AvCraft 328JET
AvCraft Aviation is a service-driven manufacturing, completion and product support company for the 328 turboprop and 328JET. AvCraft purchased the assets of the Fairchild Dornier 328 turboprop and JET aircraft program in Oberpfaffenhofen from the receivers of Fairchild Dornier GmbH in December 2002. The final transfer of the type and production certificates were completed in the third quarter of 2003. Along with 18 ready-to-deliver aircraft, and five in the final assembly stage, the purchase included also the 428 intellectual properties.
The company said it had found buyers for the 18 "white tails" (completed but unsold aircraft), adding that serious interest had been expressed for more than 100 additional orders. The company acted swiftly to support customers in the US, which account for over 40% of a 200-strong worldwide fleet, when in early December 2003 it signed a three-phase, six-year agreement with BAE SYSTEMS in the US to handle parts warehousing and distribution. At the same time AvCraft completed the acquisition of Fairchild Dornier 328 parts from M7 Aerospace in San Antonio, along with maintenance tooling, ground support equipment and specific 328 STCs for an undisclosed sum. These parts will be relocated at BAE SYSTEMS' Herndon, Virginia facility, as well as AvCraft's service center in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. European customers were to be supported from a parts and product support perspective directly from AvCraft's Oberpfaffenhofen factory. Maintenance support will be via its designated sales and service partner, Aero Dienst, based in Nurnberg, Germany.
AvCraft entered 2004 with the news that during the first quarter it planned to restart the former Fairchild Dornier 328JET line. The first completed 328JET was to roll off the production line by fourth quarter 2004. Coincident with this, the Leesburg, Virginia-based company planned to expand its workforce at its Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany facility from 250 to 320 staff and then to 425 as it looked to its goal of an initial annual production rate of 18 aircraft.
Announcing the decision to restart the line, AvCraft Chief Executive Ben Bartel said that he was responding to market demand. Already, all but two of the 18 white tail aircraft inherited when AvCraft purchased the assets of the Fairchild Dornier 328 program in Germany, had been sold. In keeping with its aim of developing the non-airline demand for the 328JET, AvCraft confirms nearly half of its orders were from non-airline customers.
Work was to begin on five semi-finished aircraft on the Oberpfaffenhofen assembly line. These aircraft were between 80%-20% completed. In addition, eight stored Dornier 328 turboprops will be brought back into service. "We see the turboprop as a great ambassador for the 328 program and feel it complements the jet. " said Bartel. Outlining AvCraft's philosophy Bartel stated: "It is not our intention to compete on the basis of outright airframe deliveries in the regional jet market. Our market is clearly a niche, and we are happy to be a niche player. The unique characteristics of the 328JET mean that we can offer our operators terrific economics without any operating penalties within its respective niches in the airline, corporate and special mission applications. However, our focus is all about support and how we can be a solid investment and overall good business tool for our operators and end users."
AvCraft identified an especially strong market in Europe where it already had 40 328Jets and turboprops flying including German carriers Bonair, Cirrus and Private Wings. "Europe is seeing a resurgence of new operators and established players are moving up from smaller turboprop aircraft. The executive jet market, buoyed by fears on security and who might be sitting next to you is also a good market for us right now," he said.
Early 2005 AvCraft Aerospace GmbH, the German subsidiary of AvCraft Aviation responsible for the 328JET program was declared insolvent at a German court at Weilsheim. By March 2005 AvCraft was under administration after encountering financial difficulties. They were due to re-start manufacture of the Dornier 328 Jet (J328), but ran out of money, and finally were forced to stop trading. At that time steps were taken to ensure the continued operation of existing aircraft. On the other hand it is doubtful that financing can be secured to re-start production even though there were some orders in place.
In December 2005, UK's Corporate Jet Services Ltd purchased the former AvCraft Aerospace GmbH. On 2 January 2006, Corporate Jet Services Ltd created the German subsidiary 328 Support Services GmbH, headquartered at Oberpfaffenhofen. It holds the type certificate of the Dornier 328 Jet and Turboprop aircraft plus the Dornier 428, and is carrying on the worldwide support of the aircraft. Part of the company's strategy was to work towards returning to service the Dornier 328 aircraft which were parked in Europa and US.
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