First Class Air has invested in and partnered with Vertical Aerospace, a Bristow, Oklahoma-based aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) provider specialising in complex aircraft structural repair, engineering and fabricated part manufacturing.
The acquisition expands First Class Air’s technical capabilities and repair capacity, while giving customers access to additional resources for complex aircraft structures and components. Vertical Aerospace will continue operating from its 226,000-square-foot Bristow facility under the leadership of Founder and General Manager Tray Siegfried.
Vertical Aerospace supports commercial, cargo and military aircraft with MRO, engineering and fabricated part manufacturing services. Its capabilities include nacelle and thrust reverser work, flight control surfaces, composite and metallic structural repairs, cowlings, ducts and exhaust components, as well as repair development, fabrication, non-destructive testing (NDT) and specialised processing.
The company’s quality system is certified to AS9100 Rev. D, while its facility holds FAA and EASA repair station certifications.
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The acquisition also adds specialised repair and manufacturing processes to First Class Air’s existing capabilities. Vertical Aerospace’s Bristow facility includes an autoclave and clean room, phosphoric acid anodising and cleaning systems, NDT and heat-treatment capabilities, welding, laser tracking, engineering and design systems and other equipment supporting advanced repair applications.
Isac Roths, CEO of First Class Air, said Vertical Aerospace’s structural repair, engineering and manufacturing expertise complements the company’s existing distribution, MRO, DER, PMA, teardown and exchange capabilities.
Siegfried said the partnership would allow Vertical Aerospace to maintain its existing team and customer focus while gaining access to First Class Air’s broader network and resources.
The combination is expected to strengthen First Class Air’s ability to support customers across the aircraft lifecycle, including component availability, maintenance cost reduction, component life extension and aircraft downtime management.
The addition of Vertical Aerospace brings First Class Air’s portfolio to six specialised aviation companies serving cargo, commercial, regional, military and business aviation customers worldwide.
