SERE Holdings Ltd today announced a major strategic expansion and consolidation of its aviation portfolio. Building on its recent investment in subsidiary 247 Aviation, SERE Holdings has successfully acquired Woodgate Aviation, a leading provider of air ambulance services in Northern Ireland which includes the Northern Ireland Fixed Wing Patient Transfer contract. This pivotal acquisition immediately enhances the operational capacity of the newly formed SERE Aviation Group, ensuring the future of this critical transport link for the region’s healthcare system while significantly expanding SERE’s executive air charter, ground handling and medical repatriation services.
The acquisition also integrates Woodgate’s long-established General Aviation and Fixed-Base Operator (FBO) services, along with its dedicated hangar and on-site maintenance operation at Belfast International Airport, into the SERE Aviation Group portfolio.
The foundation of the newly established SERE Aviation Group is a dual commitment to service continuity and quality. Woodgate Aviation will maintain its existing, proven management team and staff, guaranteeing that essential institutional knowledge and the high standard of service for the Air Ambulance contract remain entirely uninterrupted. Simultaneously, Woodgate Aviation will be seamlessly integrated into SERE Group’s existing aviation business, which includes subsidiary companies Jet Assist and 247 Aviation Limited. The addition of Woodgate Aviation significantly enhances the group’s operational expertise by leveraging SERE’s robust FBO infrastructure under the Jet Assist brand at both Belfast International and Belfast City Airports, ensuring superior support across Northern Ireland, including comprehensive ground handling, aircraft refuelling, and hangarage for the entire combined fleet as well as third party aircraft.
This strategic acquisition serves as the foundation for a robust, multi-million-pound capital investment in the combined company’s capabilities. SERE Holdings guarantees that this investment is explicitly designed to modernise and measurably improve the overall service offering provided to the NHS. The enhanced operational structure and financial commitment will ensure the SERE Aviation Group maintains unparalleled resilience and efficiency, cementing its position as the sole non-scheduled air operator in Northern Ireland and one of the largest specialist aviation groups in the UK.
Stanley Edgar, Group Managing Director of SERE Holdings Ltd, commented: “This acquisition is a strategic step that maintains a high-value, life-saving contract and integrates Woodgate’s long-standing operational excellence into our group. Securing the future of the Northern Ireland Fixed Wing Air Ambulance Service is paramount. We view this as a direct tribute to the quality of service provided by Woodgate’s dedicated aeromedical staff and engineers. This unification secures one of Northern Ireland’s most important air ambulance transport links under the wing of a robust, well-resourced, and locally committed company.”
James McKnight, Director of Flight Operations at 247 Aviation and SERE Aviation Group’s most senior aviation professional, commented: “I am excited and genuinely looking forward to integrating Woodgate into the SERE Aviation Group. This is an exceptional opportunity to welcome a company with such a long and successful history. We plan to immediately capitalise on the vast experience of the Woodgate management team and staff to create a unified, high-performing group that sets a new standard for air ambulance and fixed-base operator services in Northern Ireland and further afield.”
Stanley Edgar added a personal note: “This acquisition is profoundly meaningful and poignant for me, as I obtained both my Pilot’s Licence and my Flight Instructor’s Qualification at Woodgate many years ago. It is with a deep sense of honour that I now assume the responsibility for Woodgate., particularly as a tribute to its founder, Mike Woodgate, who passed away recently. I firmly intend to honour his pioneering spirit by taking the company to the next level through strategic investment and integration, ensuring that the legacy he built continues to grow and deliver life-saving services to the region.”
Johnny Keen, Outgoing Owner of Woodgate Aviation, commented: “Woodgate Aviation, which began in 1969 with just ‘a wooden hut and an Aztec,’ has grown into the oldest private aviation firm on the island of Ireland. As the second generation of a family-run business, it is a moment of pride to see the companies’s future secured by SERE Holdings. This disposal ensures the legacy built over five decades will continue to grow and benefit Northern Ireland for years to come.”
About SERE Holdings Ltd
SERE Holdings Ltd is a leading Northern Ireland-based group with core interests in automotive, road transport, and a growing specialist aviation portfolio, operating under the SERE Aviation Group umbrella.
About Woodgate Aviation.
Woodgate Aviation is Northern Ireland’s longest-established private air operator, founded in 1969. The company excels in specialised aviation services, with its most critical function being the operation of the Fixed-Wing Air Ambulance Service for Northern Ireland, transferring hundreds of critical patients annually to the UK for treatments not available in NI. This life-saving transport role is supported by the company’s robust operational foundation, including a dedicated, purpose-built hangar and on-site aviation maintenance operation at Belfast International Airport. This ensures operational self-sufficiency and superior technical expertise for its entire fleet.
