Hawke Capital Partners Reaches Agreement to Acquire Northeast Aviation Technologies

March 7, 2011
NEAT is an FAA Part 145 Repair Station and specializes in avionics integration, maintenance, structural modification and the installation and certification of avionics systems and kits in rotary and fixed-wing aircraft.

Hawke Capital Partners, Morgantown, PA – March 6, 2011: The rotorcraft-focused private equity investor, Hawke Capital Partners, announced today that it reached agreement to acquire substantially all of the assets of NorthEast Aviation Technologies, Inc.

NorthEast Aviation Technologies (NEAT) is headquartered at the Rostraver Airport in Westmoreland County, PA, currently employing 20 people. NEAT is an FAA Part 145 Repair Station and specializes in avionics integration, maintenance, structural modification and the installation and certification of avionics systems and kits in rotary and fixed-wing aircraft. They will be the prime avionics design, integration and installation experts for Hawke Capital’s Uniflight, LLC platform of aviation maintenance companies.

Joe Hawke, chairman of Hawke Capital Partners and president and CEO of Uniflight, said, “The addition of NorthEast Aviation Technologies to the Hawke Capital family of companies marks a very special moment in the development of our business. It expands our geographic footprint in the Northeastern U.S., while extending our talent base in the area of Avionics, Structures and Maintenance capabilities that are synonymous with the Uniflight brand – all of which are areas of expertise in extremely high demand by our customers. NEAT is one of the most experienced and well regarded Avionics, Structures and Maintenance teams in the industry and will undoubtedly expand our market share both domestically and internationally. We could not be happier about the opportunity to partner with Jeff Holt and Dan Mansfield and their well respected team of expert technicians.

Dan Mansfield, co-founder and president of NEAT, added, “It is very exciting for us to announce this transaction and to raise the Uniflight flag in Western Pennsylvania. The backing of Hawke Capital and the affiliation with Uniflight are what we needed to make our services available to a much broader market.”

Jeff Holt, co-founder and vice president of Business Development, added, “During the past year, we have had an opportunity to partner with Uniflight on a number of different projects, and there is already a high degree of mutual respect between our organizations, which will help us to hit the ground running.”

Hawke Capital Partners is led by an Advisory Board chaired by Joe Hawke. Board members include Greg A’slinger, Paul Rayhill, and Rick Hinkle. HCP continues to seek complementary acquisitions that will expand both the MRO and flight service lines of its operating subsidiaries.

About Hawke Capital Partners: Based in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, Hawke Capital Partners is a rotorcraft-focused investment partnership that currently has 4 primary operating subsidiaries: Aviation Services Unlimited; Hawke Aircraft Holdings, Inc.; Keystone Med-Flight LLC, and Uniflight, LLC, which launches its newest line of business, the Products Division, at HAI 2011. Tel: 610-372-5191. Web: www.hawkecapital.com.About NorthEast Aviation Technologies, Inc.: Based at Rostraver Airport (KFWQ) in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, NorthEast Aviation is an FAA Part 145 Repair Station that specializes in avionics integration, maintenance, structural modification and the installation and certification of avionics systems and kits in both rotary and fixed-wing aircraft. NEAT is an authorized dealer for Garmin, NAT, Technisonic, DAC, EMS Sky Connect, Mid-Continent, Edmo, Sigtronics, Sandia and many others. NEAT is also a certified Trakkabeam Service Center. Tel: 724-823-0082 Web: www.neavtech.com.About Aviation Services Unlimited: As one of the longest standing FAA Certified helicopter air taxi companies in the Northeastern United States, ASU operates 2 Bell JetRangers and 1 Bell LongRanger flying charter, Utility Patrols, Aerial Survey and film/photography services. ASU is located in Rome, NY at the Griffiss International Airport (KRME), and is co-located with Uniflight-Rome. Tel: 315-334-4410. Web: www.asuhelicopter.com.About Keystone Med-Flight: Based in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, Keystone Med-Flight is an FAA Certified Air Carrier and is wholly owned by Hawke Capital Partners LP. Our main office is located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and our sister company Uniflight LLC, located in Reading Municipal Airport and at Griffiss International Airport in New York are full service helicopter repair centers . Keystone provides the highest quality operations management, consulting and maintenance services. Tel: 717-961-5015 Web: www.keystonemedflight.com.About Uniflight: Headquartered at the Grand Prairie Municipal Airport in Texas, Uniflight, LLC is an authorized American Eurocopter Customer Service Center, providing periodic maintenance and inspection services and spare parts distribution to operators of AS350, AS355, BK117, BO105, and EC135 aircraft, and a Platinum Rated Bell Helicopter Customer Service Facility specializing in helicopter repair and component overhaul services and parts distribution support to fleet operators of Bell models: 206/206L, 212/412, 222/230/430, 407, 204/205, UH-1 and OH-58. In addition to being a service center for Bell and Eurocopter model aircraft, Uniflight is also an FAA approved repair station for Agusta A109, Sikorsky S-76, and MD 500 series aircraft, and is an authorized service center for Scotts-Bell 47. Uniflight is also an authorized Garmin, NAT & Sandel dealer. Uniflight’s additional locations include Uniflight-Northeast at Reading Regional Airport in Pennsylvania, which is an American Eurocopter authorized service center qualified on BK117, BO105, EC135 and EC145, and Uniflight-Rome at Griffiss International Airport in New York, which is an FAA approved repair station for Bell 206/206L and 407. For more information, please contact Uniflight at 972-623-3444; Uniflight Northeast at 610-372-5141; or Uniflight-Rome at 315-334-4410. www.uniflight.com.