by Phil Pitt

A new aircraft maintenance business is creating jobs in Thanet, with the prospect of generating long-term training and employment.

AvMan Engineering is opening for business at Kent International Airport in Manston and expects to have a 40-strong workforce at the site by the end of the year.

At the moment the firm maintains short- to medium-range jets such as the McDonnell Douglas MD-82. But it is hopeful of developing its Kent base to service larger aircraft in the future - including the Airbus.

To do this, it intends to grow local talent by taking on local young people as apprentices to support its growth.

"We are in negotiations with one of the largest aviation training companies to establish a training school at our facility within six months," said Chris Wilson, group managing director at AvMan.

"We are keen to introduce Airbus maintenance in about four to five years. This means our new employees would be able to start work very soon and by the time they complete their training and obtain the appropriate licenses they could be working on one of the most popular types of aircraft in the industry."

He promised apprentices would be the future of the company, but would initially use qualified local engineers to establish and grow the business.