Phoenix Aviation of Kenya, jointly with investment company Frontier Services Group (FSG) Limited, has completed a US$ 14 million deal which sees FSG acquire 49 per cent of the operator. The announcement was formally made in March and was later ratified by the board and shareholders of the two companies.

Frontier Services ceo Gregg Smith comments: “In addition to having a world class team of pilots and technicians, Phoenix is a large operation capable of serving a diverse customer base. Phoenix's leadership team shares our vision to build a much more robust Kenyan aviation industry, an industry with the capability to invest and grow with the increasing number of multinational businesses moving into east Africa.

“We are confident that this partnership will jointly enable us to grow a pan-African offering of aviation to serve both corporate and humanitarian missions.”

Frontier's investment will expand Phoenix's medical evacuation capacity, allowing it to fly into frontier environments where people are working and where humanitarian services are required. It will shorten response time by enabling aircraft and doctors to be positioned closer to evacuation sites.

Adds Phoenix ceo Steve Parkinson: “Phoenix Aviation is one of the oldest aviation companies in Kenya, with a fully developed safety and quality system which I believe in some cases exceeds European standards.

“The company has been audited and certified to meet the highest standards of the UN and oil and gas producers. In conjunction with AMREF flying doctors we rescue over 1,000 patients a year throughout the region. Our partnership with FSG will enable us expand our coverage, reaching many more people with much-needed medical evacuation services.”