Stephen Grimes, CEO Ocean Sky Group, states: “This is a really exciting time for Ocean Sky and in particular our Aircraft Charter division, which is a hugely important part of our business. We have a highly experienced team in London and are now actively looking for a Managing Director and more high-calibre brokers to help take us to the next level.  Our aim is to treble the size of business turnover and profit terms in the next 18 months.”

The Ocean Sky Aircraft Charter service covers both bespoke and corporate with access to every private jet on the charter market, along with their own fleet of 15 luxury aircraft ranging from Cessna Citations to a Global Express.   They source the most competitively priced aircraft for business and pleasure, day and night, 365 days a year.

Stephen Grimes continues, “At Ocean Sky we always strive to go above and beyond.  There is no room for complacency or sitting back and we expect a high degree of customer-focus, experience and friendliness in anyone working for us.  We invest a great deal in ongoing training to maintain standards across the board.  In return we offer great packages that attract and retain the best brokers in the industry.  The Ocean Sky Group is continuing to expand at a fast pace thus creating further career opportunities.”

Ocean Sky has recently announced a £10 million injection into the business to meet its strategic goals.   They are opening up to 10 jet centres in Spain and Italy as part of rapid expansion across Europe this year and have just signed a deal to buy one of the Monarch Engineering hangars at Luton Airport,  expanding their facilities in London.

The first of six Spanish centres will be in Ibiza, Valencia and Mahon (Menorca) with another three to be announced shortly.

The jet centres take over existing facilities, including offices, owned by Aviation Handling Assistance, AHA, which has been bought by Ocean Sky.

In Italy, Ocean Sky has signed a Letter of Intent to acquire a controlling stake in Euroaloa, a well-established fixed base operator at Bologna. This will be the springboard to three further jet centres across the country.

Ocean Sky has also bought Open Sky Italy, an existing commercial aviation company, to facilitate charter, brokerage and management activity and to help consolidate its Italian operations. “This will be our base for business in Italy, which we regard as a key country for our growth.

“These acquisitions taken together in both countries will allow us to ensure that customers get what is paramount to them: uniform high quality service and comfort across key destinations in Europe,” said Stephen Grimes, Chief Executive Officer of Ocean Sky Group. “They are also a vote of confidence in the future growth of the aviation sector and our business in particular.”

Mr Grimes said that integrating the new acquisitions would be his first priority.

“They will all be brought into Ocean Sky family by upgrading the branding, facilities and training to our particularly high standards.”

Mr Grimes said the Spanish investment reflected strong growth in demand for leisure flights to the Spanish islands. Italy was important for both leisure and business travel. “Italy has particular strategic value to us and we see this as a hub for accelerated growth in the coming years.”

The new jet centres in Spain and Italy underpin a strategy to expand Ocean Sky through acquisition into one of the top three full service aviation companies in Europe. The company announced last month a £10 million cash injection from shareholders to fund the growth.

In addition to three existing jet centres in the UK, the company also has a strong presence in Germany following the purchase last year of a controlling stake in Dusseldorf-based Triple Alpha.

Mr Grimes said that Ocean Sky was in advanced negotiations to open jet centres in two other major European countries. “We will be increasing our footprint across Europe,” he promised.

Ocean Sky has also acquired one of the Monarch Engineering hangars at Luton Airport.  At 46,000 sq ft it is the largest available for all private aviation customers – with the aim of adding to its industry leading Bombardier facility in Manchester.

It has doubled its apron area at Luton to 120,000 sq ft, giving it stand capacity for up to 20 aircraft.

Notes to Editors: Ocean Sky – www.oceansky.com – began as an aircraft broker in 2003, expanding into full aircraft service in 2005. In addition to its fixed-base operations in the UK the Ocean Sky group has offices in Germany, Italy, Zurich and Moscow. The company manages a fleet that ranges from Airbus aircraft to Mustang.

For further information, or to interview Stephen Grimes, please initially contact Toby Moore on + 44 (0) 7976 942209 or visit Ocean Sky at EBACE, stand 1449.

Ocean Sky has signed a deal to buy one of the Monarch Engineering hangars at Luton Airport – the largest available for all private aviation customers – with the aim of making it the leading service provider for Bombardier in the UK.

Up to 10 new engineering jobs will be created following the multi-million pound purchase of the highly sought after space.

Ocean Sky has also doubled its apron area at Luton to 120,000 sq ft, giving it stand capacity for up to 20 aircraft.

The 46,000 sq ft ex-Monarch hangar will allow Ocean Sky to operate a second full engineering facility for Bombardier. It already operates one at its Manchester Jet Centre. The hangar will also provide other manufacturer opportunity at Luton

Acquisition of the 46,000 sq ft facility continues Ocean Sky’s growth at Luton since opening its jet centre in April 2009.

Luton is the busiest business aviation airport in the UK and Ocean Sky has seen up to 150% increases in traffic month on month at its state of the art FBO.

