Meridian Aviation has bought the assets and business of Anglo American Airmotive. While Anglo remains a legal entity for the time being, all non-Board members of Anglo’s staff have been employed by Meridian.

Salesman Grant Donaldson told EBAN what he felt this move would mean for Anglo’s customers. He said: “They should be very pleased. The new owners come forward with enormous backing and resources, particularly in terms of encouraging the people skills which are already in-house. I think the owners of Piper aircraft can look forward to a very bright future with Meridian.”

Donaldson says it’s also the best possible news for members of staff. He said: “I’m ecstatic at the new leadership and so are all the staff here. They’re very upbeat and there’s a fresh new generation attitude to the way we do business. Jeff Carr, the chairman and managing director, flies a top-of-the-range Piper himself.” Carr is a Guernsey-based businessman and GA enthusiast who owns both a Meridian and a Mirage, having worked his way through a long line of Piper aircraft including the Archer and Saratoga.

Said Donaldson: “I don’t know much about Jeff Carr – except that he’s an aerobatic enthusiast – but what I’ve seen so far has been totally exciting.”

With regard to the state of the industry over the past six months, Donaldson said: “The general wave of depression swept through business in general within our industry. There was some concern that it would impact heavily but I think all it did was force people to take a breath and reconsider their travel arrangements. I think as a positive result of the tragic events of September 11, it has forced people to rethink their security and travelling arrangements – which of course comes down to their own private air transport.”