AVIATION INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF NEW ZEALAND |
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Mainland Air Services
Mainland Air Services, the charter flight, air ambulance and pilot training college based at Dunedin International Airport since 1991 has been sold to the Paterson family who have also owned Mainland’s major maintenance provider Southair Ltd at nearby Taieri airport since 1987.
Discussions about a possible merger of the two companies began in late 2008 because of the obvious synergies. The proposed merger deal was ready to sign in September 2009. However the owner of Mainland Mr Chris Kelliher who lives in Chicago then decided that he wanted to concentrate on his business interests in the USA and so sold Mainland outright to Southair in January 2010 .
New air operators certificates have been issued and apart from a name change to Mainland Air Services (2010) Ltd and the change of ownership, it is business as usual at Mainland which normally caters for about 50 local and foreign students. Well known instructors John Penno and Phil Kean remain as key operational staff.
Mainland owns a fleet of ten Cessna 152’s, a Tobago TB10, two Senecas and a Chieftain. After 12 years of managing Southair at Taieri Mr. Mark Paterson has transferred to Dunedin to take on the role of the CEO at Mainland. Mr. Graeme Daniell has been promoted from workshop foreman to the position of General Manager at Southair.
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