Ground services provider Worldwide Flight Services of the USA is to buy Miami Aircraft Support for $66.4 million, giving it a presence at a total of 82 airports. Worldwide was previously owned by American Airlines parent AMR, but was bought by private investors in March. US third-party maintenance provider Aviation Sales has closed its purchase of the Oscoda, Michigan-based airframe and JT8D engine overhaul assets of cargo carrier Kitty Hawk. As part of the $21.5 million deal, the company will maintain the airline's Boeing 727 fleet and engines for three years. American Airlines plans to go ahead with a merger with Reno Air on 31 August, despite having failed to agree terms for the integration of the smaller carrier's pilots (who belong to the Air Line Pilots Association) with the Allied Pilots Association, which represents its own cockpit crew. Ansett New Zealand - owned by Australia's News Corp - has refuted claims that new pilot contracts are aimed at securing a sell-off to Qantas Indianapolis-based Praxair, an industrial gases specialist, has agreed to buy TAFA Group, a supplier of thermal spray technologies to the aviation market, from Eutectic+Castolin. Diversified US holding company Viking Resources International is negotiating with Grant County Airport of Moses Lake, Washington, over what it hopes will be its second fixed base operation acquisition. Pressure Systems (PSI), which manufactures titanium propellant and pressurant tanks for the space industry, has acquired AEC-Able Engineering, a designer and manufacturer of deployable booms, masts, antennas and solar arrays. PSI says it is seeking further acquisitions in the spacecraft components sector. Pittsburgh-based coatings specialist PPG Industries has completed its purchase of PRC-DeSoto International of California - formerly Courtaulds Aerospace - from Akzo Nobel of the Netherlands for $512 million.
Source: Flight International