The former Monarch hangar has a door height of 46 ft and can hold up to two Boeing 757s. Other configurations would allow up to two Globals, one Gulfstream, two Challengers, a Falcon and two Citations. There is also space for up to 10 offices

“This is an excellent acquisition for us, a rare opportunity at the premier UK airport and we were determined to seize it, particularly because it dramatically increases our engineering and parking capability,” said Mr Stephen Grimes, Chief Executive Officer of Ocean Sky.

“Hangar capacity and engineering are vital parts of aircraft handling. There was also massive demand for us to have a second full service facility and we are delighted to work with bombardier to expand our service centre capability within the UK.”

There will also be a full interiors facility at Luton, matching the Ocean Sky facility in Manchester.

“We are now a one-stop shop for parking and engineering at Luton, which is our flagship jet centre and an airport where we see continued growth for us,” said Mr Grimes.

“The new hangar, taken with the additional apron and our strong growth at Luton is demonstration not just of our financial commitment to rapid expansion, but our success in attracting clients.”

Ocean Sky recently announced a £10 million cash injection from shareholders to fund growth across Europe.

As part of its expansion, the company intends to increase its managed aircraft from 30 to over 40 by the end of the year.

In addition to reaching further into Europe, the company is focusing on attracting North American customers to its existing jet centres in the UK.

“There is much more to come for us this year,” said Mr Grimes. “I am very clear in my mind that the future for Ocean Sky is in being able to provide consistently high service in jet centres across the world.

In addition to expanding its service facilities, Ocean Sky is also looking towards the Middle East for the first time.

Notes to Editors: Ocean Sky – www.oceansky.com – began as an aircraft broker in 2003, expanding into full aircraft service in 2005. In addition to its fixed-base operations in the UK the Ocean Sky group has offices in Germany, Italy, Zurich and Moscow. The company manages a fleet that ranges from Airbus aircraft to Mustang.

For further information, or to interview Stephen Grimes, please initially contact Toby Moore on + 44 (0) 7976 942209 or visit Ocean Sky at EBACE, stand 1449

Ocean Sky currently has Jet Centres at Manchester, Prestwick and London Luton.  The Luton Jet Centre, which opened in April 2009, offers extensive facilities at its state of the art, multi-million pound FBO. The operation is comprised of three airside buildings and is located adjacent to the 120,000 sq. ft South Ramp, making it the nearest FBO to the main runway.

The Luton Jet Centre currently offers line maintenance support for both Bombardier and Dassault aircraft. By the end of the year it has been confirmed that there will be both additional ramp space and hangarage to support the growth of both its transient and tenant customer base, it will also provide capability for heavier and more complex maintenance activities.

The award-winning Manchester Jet Centre provides 20,000 sq. ft for hangarage, parking and maintenance.  It is one of only 6 centres in the world that offers an authorised Bombardier service facility for all Lear, Challenger and Global type aircraft.   The Jet Centre is also home to Ocean Sky Aircraft Interiors who offer extensive interior refurbishment capabilities that extend to private jets and helicopters.  It has a dedicated ramp area directly in-front of the Jet Centre giving immediate access for customers and crew, as well as a preclearance system in place for all UK and EU nationals.

Prestwick, in the West of Scotland, is the first mainland airport between the USA and Europe making it an ideal refuelling point, as well as being the prime airport to use for sporting holidays in Scotland.  It boasts the longest commercial runway in Scotland and holds the reputation of being Britain’s only fog free airport.

Stephen Grimes said “We are here to serve every possible need of visiting aircraft and we offer our customers the highest standard of service at every level.  However it is not just about the service,  we believe clients want excellence at competitive rates and the key to a successful aviation business at this high end of the scale is not just to focus on delivering quality we also need to pay attention to price.  Our rates, be them for fuel, landing or parking are highly competitive.”

The company will use the money to acquire new Jet Centres across Europe and to expand its Engineering facilities, it has announced.

“This investment will allow us to take advantage of our commercial strength and the weaker wider economy to make valuable, previously targeted acquisitions,” said Stephen Grimes, Ocean Sky Chief Executive officer.

Ocean Sky already has a comprehensive presence in the UK, with Jet Centres at London Luton, Manchester and Prestwick as well as an Authorised Service Centre in Manchester and Line maintenance at London Luton.

Mr Grimes said last year that a strong Jet Centre presence across Europe was central to his strategy and the key to growth.

“The value in our Jet Centres lies not just in the quality of service we provide to customers, but also in the very high level of maintenance skills we apply to aircraft. That is something we want to build on.”

As well as adding new Jet Centres, the company is on target to increase its managed fleet of aircraft from 30 to more than 40 by the end of the year.

Mr Grimes said the company was on course to achieve that ambition.

In addition to reaching further into Europe, the company is focusing energy on attracting North American customers to its existing Jet Centres as well as looking to the Middle East to grow its business.

“This is an obvious market for us to develop. We already handle many flights from the region, particularly into Luton,” said Mr Grimes.

Notes to Editors: Ocean Sky – www.oceansky.com – began as an aircraft broker in 2003, expanding into full aircraft service in 2005. In addition to its fixed-base operations in the UK the Ocean Sky group has offices in Italy, Zurich and Moscow. The company manages a fleet ranging from Airbus aircraft to Mustang.

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