Classic aircraft company takes ten-year lease on St Athan hangars

8:30am Monday 23rd January 2012

 

A CLASSIC aircraft company has taken a ten-year lease on two hangars at the St Athan Aerospace Business Park.

Hunter Flying Ltd, which currently oversees the maintenance and operation of the largest private collection of classic aircraft of its kind in the world, restores and operates ex military aircraft for airshows, jet training for pilots and leisure flying.

The two hangars at St Athan provide a total of 50,888 sq ft of accommodation. One will be used for housing and maintaining the aircraft and the other will accommodate the large number of spares and equipment required to keep historic aircraft in an airworthy condition.

Welsh Government Business Minister Edwina Hart this week welcomed the news, saying the Welsh Government is keen to develop an Aerospace Business Park at St Athan to create jobs and utilise both the airfield and the skills base in the area.

“This letting supports those two aims,” she said.

“I am pleased we can support the expansion of Hunter Flying Ltd and welcome the arrival of a new company working in one of our key industry sectors.”

Hunter Flying Ltd, previously known as Classic Jets, has operated from Exeter for more than 20 years, but a planned expansion project meant the company had to find new premises – and chief engineer John Sparks said St Athan was an ideal site.

“The main reason we are moving to St Athan is for expansion, as we need more room for aircraft,” he said, adding that it had been a ‘challenge’ to relocate from Exeter.

“I have just loaded three more articulated lorries and we have already had 28 loads,” he said.

“We are also going to be transporting three aircraft by road!”

The company aims to create new employment for a number of aircraft engineers and office staff, as it diversifies into other areas of maintenance. The new base will be operational from February 1, when they will be recruiting avionics and airframe engineers.

It hopes to recruit staff being made redundant with the planned closure of the DSG facility at St Athan.

Many of the classic planes that Hunter Flying services and maintains date back to the 1950s, and include the oldest airworthy Hawker Hunter WT723.

It is currently working on a long-term project to restore a Fairey Gannet AEW3 aircraft, for which Prince Charles has agreed to be the acting Patron.

Mr Sparks added: “We will be sorry to leave the volunteers and local businesses that have worked with us for such a long time in Exeter, but I’m sure it will happen again at St Athan because no matter where you go, there’s always someone who has worked or wants to work on historic aircraft.”

Vale AM Jane Hutt also welcomed the news that the company had chosen St Athan.

She said: “The 10-year lease Hunter Flying has taken on two hangars is very welcome news, especially, if staff being made redundant from the DSG facility can be recruited by Hunter Flying Ltd.”

Sourced from Barry & District News

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