EASY JET doesn’t fly from Dublin airport but its planes have been spotted there of late after the Conor McCarthy-led aircraft maintenance company Dublin Aerospace secured a contract with the British low-cost carrier.
“We’ve two Easy Jet aircraft in the hangar at the moment and another few in the pipeline,” McCarthy told me yesterday.
Dublin Aerospace, which is backed by Enterprise Ireland, opened for business last October, and McCarthy said it was ahead of target with staff numbers now touching 100, many of them former SR Technics employees.
“We’re ahead of target in terms of employment numbers. It’s been a busy few months for us...the reputation is beginning to build.”
Other customers include Aer Lingus, leasing company CIT and Russian carrier Rossiya.
“We’re still working hard on the marketing and sales side. We’re having to fight hard to win business.”
According to McCarthy, Dublin Aerospace’s costs are more than 40 per cent below the old SRT operation. There are four strands to the business – aircraft overhaul; landing-gear maintenance; auxiliary power units; and training.
The company does not pay overtime and there is no union recognition. However, it does offer performance payments and has agreed to share 20 per cent of profits with workers when it is operating in the black.
Dublin Aerospace has pencilled in a loss of €500,000 in year one, and a profit of about €1 million for its second year. “We are on target from the point of view of cash flow,” said McCarthy.
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