Iron Maiden’s Dickinson opens MRO firm at former RAF repair base

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Captain Bruce Dickinson, singer of heavy metal band Iron Maiden, has opened a heavy maintenance company for commercial aircraft on the grounds of the former Royal Air Force repair base in St Athan, near Cardiff today.

He expects to create “up to 1,000 new jobs in South Wales” over the next 18 month with the firm called Cardiff Aviation. This is a “cautious projection … based on the level of interest and commitment from aircraft manufacturers and operators”, Dickinson says.

The RAF’s maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations, which supported the UK’s Vickers VC10 tanker fleet, were wound down earlier this year.

Cardiff Aviation wants to provide heavy maintenance for Airbus and Boeing types within the 132,000ft² (12,000m²) hangar, which can accommodate aircraft up to the size of the Boeing 767.

The first customers will “likely be 737 operators”, according to the company, and will be revealed later this month. But Dickinson adds that “several more major and independent airlines” have shown interest in employing the business.

Heavy maintenance is just part of the range of “total aviation service packages” the company will offer, including flight and technical training, certification and aircraft sourcing and leasing.

This will “hopefully include the development of new airline services for South Wales”, according to Dickinson, who adds: “Cardiff Airport has tremendous potential to challenge the successful English regional airports.”

The Iron Maiden frontman had previously worked as a pilot for West Sussex-based Astraeus Airlines, which entered administration in November 2011.

Sourced by Flightglobal

Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson confirms 1,000 aviation jobs for Wales

By Sion Barry

LEAD singer with rock band Iron Maiden, Bruce Dickinson, has confirmed a multi-million pound aviation project in South Wales which will create up to 1,000 jobs.

Through his company Cardiff Aviation a major commercial airline maintenance repair and overhaul operation at St Athan in the of Vale of Glamorgan is being established.

The company finalised the deal on the investment with the Welsh Government, which is supporting the start-up venture financially, at 5:30am this morning.

Cardiff Aviation has taken a lease on the Welsh Government owned 132,000 sq ft Twin Peaks hangar at St Athan – part of the Welsh Government’s aviation enterprise zone.

Mr Dickinson and his backers only considered St Athan for the investment.

The successful aviation entrepreneur and rock star said: ““We’re coming into this enterprise with the knowledge that we’ll also be bringing business to South Wales – a cautious projection is that we’d expect to create up to a thousand jobs within 18 months based on the level of interest and commitment from aircraft manufacturers and operators.

“South Wales has long had an association with the aircraft industry and I am delighted that I am able to have a small part in the continuation of that tradition.”

He said the first commercial airline customers would be announced this month, with expressions of interest having been received from a number of independent airlines.The facility will provide maintenance services up to Boeing 767 sized aircraft.

As well as maintenance of airliners and other large aircraft for several major and independent airlines, Cardiff Aviation will have facilities to complete the full range of ancillary aircraft maintenance and training activities and has the expertise and approvals to certify aircraft from many jurisdictions, including the USA.

Business Minister Edwina Hart described it as strong vote of confidence in the Welsh Government’s plans to develop a centre of aerospace excellence at St Athan .

She said: “I am particularly pleased to hear the company is keen to take on skilled mechanics previously employed by the Defence Support Group, create hundreds of highly skilled engineering jobs and also plans to establish an on-going apprenticeship programme as the business grows.

”We have been working closely with Bruce Dickinson and Cardiff Aviation on this exciting project for some time and delighted it has come to fruition. This is exactly the type of investment needed – bringing money into the local economy while also providing an international promotion for St Athan Aerospace Business Park and the Aviation Enterprise Zone.

“We have a strong dynamic aerospace sector in Wales and this investment will build upon the skilled workforce that already exists in the area, providing a range of career opportunities. This type of flagship operation will provide a great start for the new aviation enterprise zone.”

The Welsh Government is continuing its discussions with the UK Treasury over the zone having significant capital allowances for companies located there.

Rocker brings 1,000 heavy metal jobs to South Wales

IRON Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson has set up a specialist aviation firm which could see the creation of up to 1,000 jobs in South Wales.

The commercial airline pilot has teamed up with investors including aviation professionals to create Cardiff Aviation which will provide specialist aviation technical services including training and heavy aircraft maintenance for narrow and wide jets.
The business will be based at St Athan Enterprise Zone in the Vale of Glamorgan where it has taken 132,000 square feet of hangar space.

The first clients will be announced this month and are likely to include the maintenance of Boeing 737 aircraft.

The first Boeing 747 simulator has been purchased and is due for delivery in June.

“We’ve had fantastic support from the Welsh government – we’ve been impressed by how pro-active they’ve been; they’ve really wanted to make this happen, and we’ve experienced a level of enthusiasm and drive that has been a delight to behold,” said Bruce Dickinson.

