Business takes off for aviation training firm (From Daily Echo)

CTC Aviation sees a boost thanks to demand from Middle East

1:00pm Monday 18th March 2013 in News By Patrick Knox, Senior Reporter

The sky is the limit for a Hampshire aviation company whose business is continuing to grow.

CTC Aviation, an airline training and pilot resource firm, has seen international sales take off by 52 per cent largely because of booming demand from Middle East and Asian markets.

Today the company was due to announce overall sales of £27.94m in 2012 compared to £25.46m in 2011 and £13m in 2010.

Its profit before tax in 2012 was £5.4m compared to £4.6m in 2011.

This comes after the business ploughed £7m into buying new training simulators or upgrading existing ones. Last year the company, which has its air crew training centre on the Nursling Industrial Estate, was the 32nd fastest growing private British owned business for international sales.

CTC’s chief executive Rob Clarke, said: “We are seeing growth in all of our markets, but the emerging ones perhaps offer the most exciting opportunities. The region with the highest number of aircraft on order is Asia, and in total it accounts for some 40 per cent of the world’s demand for new aircraft. The number of new aircraft to be delivered to Asia equates to about 56 per cent of its current fleet size.

“Globally, there are about 22,000 commercial jets, and this is forecast to grow to 40,000 by 2030. Furthermore, there are currently some 147,000 pilots, but between now and 2021, we need to find a further 235,000 to pilot the growing fleet of aircraft, meet the increased demand for airline travel and to replace those who will retire.

“We have a strong reputation in the market, which is reflected in the fact that we work with more than 50 global airlines each year, including British Airways, easyJet, flydubai, Monarch Airlines, Jetstar, Dragonair and Qatar Airways to name but a few.

“As the aviation sector grows and demand for pilots escalates, we are determined to capitalise on this opportunity.

“However, we will only succeed if we remain true to our values of providing a quality, innovative and flexible service that is underpinned by aviation expertise.”

The group runs its flight schools in Southampton and Bournemouth in the UK, as well as in New Zealand, training more than 2,000 pilots each year.