AQMS

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Aviation Quality Management Services (AQMS) - supporting the UK’s leadership in aircraft maintenance

Aviation Quality Management Services Ltd (AQMS) was established in 2008 to help business and general aviation companies to comply with new European aircraft maintenance safety laws. AQMS, based near London Southend Airport in Essex, works with smaller companies operating business jet services, air taxis and maintaining aircraft. Its customer base has expanded from South East Essex and East Anglia to Spain, Italy and the Republic of Ireland.

“Our customers have excellent operational experience,” according to Managing Director, Carole Leach. “Where they need help is with the increasingly complex paperwork and procedures. We can provide training for their teams or place expert staff in their business for agreed periods to assist with procedures and compliance. That gives them direct access to expertise at an affordable cost.”

Carole Leach believes this type of support is essential to the future of the industry. “The UK is the European leader in the maintenance and repair of business jets. However, there is currently a skills shortage in aircraft engineering which we hope will be addressed, in this area, by the development of the aviation training centre of excellence at Southend Airport. We also place staff on training and development courses run by the regulatory authorities and Business Link and help our customers to develop training plans for their own businesses.”

Essex is an ideal location for a business like AQMS, as Carole Leach explains.

“Essex is central to the business and general aviation population of the South East, East Midlands and East Anglia and we’re close to large and small airports in Essex itself. There are good air and rail links when we travel to customers and the expansion of London Southend Airport looks set to help our business.”

Carole Leach also paid tribute to the business support the company has received from EssexCounty Council’s Essex Innovation Programme.

“We had a business mentor for the first twelve months who helped us develop our 5-year plan and focus on the issues that we were not used to dealing with.”

“In terms of support for our industry, the involvement of Essex County Council and East of England Development Agency in promoting training and aviation is far sighted, particularly in an industry where we want to see the UK remain as the market leader within the European Community.”

Looking ahead, Carole Leach sees future expansion coming outside the UK from Europe and beyond. “Operators in the Middle East and other parts of the world want to follow the European legislative model, rather than the regulations of the US Federal Aviation Administration.”

“We’re also getting enquiries from Africa and India and are close to potential European markets thanks to the good links from London Stansted Airport and Harwich International Port. That’s a good basis for a strategy of regional growth.”