Oxford Air Training is sold

Oxford Flight Training is to become part of GCAT Flight Academy, after GCAT “entered into an agreement to acquire” the Kidlington-based organisation for a total consideration of $63m on a debt- and cash-free basis. The acquisition is supported by GCAT’s majoriry shareholder, STAR Capital Partners.

Oxford Air Training had previously been owned by BBA Aviation.

GCAT was created earlier this year through the merging of General Electric Commercial Aviation Training and SA Flight Academy.

OAT is the largest ab initio airline pilot training school in Europe, with over 270 pilots annually enrolling in its 16 month full-time APP First Officer Integrated course.

Anthony Petteford of OAT commented “The unique combination of our comprehensive ab-initio training courses and innovative training technology from OAT Media with the extensive range of GCAT Flight Academy “type-rating” programmes means we are able to offer exciting and complete airline pilot training programmes – taking trainee pilots from zero experience to the right hand seat of a modern commercial airliner – and beyond.”