Simtech Plan Expansion following sale to private equity firm
Private equity firms Renatus Capital Partners and Martello Group have bought a stake in flight training company, Simtech, from its founders Sé Pardy and Fergal Keogh. Simtech is located in a purpose built simulator training centre in the Dublin Airport Logistics Park just a few minutes drive from Dublin Airport. Kestrel House was designed as a Flight Simulation and Aviation Training centre of excellence, with facilities to support Full Motion (Level D) and fixed base training devices. The centre is home to three full motion sims, A320, RJ85 and ATR and a fixed based XJ generic twin jet FTD simulator. In addition, the centre has cabin trainers, fire trainers and classrooms for associated airline training. Simtech is also an Approved Training Organisation (ATO) providing MCC training.
Fergal Keogh, then Taoiseach Brian Cowen, Darragh O’Brien of Fianna Fáil and Sé Pardy at the launch of Kestrel House back in 2009.
Mr Keogh, the company’s chief executive, confirmed last week that Renatus and Martello have taken a stake in the business. Its new investors want to expand the company by exploiting the current growth in aviation. Declan Dooney of Excel Aviation will take over from Mr Keogh, who is retiring and had been seeking a successor. Mr. Dooney has over 25 years’ experience in the aviation industry with experience as pilot recruitment manager at Ryanair, Commercial Manager at Brookfield Aviation and MD at Excel Aviation. Mr Pardy is staying with the business. “We both wanted to ensure the business we had built was preserved and that any incoming partner would bring the necessary industry expertise and capital to scale the business and realise its full potential,” Mr Keogh said.
Mark Flood and Brendan Traynor founded Renatus in 2014. It focuses on small to medium-sized Irish companies with the potential to grow their businesses. Martello specialises in aviation, leisure and property investments. The two co-founders will be joined on the board by Brendan Traynor and Mark Flood and seasoned airline executives Douglas Brennan and Eugene O’Reilly.
Simtech’s XJ generic twin jet FTD used for MCC Training
About the Author
Mark Dwyer Mark is an airline pilot flying the Boeing 737 for a major European airline. In addition he is also a Type Rating Instructor, Type Rating Examiner and Base Training Captain on the B737. Outside of commercial flying Mark enjoys flying light aircraft from the smallest 3 Axis microlights up to heavier singles. He is also an instructor and EASA Examiner on single engines and a UK CAA Examiner. He flies the Chipmunk for the Irish Historic Flight Foundation (IHFF). Mark became the Chairman of the National Microlight Association of Ireland (NMAI) in 2013 and has overseen a massive growth in the organisation. In this role he has worked at local and national levels. In 2015, Mark won ‘Upcoming Aviation Professional Award’ at the Aviation Industry Awards sponsored by the IAA. Mark launched this website back in 2002 while always managing the website, he has also been Editor and Deputy Editor of FlyingInIreland Magazine from 2005 to 2015.
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