Yorkshire's Multiflight, which is readying a Dauphin 365N1 for service, reports an increase in charter demand in the north of England and Scotland as well as on southern routes. "We have recently acquired aircraft for ourselves as well as several of our home-based clients," says md Steve Borrowdale. "One aircraft, an AS350 B2, has already gone into service, the other a - Dauphin 365N1 - is currently in our workshop undergoing refurbishment with a view to an end of November completion." Multiflight, whose fleet includes two AS350s, two AS355s and two AS365s, is taking a high profile on the sports side. "The Rugby World Cup has played its part in developing business with several parties travelling from Leeds to Paris," says Borrowdale.

Multiflight is also sponsoring 18-year-old racing driver Jon Lancaster who lives in Calverley near Leeds and is competing in this year's Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0. The global single-seater racing series has been a stepping stone into F1 for many drivers including newly-crowned champion Kimi Raikkonen, Felipe Massa and Scott Speed.

The expanding company has vacancies including one for an aircraft avionics technician with full JAR66 B2 licence and another for an airframe engine licensed engineer with general aviation experience on single and light twin-engined aircraft.

Borrowdale says: "The growth of the business comes in many areas, such as the Flight Training Centre - teaching people to fly who then progress to purchasing an aircraft. The engineering department is expanding to maintain its own fleet but there are also new owners both in terms of fixed wing and helicopters. The charter department again continues to grow. Today's travel chaos and security issues at airports means more and more people are discovering the benefits of charter."

He adds: "As an organisation that trades aircraft, yes we will certainly be buying more aircraft. We have purchased several new aircraft recently for customers but as an operator we have tended to buy used aircraft."

Multiflight was formed in 1994 by technology entrepreneur David Hood after he purchased a Falcon 900B. The facility was used to house this aircraft initially and then started aircraft maintenance as a CAA Part 145 company as well as providing PPL and Commercial flight training based at Leeds Bradford International Airport.

In 1999, Borrowdale, the former European Helicopters and Lynton Aviation vp, joined to help develop the company which then went on to acquire Yorkshire Flying School and Yorkshire Light Aircraft as part of a redevelopment and restructuring of the south side of Leeds Bradford.

"Multi-million pound investment has totally transformed the south side of the airport. It offers a one-stop shop for flying enthusiasts, professionals and charter customers, with its own FTC and specialist engineering, charter, aircraft management and sales and executive aircraft handling departments," says Borrowdale. Multiflight caters for all sizes of aircraft, and features a dedicated taxiway from the apron and hangar space totalling 10,000 sq. m., including two barrel-vaulted hangars able to house four Boeing 737-800 sized aircraft.

The Multiflight Cafe Bar, opened in the summer of 2004 but transformed in a major refurbishment scheme, has been used in the launch of a BBC television documentary and for a welcome reception for a record breaking flight by aviator Polly Vacher. Manager Richard Newall says: "It's such a great location, with the airport so close by and a fantastic view of the runway and our flight training centre activities."