Universal Weather and Aviation is on the verge of opening a new European Operations Centre (EOC). Based in the UK, the office is to provide or coordinate complete trip support services requested by Europe-based operators travelling within Europe (between E and L country ICAO codes).

Europe-based operators utilising the EOC’s services will now no longer need to phone the company’s corporate headquarters in Houston when planning to operate within Europe.

“It would be easy to take credit for the idea of creating the European Operations Centre,” said Universal Aviation md Sean Raftery, “but in truth we listened to our clients. They wanted this and we felt it was our responsibility to make it happen.”

For those operators based in Europe needing support with planning trips beyond Europe, Universal ahs recently formed team Europe - developed to focus on the needs of Europe-based operators travelling outside Europe.

Director of international sales and development Jonathan Howells said: “By continuing to develop programmes such as the EOC and Team Europe, we hope to become the provider of choice for Europe-based operators travelling within Europe and beyond.”