an aerospace factory in Wroclaw, Poland to develop structural bonding adhesives and surface protection products. The new facility will be its second in Poland and will supplement output from a site in Springfield, Missouri.
Pilot Traning Programme For Thailand
Bangkok Airways is establishing a pilot training school in partnership with US firm Flight Training Services. The Bangkok Flight Academy will open in December at northern Thailand's Sukhothai Airport. The school will have a fleet of 25 single-engine aircraft and two jets and the capacity to train 400 students, with a first intake of 20. The 12- to 14-month programme will include aviation English and be based on the CAPT programme.
Source: Flight International
