Just seven months on from RCA’s acquisition of Bournemouth Airport, Gama’s decision to relocate there underlines the airport’s credentials as a major maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) location in the UK. It’s expected that the deal will create 150 skilled jobs, taking the total employment figure on the site to more than 2,000.

Gama Aviation is a London Stock Exchange listed (AIM:GMAA), 35 year old, global business aviation services company specialising in providing aviation support for individuals, corporations and government agencies. Support extends across a number of sectors which include: private aviation, air ambulance, infrastructure monitoring, military applications and police air support all of which require bespoke solutions to what are often complex, time critical missions.

RCA has built a reputation as efficient, safe and commercially-astute airport operator, driving improvements to route development, commercial revenues, operating costs and capital investment in order to deliver a consistently sound commercial return, leveraging significant buying power and shared expertise to deliver tangible benefits to small airports across the UK.

RCA Chief Executive Andrew Bell said: “In Bournemouth Airport, we acquired what was already one of the South’s flagship aviation hubs. We’ve been working hard to continue to expand its operations and build on that success – and the arrival of Gama to Bournemouth Airport is evidence our growth plans are bearing fruit, just six months into our ownership.”

Steve Rigby, Rigby Group COO, added: “Bournemouth Airport is ripe for growth – and the site’s potential as a regional business hub also represents a clear opportunity for expansion. Gama’s new location at Bournemouth Airport is the first key delivery on our promise to drive forward the growth of the airport, creating a major new facility for business aviation as a core component of the strategic development of the airport.”

Gama will complete the transfer of its primary turboprop and jet maintenance facilities into a flagship 135,000 sq ft
secure facility at Bournemouth Airport during the second half of 2018.