Recruiting starts for RAF project

2:41pm Thursday 4th September 2008

Recruitment has started for the first wave of jobs being created by a £13bn project to replace the RAF's fleet of transport and refuelling planes, based at RAF Brize Norton.

The jobs have been created by AirTanker, the company formed by a consortium including Rolls Royce and the VT Group which is responsible for the project.

They are among a first wave of 30 staff who will be based at a new office in Ventura Park, Carterton, on the doorstep of RAF Brize Norton, which will eventually be the base for 500 staff working on the fleet of Airbus A330-200s which will replace the veteran TriStar and VC-10 aircraft.

Of the 500 jobs, 200 will be newly created by AirTanker for what is the largest private finance deal ever signed in the UK.

Peter Saunders, business director for AirTanker, said: "We have been based in Bristol but we have decided to migrate towards Brize Norton so we can integrate into the local community as quickly as possible.

"Over time, we will grow to become a much bigger business and we're looking to move into Brize Norton by 2011."

A total of 14 aircraft will be modified for RAF service at a purpose-built hangar to be constructed at the RAF station, which will also have a training simulator and maintenance facilities.

Mr Saunders added: "The big news for Carterton is that this is one of a number of companies moving into the Brize area as part of its development."

Negotiations for the 27-year contract took a decade, costing the taxpayer more than £6m a year.

The converted VC10 and TriStar airliners, some up to 40 years old, have been struggling to cope with providing in-flight refuelling of fighter jets over Iraq and Afghanistan.

The new aircraft will be owned by AirTanker, although they will fly in RAF colours. They have larger tanks for air-to-air refuelling.

AirTanker will move to Ventura Park in October, taking up the whole of a 7,000 sq ft building, which Mr Saunders said would be renamed Wesley House after the aircraft refuelling pioneer Wesley May.