Flybe, Europe’s leading regional aviation group, has announced a deal as a start-up provider for Gulf Air’s new Embraer fleet that further enhances the UK airline’s growing reputation as a quality provider of professional support solutions to the global aviation market. 

Details of the initial three-month agreement, announced during the MRO Middle East 2010 exhibition in Dubai this weekend, cements the Exeter-based airline group’s partnership with Bahrain’s national carrier for flight deck and ongoing line engineering and training support together with acceptance and delivery services for the new Embraer 170 series aircraft.

The new contract is the latest of a number of innovative deals that demonstrates Flybe’s ability to not only successfully ride out the recession but also strongly position it to emerge stronger and more competitive. 

It also expands further the Flybe brand and is evidence of the airline being perfectly equipped to provide all-encompassing world-class support packages allowing leading carriers to fly high with confidence all the way up from the very nuts and bolts of the industry.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Jim French said. “This key start-up agreement with Bahrain’s world-renowned national carrier is an exciting development for Flybe. It marks another very special milestone in our growing reputation worldwide for supplying the highest quality aviation support packages. We are also delighted to be working closely with Embraer on this important project.”

The Flybe Aviation Group comprises the UK’s Number One award-winning airline, Flybe, that operates over 190 routes to 70 UK and European destinations, is the largest scheduled carrier at 9 UK airports and in 2007 took the global lead in launching an eco-labelling programme for the aviation industry; Flybe Aviation Services, the airline’s award winning Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) division, the largest regional engineering maintenance centre in Europe with a wide range of approval ratings that includes being Embraer’s recognised Service Centre for Europe; and the Flybe Training Academy,  having been approved to award its own nationally recognised Diplomas and Foundation Degrees for vocational training, the latter in conjunction with Exeter and Plymouth Universities and Exeter College, moves into a new multi-million pound 25-classroom facility at the end of this year that will incorporate four Flight Simulators and an integrated Apprentice Workshop.

Mr French concluded: “Our multi-million pound investment into what has resulted in the creation of the Flybe Aviation Group over the last six years is now paying dividends. We are proud to be a company that is at the very cutting edge of what a successful modern airline needs to be. We are equally delighted to have been recognised by both Gulf Air and Embraer as a ‘one-stop’ aviation group, able to fulfil their very exacting requirements on this exciting new start-up initiative.”