News Release: Thursday, 25 March 2004

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport announces £3.5m expansion for Exeter airport

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, David Jamieson, today (25 March) announced a £3.5m expansion for Exeter International Airport in the South West.

The expansion involves building a £2.5 million new aircraft maintenance hangar funded by the private sector, and improvements to the airport’s infrastructure costing £920,000 funded by the South West Regional Development Agency.

The new hangar will enable flyBE. - the UK’s third largest low fares airline - to expand its aircraft maintenance operations, creating 96 new full time jobs over the next five years.

The South West RDA’s funding, which was instrumental in levering in the private sector investment, will help improve aircraft parking and provide a new taxiway, access road, associated drainage and other services.

Commenting on the first commercial hangar to have been built at the airport since the late 1930s, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, David Jamieson, said: 

"Today's announcement represents a significant vote of confidence in the South West's air links as well as providing a major boost for highly skilled engineering jobs in the Exeter area.

"This new investment by the private sector along with funding from the South West Regional Development Agency builds a firm basis for the expansion of maintenance work at Exeter which could, in turn, create even more jobs in the future."

Geoff Myers, Managing Director of Exeter International Airport said: “I'd like to thank the RDA for their investment which has played an important role in enabling flyBE. to develop its premises at the airport.The new aircraft maintenance hangar will enable flyBE. Aviation Services to significantly expand its aircraft maintenance activities and we welcome their commitment to the airport.” 

Andrew Strong, Engineering Director for flyBE., which employs over 350 people at Exeter Airport said: "This exciting project will create at least 100 new full time jobs over the next five years. The new hangar and offices will enable us to expand the maintenance of regional aircraft at Exeter.  We are already one of the largest regional-aircraft maintenance providers in Europe and these new facilities will help us to stay and expand this hi-tech business in the South West."

Colin Molton, South West RDA Director of Operations and Development, said: “I’m delighted we have been able to fund the infrastructure works at Exeter Airport which has helped to lever in a substantial investment from the private sector to create highly skilled jobs in advanced engineering  one of our priority sectors.  Our investment will also help the viability of Exeter airport which has an important role to play in serving the far South West.”

Richard Westlake, Devon County  Councillor and Chairman of Exeter and Devon Airport, said: “This is really good news for our rapidly growing regional airport and the local economy and demonstrates that the support and faith the County Council has shown for Exeter International Airport was well founded."

Media Opportunity  photographs/interviews

When: 2pm, 25 March 2004

Where: Exeter International Airport, Hanger 21

Who: David Jamieson, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport

Geoff Myers Managing Director of Exeter International Airport

Colin Molton, RDA Director of Development and Operations

Andrew Strong, Engineering Director, flyBE. Aviation Services

Richard Westlake, Devon County Councillor and Chairman of Exeter and Devon Airport

NOTES TO EDITORS

Exeter International Airport is owned by Devon County Council and is managed and operated by Exeter and Devon Airport Limited; a limited company wholly owned by Devon County Council. The Civil Aviation Authority together with Department for Transport set down guidelines for the operational procedures at the airport.   Passenger numbers are rising at such a rate that a new terminal is needed to meet future demand and since the funding of the multi-million pound project is beyond the means of the local authority, private sector investment is needed. The Council is therefore to seek expert advice on securing the future development of Exeter International Airport.  The existing terminal facility will reach maximum capacity in the next few years and outline plans have been submitted to East Devon District Council for the proposed development of a new passenger terminal to be located on the north side of the airfield. The Airport is working closely with a Consultative Committee, which includes users and representatives of local parish councils, to ensure that the development goes ahead in a way that is in everyone's best interests. The Airport is providing an increasing number of holiday charters and scheduled Flights & Destinations.

flybe. Aviation Services

Flybe. Aviation Services, part of the Walker Aviation Group started as Jersey European Airways in 1979 based in Jersey. Core engineering maintenance moved to Exeter in 1986.  Flybe. Aviation Services employs over 350 people at Exeter, with an additional 135 staff working on the network of line stations in UK and Europe.  Aircraft maintenance focuses on BAE SYSTEMS and Bombardier regional aircraft, aircraft types maintained include the BAe 146 and RJ series, the Dash8 Q200, Q300 and Q400, CRJ 200 series, ATR 42 and 72 and the Shorts SD 3-60. 

flybe. Aviation Services' Training Centre was established in 1989 and is approved by the CAA (full JAR 147 facility) to supply both Basic and Aircraft Type training.  It is also a fully CAA approved Type Rated Training Organisation for pilots.  The Aircraft Engineers Apprenticeship scheme, a four-year course (JAR66 B1.1 and B2), is a blend of academic and on-the-job training covering mechanical (B1.1) and avionics (B2) training.  There are currently 18 apprentices in the scheme.  The majority of aircraft maintained by flybe. Aviation Services are owned by western European operators, although work has been carried out for operators from China, India, Thailand, the Middle East as well as airline customers in the CIS. The new hangar under construction will enable an additional c.100 jobs to be created over the next 5 years, workshop facilities to increase by 100% and maintenance services to grow by 25%. 

The South West of England Regional Development Agency was created in April 1999 to further the economic development and regeneration of the area; to promote business efficiency, investment and competitiveness; to promote employment; to develop the skills relevant to employment; and to contribute to sustainable development. 

Engineering is the second largest sector in the South West, in terms of employment, providing 9.9 per cent towards the region's GDP compared with 8.4 per cent nationally. Although the sector has suffered significant decline across the country, the South West has fared relatively well and benefits from links with defence-related and health-related industries - more specifically medical precision engineering and aerospace.Within the region the sector has three principal components:

• Aerospace: largely clustered around Bristol - this is the largest sub-sector in employment terms, accounting for almost a third of all jobs in the advanced engineering sector.
• Automotive: with a large concentration of employment in the Swindon area including Honda's only UK manufacturing plant.
• Measuring instruments and medical devices: with particular strengths in healthcare products and research and development. There are concentrations of employment in this sub-sector across the region, notably in Gloucestershire.

Contacts:

Stephen Ayers  Exeter Airport Press Office  Tel: 01392 354 945

Oonagh Hyde-Blake  flybBE. Press Office  Tel: 01392 268760

Rachel Cowdrill- South West RDA Press Office  Tel: 01392 229583