Guernsey's Pula Aviation, the parent company of Centreline, is expanding its footprint in business aviation with the acquisition of 100 per cent of the share capital of ASG, a Guernsey operation that specialises in business and general aviation maintenance, executive ground handling and the sale and acquisition of business aircraft.

Pula Aviation first acquired Bristol, UK based air charter, management, engineering and FBO business Centreline in 2016 and followed with the purchase of a 25% holding in Guernsey FBO Aiglle Flight Support the year after. Last year it acquired ASG Group Ltd, which owns approximately 40,000 square feet of aircraft hangarage in Guernsey, along with 25% of the ASG operating companies. The share has now been increased to 100%, effective January 2019.

Together with Centreline, ASG will form part of a new group holding company, Pula Aviation Services, offering aircraft management and charter, maintenance, aircraft sales and executive ground handling, supported by a 100-strong workforce.

Says Pula director Colin Pickard: “This is an important strategic step for us, and we are delighted to be expanding our business aviation skillset with the acquisition of ASG, which has been delivering services to business and general aviation aircraft owners and operators for 28 years.”

Centreline's current CEO Tanya Raynes will become chair of Pula Aviation Services in March, relinquishing her day-to-day role with Centreline, while Steve Page, who has led ASG since 2014, takes on the role of CEO of the new company.

Raynes comments: “With two established and successful businesses coming together, we are excited to be creating a new, one-call, privately owned aviation group. We are combining Centreline's and ASG's strong entrepreneurial spirit and customer service values, and I believe this to be the perfect platform to support Pula Aviation's ambitious plans for growth.”

Page adds: “The long term strategy of Pula Aviation Services is to offer a broad range of aviation related services to our customers and the acquisition of ASG further reinforces our expanding business aviation portfolio. Centreline and ASG have distinct customer bases and focus largely on different markets, providing an operational fit which is ideal for our aim of increasing our market presence.”

Pickard concludes: “The creation of Pula Aviation Services is a key element of our expansion plans and I am delighted that Tanya Raynes and Steve Page have agreed to lead this exciting new business. Tanya and Steve, supported by the existing executive boards, are a strong team of experienced and well-regarded industry professionals that will enable us to benefit from consolidated synergies and skills within each business to enhance best practice in all operational areas. By pooling the knowledge and operational fit of ASG and Centreline under Pula Aviation Services, we can now offer much more to our customers.”