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Grupo Aernnova SA

Spain's aerospace sector is constantly growing, and shows greater potential due to increased competition in the Spanish air transport market and demand for new technology. Liberalization of Spain's internal air transport system has resulted in increased interest for these new technologies, creating opportunities for U.S. manufacturers and distributors. The largest local company, EADS-CASA, has a minority participation in the European consortium Airbus. The Spanish government is trying to increase its participation to 10 percent. In addition to EADS-CASA, there are two other dominant companies in Spain: Aernova, formerly GAMESA, a manufacturer of structural parts for aircraft, and ITP (Industria de Turbo Propulsores, S.A.), an aircraft engine producer.

In 2006 Gamesa Aeronautica was bought out by Consortium led by Caja Castilla La Mancha Corporation. Aernnova is formerly the aeronautical division of Grupo Gamesa Corporacion Tecnologica. The company dates back to 1986, when it was called Fibertecnic. Gamesa Aeronautic was formed in 1993. Aernnova - a private firm owned by Synergy Industry and Technology S.A. - spun out of Gamesa in April 2006. It is not to be confused with Aeronova S.L., which is a different Spanish aerospace company. Aernnova has been expanding quickly. It had 2,640 employees in 2005 and 2,898 in 2006. Of the 258 people added that year, 140 were in engineering, according to the company's 2006 annual report.

AERNNOVA (formerly GAMESA AERONAUTICA) activities involve all areas from conceptual design to testing, certification, production, and product support of large aero structures and aircraft interior components, both in light alloy and composite materials. AERNNOVA of Vitoria, Spain, is collaborating with BOEING in its team design of the structure of the 747 Large Cargo Freighter, a specially modified 747-400 passenger jet that will transport major assemblies for the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner. AERNNOVA is heavily involved in the Sikorsky S-92 High- Capacity Helicopter, including design, certification and manufacturing of the turbine support structure, firewalls, upper structure and transition section of the fuselage, tail cone and horizontal stabilizer, and the interior. AERNNOVA is the partner responsible for supplying a fully equipped empennage for the CRJ 700/900 family, and responsible for design and manufacturing of the equipped empennage and fuselage rear section for ERJ 170/175/190/195.

AERNNOVA is interested in U.S. firms that specialize in areas unrelated to AERNNOVA’s areas of expertise, including avionics equipment, CNC (computerized numerical control) specialized machinery and software, aviation fuel, and pre-assembled parts (especially transmission parts for the S-92).