Hatfield finale

Perhaps the last link with de Havilland and Hatfield, Falko Regional Aircraft, has been sold to Chorus Aviation Inc, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Essentially an aircraft leasing company when manufacturing finally ceased at Hatfield and the subsequent site closure in 1994, Asset Management remained the sole aviation interest in the town becoming Falko Regional Aircraft when funds managed by Fortress Investment Group completed the purchase of BAE Systems Asset Management and its associated aircraft portfolio in 2011.

Chorus calls itself a global provider of integrated regional aviation solutions.  Originally established in 2006 as Jazz Air Income Fund it changed its name in 2011 and now likes to call itself the world’s largest aircraft lessor focused on the regional aviation segment and a leading worldwide provider in all aspects of regional aviation with a portfolio of 353 aircraft.

Joe Randell, President and Chief Executive Officer, Chorus, said: “With the addition of Falko’s asset management platform, we will shift to growing our leasing business through an asset light model, significantly increasing cash flow generation, improving return on invested capital, and facilitating the pursuit of larger deals with more efficient access to equity capital”.

Falco remains in Hatfield, and together with the de Havilland Museum in nearby London Colney, is the last remnant of the company that amongst others produced the Rapide commuter aircraft, Vampire jet fighter, and the world’s first commercial jet aircraft, the Comet.

www.chorusaviation.com

www.falko.com

www.dehavillandmuseum.co.uk

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John Arle, Hatfield

Please note the Comet public house in Hatfield is not named after the jetliner but The de Havilland DH.88 Comet a two-seat, twin-engined aircraft built by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. It was developed specifically to participate in the 1934 England-Australia MacRobertson Air Race from the United Kingdom to Australia.