“We’re coming into this enterprise with the knowledge that we’ll also be bringing business to South Wales – a cautious projection is that we’d expect to create up to 1,000 jobs within 18 months based on the level of interest and commitment from aircraft manufacturers and operators.

“South Wales has long had an association with the aircraft industry and I am delighted that I am able to play a small part in the continuation of that tradition.

“We’ll be based in civil aviation buildings, and we’re excited to be part of the Welsh Government’s Aerospace Enterprise Zone proposals. As an established base, it obviously has all the facilities necessary for the enterprise, including a runway 6,000 feet in length with a Cat 1 DME ILS, meaning it can cope with practically any size of commercial aircraft, including wide-bodied airliners.

“But the added value we can bring to the package is that while the team is expert in the provision of technical services, we also have expertise in aircraft sourcing and leasing, another key aspect to the deployment of a total aviation services package, hopefully including the development of new airline services for South Wales – Cardiff Airport has tremendous potential to challenge the successful English regional airports.”

The news has been warmly welcomed by Business Minister Edwina Hart who said the investment would provide a substantial jobs boost.

The minister said: “The Welsh Government has been working closely with Bruce Dickinson and Cardiff Aviation on this exciting project for some time and we are delighted it has come to fruition. This is exactly the type of investment needed which will create hundreds of well-paid skilled jobs in one of our key sectors.

“We have a strong dynamic aerospace sector in Wales and this investment will build upon the skilled workforce that already exists in the area, providing a range of career opportunities. This is a flagship operation and provides a great start for the new Aerospace Enterprise Zone.”

Sourced by This is South Wales

Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson opens aircraft business at St Athan

The lead singer of Iron Maiden says he hopes to create hundreds of jobs in south Wales, after launching an aircraft maintenance business.

Bruce Dickinson, a qualified commercial pilot, heads Cardiff Aviation Ltd, which will be based at the Twin Peaks Hangar at St Athan, Vale of Glamorgan.

The company is leasing the 132,000 sq ft hangar from the Welsh government, which said it was “delighted”.

Dickinson said Wales had a long association with the aircraft industry.

St Athan is one of five new enterprise zones in Wales which officially opened for business last month, and focuses on the aerospace industry.

Cardiff Aviation will maintain airliners and other large aircraft for major and independent airlines.

It will also perform training, and claims to have the necessary approvals to certify aircraft from jurisdictions including the USA.

Dickinson, who has been flying for more than 20 years, said he had received “a level of enthusiasm and drive that has been a delight to behold,” in his efforts to bring the business to Wales.

He added: “We’re coming into this enterprise with the knowledge that we’ll also be bringing business to south Wales.

“South Wales has long had an association with the aircraft industry and I am delighted that I am able to have a small part in the continuation of that tradition.”

Dickinson, who joined rock band Iron Maiden in 1981, flew the Liverpool football squad to Naples in 2010 for a Europa League clash.

In 2008 he flew a plane back to the UK from Sharm El Sheikh, when thousands of passengers were left stranded abroad following the collapse of tour operator XL.

Business Minister Edwina Hart said: “We have been working closely with Bruce Dickinson and Cardiff Aviation on this exciting project for some time and delighted it has come to fruition.

“This is exactly the type of investment needed – bringing money into the local economy while also providing an international promotion for St Athan Aerospace Business Park and the Aviation Enterprise Zone.

“We have a strong dynamic aerospace sector in Wales and this investment will build upon the skilled workforce that already exists in the area, providing a range of career opportunities.”

Sourced by BBC

‘Up to 1000 new jobs’ at St Athan aircraft site.

An new aerospace firm has announced plans to operate an aircraft repair facility at the Twin Peaks hangar in St Athan.

Cardiff Aviation – led by the Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson – says the development will provide upto 1000 new jobs.

As well as maintenance of airliners and other large aircraft , the firmsays it will have the expertise and approval to certify aircraft from many jurisdictions, including the USA.

South Wales has long had an association with the aircraft industry and I am delighted that I am able to have a small part in the continuation of that tradition.

A cautious projection is that we’d expect to create up to a thousand jobs within 18 months based on the level of interest and commitment from aircraft manufacturers and operators.

– Bruce Dickinson, Cardiff Aviation

Business Minister Edwina Hart said it was “a strong vote of confidence” in the area, particularly in the light of it being named an Enterprise Zone.

“I am particularly pleased to hear the company is keen to take on skilled mechanics previously employed by the Defence Support Group, create hundreds of highly skilled engineering jobs and also plans to establish an on-going apprenticeship programme as the business grows

This is exactly the type of investment needed – bringing money into the local economy while also providing an international promotion for St Athan Aerospace Business Park and the Aviation Enterprise Zone.

– Edwina Hart, Business Minister

Sourced by Itv News Wales