Group purchasing organisation AVIAA has ratified a new supplier agreement with expanding independent Part 145 business aircraft MRO specialist ACC Columbia Jet Service of Germany. Managing director EMEA Irena Deville says: “ACC Columbia is an exciting new addition to our growing supplier support network in Europe, further widening out the expertise AVIAA members can call on.”

ACC offers MRO and technical services on a variety of business jets: Bombardier Global, Challenger and Learjet models; Gulfstream G150 and 200; Cessna Citation marques from the Mustang through to the XLS; Dassault Falcon 2000 and 2000 EX EASy; plus the Embraer Legacy 600 and 650.

AVIAA members benefit with discounted pricing and timely MRO slots.

With its HQ at Hannover airport and facilities in Cologne and Erfurt plus a satellite station in Paphos, Cyprus, ACC Columbia is also active in engine and avionics support. Last year it was named Honeywell's EMEAI avionics channel partner of the year, successfully completing the largest ever single aircraft cockpit and cabin upgrade project on a Global for an Austrian customer. Its long-standing reputation in this field has made ACC a popular shop for Honeywell high-speed Jetwave/Ka Band installations.

“With the worldwide business aircraft fleet getting older, and operators and owners choosing to hold on to their aircraft, we have become busy of late fulfilling cabin and avionics upgrade work, including ADS-Out and Ka Band installations. As an independent MRO provider we applaud how AVIAA is helping operators reduce their costs. With its growing membership in Europe we are very pleased to bring ACC into its family,” adds ACC Columbia managing director Nils Janssen.

ACC Columbia was founded in 1975 as TÜV Rheinland Luftfahrttechnik at Cologne/Bonn. From supporting small piston aircraft, the business evolved into Aviation Center Cologne Flugzeugwartung as it expanded into Learjet and Challenger work. EASA Part 21 Design work, Part 145 MRO and Part M CAMO approvals were added to the service offering. In 2008 ACC became a Honeywell engines and avionics service centre, and in 2009 it merged with Columbia Jet Service. The bolstered business took on Gulfstream G100, G150 and G200 work and Hangar 16 at Hannover Langenhagen airport became its second base maintenance facility. Following the acquisition of Flugzeugreparaturen Ralf Kohnen, ACC moved into Bombardier Global support. In 2012 it added sheet metal modifications and structural repairs and by 2013 its portfolio of aircraft being supported expanded into the Embraer Legacy 600/650 series. ACC is also a recognised JSSI facility.

Established in 2017, AVIAA uses aggregation, transparency, industry expertise and proprietary algorithms to streamline the procurement process for both operators and vendors.

At the end of January 2019, AVIAA announced it was acquiring Convolus, a similar business with a strong European customer base. Co-founder Irena Deville is now managing director EMEA for AVIAA, based in Germany.