Affinity Aviation Group, the UK business jet sales and charter specialist, has taken a significant stake in AeronautX UK as Austria’s AeronautX expands in the UK and prepares to open a pilot academy near Amsterdam Schiphol next spring. AeronautX UK has set up an office within Affinity’s headquarters at Farnborough Airport, Hampshire, linking an aircraft sales business with Europe’s newest business aviation training provider.

Affinity is headquartered at Farnborough Airport and is in its 12th year of operations. It specialises in pre-owned Bombardier Global transactions, with sales now reaching Asia, the USA, South America and the Indian subcontinent, and its flyAffinity charter membership programme doubled turnover to 2 million pounds in 2026.

AeronautX is based in Linz-Horsching, Austria, and is part of AX Aero Group, the Zurich-based company launched in April 2026 by former ExecuJet chief executive Niall Olver. Its Amsterdam training centre opens in the first quarter of 2027, and Vistajet has agreed to use it for Challenger pilot training.

“This new partnership with Affinity Aviation Group and our presence at Farnborough Airport are key to AeronautX’s growing UK operations,” said Jörg Oberhofer, founder and chief executive of AeronautX. “Our new training centre opens in Q1 2027 with Bombardier Challenger 350/3500 and Challenger 650 full flight simulators, all of which will be UK CAA certified. This builds on the Base Training approvals AeronautX already holds for Embraer and Gulfstream aircraft.”

The collaboration reunites former colleagues. Affinity’s founding chief executive Andrew Hoy worked with Olver at ExecuJet from 2007 to 2014. “With AeronautX investing heavily in the future of business aviation training, this is an exciting opportunity to build a relationship with a like-minded organisation that shares our commitment to expertise, quality and long-term growth,” Hoy said.

The investment follows a strong year for Affinity, with record aircraft sales and acquisitions. “More clients returned to us as they sought to replace their aircraft,” Hoy said.

Affinity has appointed Christian Jones, previously with Jersey-based operator Ortac, as sales and business development director, a new role, as it prepares to widen its activities in 2027. flyAffinity welcomed 12 new members this year and maintained a 100% client retention rate.

For the sector, the stake shows an aircraft sales and charter business aligning with a training provider as AeronautX builds its UK operations.

Source: ADS Advance / AIN