NATIONAL AIRWAYS CORPORATION PTY LTD (NAC) SELLS 43 AIR SCHOOL

Johannesburg, South Africa | 12 July 2019

NAC is pleased to announce the sale of 43 Air School to its management team and a private equity consortium, led by its CEO Attie Niemann.

NAC acquired 43 Air School in 2002, and it has grown into one of the leading professional pilot training schools in the world, offering a wide range of training for airline pilots, technicians an ATC’s from all corners of the globe.

“We are thrilled to give Attie and his highly competent team the opportunity to acquire the equity of 43 Air School. It is their hard work that has grown the school into a training organization of global repute and for them to have the opportunity to take the business to the next level and reap the rewards thereof, gives us great pleasure. We have no doubt that they will be highly successful, and we wish them the very best of luck in the execution of their ambitious plans. It is an excellent transaction for both parties and it will allow us the opportunity to pursue other international expansion plans of our own” says Martin Banner, outgoing Chairman of 43 Air School and CEO of NAC.

“ It is with great excitement that my team and I embark on this exhilarating new chapter in the School’s history.  After instigating the purchase of the School in 2002, whilst then being a shareholder and director of NAC and, after being part of the NAC family for the past 17 years, it is also with a tinge of sadness that we leave the nest and take on the big blue sky by ourselves.  We look forward to growing the company even more in the future and are excited to work with our new partners in achieving our goals” says Attie Niemann, CEO of 43 Air School.

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ABOUT NAC

National Airways Corporation (NAC) is the largest general aviation company in Africa and one of the largest of its kind in the world.

NAC offers a full range of aviation products and services to the aircraft and helicopter markets, including new and pre-owned sales, maintenance, parts, charter, international operations, air ambulance services, aircraft leasing and pilot, technical and ATC training.

Established in 1946, NAC’s strength lies in the relationships it has built over seven decades with both clients and suppliers. These robust partnerships enable NAC’s experienced and professional staff to provide market leading, cost effective solutions customised to our clients’ specific requirements.

NAC is an ISO 9001:2015 accredited company and was recently approved as the world’s first Flight Safety Foundation BARS Gold Standard operator.

NAC is based at Lanseria International Airport in Johannesburg and operates a South African network of offices at the Ultimate Heliport and Rand Airport in Johannesburg, Wonderboom Airport in Pretoria, the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town and Virginia Airport in Durban.

Our international operations business has offices in Johannesburg and Malta and our asset ownership and leasing businesses, Awesome Flight Logistics and Awesome Asset Securities are based in Johannesburg and Perth. Specialized Aircraft Services is in Wichita, Kansas, USA.

ABOUT 43 AIR SCHOOL

43 Air School is a dedicated Pilot and Aviation Training Career Organisation, catering for the Private, General Commercial, Airline and Military Sectors. It has extensive experience in training self and corporate sponsored Pilots, Air Traffic Controllers and Maintenance Candidates from different cultural backgrounds and from various countries around the globe.

The School is able to provide a high-quality service because it has all the fundamentals in place, essential for effective training. In an environment which is well suited to Initial Basic and Advanced Operational Flying Training with all the necessary equipment and facilities, the School is geared specifically and exclusively for flying training. All the instructors have extensive operational and training experience.

43 Air School has been conducting career pilot training for more than 30 years, has over
6 000 graduates to date and can rightfully claim to be the largest and most respected flying training establishment in Africa, with an international reputation. Specialised modules, such as Upset Recovery Training, MCC (Multi-Crew Co-operation Training), and CRM (Crew Resource Management), to mention a few, are provided as required.

The School operates a fleet of 66 training aircraft and simulators, and has more than 160 full-time staff members of whom approximately 50 are Flight and Ground Instructors. Full residential facilities for an average student population of 340+ Cadet Pilots and Engineers are provided at the Port Alfred Campus.

Recently 43 Air School was voted the number one General Aviation Company in South Africa and runner up Best Aviation Safety Company, not a small feat for a Flying Training Organization.