Weston-super-Mare, UK - April 4, 2013 - In a significant development that brings benefits for two facets of the aviation world – ground power and air show ground support – two established UK companies with a presence in both these fields, Powervamp and Flywell Power, have formed an agreement to work together.
Already they have secured their first major joint contract, having been appointed exclusive providers of ground power for this year’s Paris Air Show at Le Bourget.
Powervamp has been manufacturing aviation ground power systems in the UK for nearly twenty years, and for many years has also operated a flourishing air show ground support service, providing aircraft power and services at major events such as the Farnborough International Airshow.
Flywell Power also manufactures ground power systems, and provides a ground power rental service and other customised solutions for air shows. It is part of the Flywell Group, which has bases in the UK and India, and also has interests in air charter, aviation services and travel.
Now the two groups have formed a joint-venture company, Flywell-Powervamp Ltd, which will work together in areas where their activities coincide. It will also take advantage of the services of a separate Flywell Group company, Flywell Aviation, to offer additional resources that are not typically a feature of conventional air show support packages, such as air-freighting large aircraft components and massive oversize loads between air show sites.
Under the agreement, exclusive production of Flywell Power’s entire range of aviation ground power units is being transferred to Powervamp’s modern factory in Weston-super-Mare, UK, and Powervamp will take on responsibility for worldwide support of the Flywell Power range through its international engineering team. The Flywell range includes 28-volt ground power units (GPUs), power supplies and 400Hz frequency converters.
Flywell-Powervamp will now offer an enhanced range of turnkey air show support services, including ground power, cabling, aircraft positioning and air conditioning and even catering.
In addition, Flywell Aviation, while not part of the Flywell-Powervamp joint venture, will provide air charter resources when required. Flywell Aviation specialises in contracts involving outsized and military cargo transport, using a fleet of giant Antonov An-124 freighter aircraft, and these resources will be available to air show exhibitors who are using Flywell-Powervamp for bespoke air show support services.
This kind of resource is seen as ideal in situations where, for instance, airframe manufacturers need to transport entire airframe mockups between air shows. Such a service offers them the chance to ship their equipment at competitive groupage rates, as well as helping them meet tight show deadlines and stringent “aircraft on ground” (AOG) requirements.
Flywell Power already ships major airframe assemblies and engines under charter for the world’s two largest airframe and power plant manufacturers.
Richard Roller, founder of Powervamp, comments: “This deal vastly strengthens the position of both Powervamp and Flywell Power as manufacturers and providers of ground support services at major international air shows.”
He adds: “The creation of Flywell-Powervamp also opens up new opportunities for some of the world’s largest and best-known ground handling agents to enter the air show support business. Whilst they might not have had the specific skills required to provide this kind of service independently, they can now make use of their ground handling skills and strengths in parallel with the technical expertise and equipment of the Flywell-Powervamp operation.
“Together, our two companies have created a significant new force that will ensure that exhibitors and air show organisers round the world have a real choice when it comes to ground support.”
Anil Bal, Flywell Power’s managing director and the founder of Flywell Aviation, comments: “We are delighted to be working with Powervamp to strengthen our manufacturing base and extend the reach of our air show operations. Powervamp and Flywell Power together will be able to offer a great deal more than the sum of our separate parts.”
About Powervamp
Powervamp’s airshow division has been delivering a comprehensive range of support services to the world’s aviation industry for more than ten years. Its portfolio ranges from providing specific resources such as ground power, cabling, air conditioning and aircraft power to full turnkey project management, and it has been the main AEST (Aircraft Engineering Support Team) contractor at numerous air shows, including those at Farnborough, Paris and Singapore. It also provides services to individual airframe manufacturers. Powervamp Ltd, the parent company, has been manufacturing and supplying ground power systems for the aviation industry since the mid-1990s. It is a recognised world leader in systems for engine starting and ground-based avionics, and a major contractor to the UK’s Ministry of Defence. A large number of Powervamp-built GPUs and power supply units are in use with both military and civilian aircraft and airport operators worldwide. Powervamp also has a flourishing automotive division, which manufactures a wide range of engine starting systems, battery packs and related products for operators of cars, trucks, buses and plant equipment; and a racing division, which supplies compact sealed high-performance racing batteries, along with a range of chargers, lights, tools and ancillary equipment. Powervamp is based at Weston-super-Mare in south-west England. This year the company celebrates its twentieth anniversary.
www.powervamp.com
About Flywell Power UK
Flywell Power UK specialises in manufacturing and supplying ground power for the aviation industry, offering a range of continuous-power DC engine units for engine starting, avionics and diagnostics, as well as related equipment such as frequency converters. The company also has many years’ experience in providing ground power support at international air shows, using its own equipment as appropriate. Flywell Power is a subsidiary of Flywell Group, which is based at New Delhi and Pune in India. Flywell Group’s other activities include passenger and air cargo charter, travel, and export services.
www.flywellpower.com
