6 April 2016

Air Partner plc

Baines Simmons awarded 10-year Isle of Man Aircraft Registry contract

Air Partner's aviation safety consultancy company Baines Simmons, has been successful in securing a 10-year contract to provide aviation support services to the Isle of Man Aircraft Registry ("IoMAR"). IoMAR is the 6th largest international business jet register, and the fastest growing aircraft registry in the world.

In accordance with the Convention on International Civil Aviation, all aircraft must be registered with a national aviation authority and they must carry proof of this registration in the form of a legal document called a Certificate of Registration at all times when in operation. The aircraft registration is made up of a prefix selected from the country's call sign prefix (making the registration a quick way of determining the country of origin) and the registration suffix. The Isle of Man prefix is 'M'.

Baines Simmons assisted the first Isle of Man Director of Civil Aviation, Brian Johnson, in designing, building and launching the Isle of Man Aircraft Registry on behalf of the Isle of Man Government. IoMAR is known for award-winning levels of customer service and the highest standards of independent regulatory oversight.  

Since launch on 1 May 2007, Baines Simmons' airworthiness surveyors have completed 2,760 aircraft surveys, recommending Certificate of Airworthiness for issue, renewal or export. Today, a total of 854 aircraft have been registered and there are 467 aircraft active on the register, covering private and corporate jets as well as twin-turbine helicopters. In addition, commercial airliners which are parked or between leases can be registered.

Some of the benefits of registering an aircraft in the Isle of Man include:

·      High regulatory standards

·      High service levels and award winning international reputation

·      Neutral Nationality registration prefix

·      Secure mortgage register

·      No insurance premium tax

·      European time zone

·      Professional infrastructure with experience in aviation finance

·      Clear and simple taxation regime

·      Stable legal and political environment

The Isle of Man has an international reputation as a tax-efficient, but responsible and co-operative jurisdiction and appears on the OECD 'white list' of countries complying with the global standard for tax co-operation and exchange of information.

Simon Williams, Director of Civil Aviation said: 'The highly specialist contract to provide Aviation Support Services to the Isle of Man Aircraft Registry went out to formal tender in 2015. The Isle of Man Government's Treasury led a rigorous process which saw the numerous companies who submitted a tender undergo a very detailed, thorough and objective assessment. Baines Simmons is to be congratulated for their successful tender following months of hard work. The team at the Isle of Man Aircraft Registry very much looks forward to continuing to work with Baines Simmons and to building on our highly successful strategic partnership. Formal confirmation of the Treasury decision provides an excellent opportunity to continue to build the Isle of Man aviation sector which in turn will make a significant contribution to the Island economy.'

Mark Briffa, CEO of Air Partner, commented: 'This 10 year contract is a testament to the work and dedication of the team at Baines Simmons. The expertise of our team has ensured that from the outset the Isle of Man Aircraft Registry has enjoyed a global reputation for award-winning customer service and the highest standards of independent regulatory oversight. We are delighted to have been successful in this latest tender process and look forward to further building on these strong foundations in the decade ahead.'

Ends

About Air Partner:

Founded in 1961, Air Partner is a global aviation services group that provides worldwide solutions to industry, commerce, governments and private individuals. The Group is structured into four reporting divisions: Commercial Jets, Private Jets, Freight and Baines Simmons. The Commercial Jet division charters large airliners to move groups of any size. Cabot Aviation, which is formed within the Commercial Jet division, provides comprehensive remarketing programmes for all types of commercial and corporate aircraft to a wide range of international clients. Private Jets offers the company's unique pre-paid JetCard scheme and on-demand charter. Air Partner Freight charters aircraft of every size to fly almost any cargo anywhere, at any time. Baines Simmons is a world leader in Aviation Safety Consulting which specialises in aviation regulation, compliance and safety management. Air Partner is headquartered alongside Gatwick airport in the UK. Air Partner operates 24/7 year-round and has 20 offices globally. Air Partner is listed on the London Stock Exchange (AIR) and is also ISO 9001:2008 compliant for commercial airline and private jet solutions worldwide.  www.airpartner.com

About Baines Simmons Limited:

Founded in 2001, Baines Simmons is a world leader in Aviation Safety Consulting, specialising in aviation regulation, compliance and safety management. It is a trusted advisor to more than 750 aviation organisations and more than 40 Aviation Authorities. Baines Simmons helps to advance best practice, shape safety thinking and drive continuous improvement to safety performance. This is achieved through its three service offerings: consulting, training and outsourced services. Through these services, Baines Simmons has helped develop the skills and expertise of more than 120,000 aviation professionals across multiple facets of the aviation industry.  Clients include: KLM, SAS, Thomas Cook, Thomson, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, The Isle of Man Government, BAE Systems, MoD, Rolls Royce, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, Airbus, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and UK Military Aviation Authority (MAA).  www.bainessimmons.com