Kearsley Airways

What Kearsley Airways does

Kearsley Airways Limited is a privately held UK aerospace component repair and overhaul specialist headquartered at a 45,000 sq ft engineering facility at Stansted Airport, Essex. Incorporated in Cardiff in 1947 and operating continuously at Stansted since 1949, the company evolved from a post-war charter operator (New Percival Proctor, Douglas C47B Dakotas, Berlin Airlift participant) into a dedicated MRO business after divesting its fleet in March 1950. Today it serves military aircraft operators (chiefly Lockheed Martin C-130/L382 Hercules and E-3 Sentry) and civil aviation operators (Boeing 737 classic and NG) through eight integrated workshops covering Landing Gear, Flight Controls, Hydraulics, Wheels, Electrical & Instruments, Inspection NDT, Machining, and Accessories & Pneumatics.

Core technology is rooted in proprietary in-house engineering rather than software: comprehensive NDT capability (visual aids, low/high-frequency and semi-automated Eddy Current, fluorescent magnetic particle, penetrant flow detection); CNC and conventional machining for batch production and high-value component salvage using approved repair schemes; and extensive test rigs including a MOD-sourced High Mass Air Flow Facility (13 bar, 80 lb/min, 300°C), hydraulic benches up to 8,000 PSI static and 5,000 PSI dynamic, pneumatic rigs to 4,000 PSI, and a mechanical load capacity of 3,000 lbs. Half the facility is allocated to clean-room instrument assembly and test. These rigs and fixtures are designed and manufactured in-house, anchoring a moat in approved repair schemes.

Kearsley earns revenue through three streams: professional services for repair, overhaul and inspection; hardware sales via a searchable rotable catalogue dispatched worldwide; and OEM precision-parts manufacturing. It operates a B2B sales-led motion through a dedicated Sales Department reachable via phone (+44 1279 871000), fax and contact forms, supplemented by a capabilities search tool on its website and a LinkedIn presence. Customer segments are Military Aircraft Operators (primary), Civil Aviation Operators, Heritage Aircraft Operators, and OEMs/Warranty Repair Stations. It holds multi-jurisdictional certifications (EASA Part 145, FAR 145, CAA, TCCA, SE EMAR 145, AS9110C-ISO9001:2015) and elite OEM endorsements as one of few Lockheed Martin C-130 Licensed Repair Centers worldwide and one of only five Authorised Global CEF Repair Stations globally, plus Rolls-Royce Aerospace Approved Repair Facility status.

Name

Kearsley Airways

Legal name

Kearsley Airways Limited

Website

https://kalair.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Kearsley Airways Limited is an independent UK aerospace component repair and overhaul specialist serving military and civil aviation operators worldwide from its 45,000 sq ft facility at Stansted Airport, with eight in-house workshops covering landing gear, flight controls, hydraulics, wheels, NDT, machining, and electrical and pneumatic components for C-130 and Boeing 737 platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aerospace MRO Services

NAICS

Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413)

SIC

Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728)

akta.pro primary industry

Airframe Maintenance & Repair (EDAOAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Aerospace Landing Gear Components & Subsystems (IMABANAK)

Keywords

• Aerospace component repair
• Aircraft MRO services
• Landing gear overhaul
• Flight controls repair
• Non-destructive testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Stansted

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Aerospace Component Repair and Overhaul: Core revenue from repair, overhaul, and inspection of aircraft components for military and civil platforms including C-130, Boeing 737, and E-3 Sentry. Services include full in-house capability from receiving to completion.
2. Rotables Sales: Sale of rotable aircraft components searchable by part number. Full catalogue available on request.
3. OEM Precision Parts Manufacturing: Production of precision parts for aerospace original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), complemented by special rigs and fixtures designed and manufactured in-house.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Kearsley Airways is an independent aerospace component repair and overhaul specialist operating from a 45,000 square foot facility at Stansted Airport. It provides inspection, repair, overhaul, design, assembly, and precision machining of aircraft components across multiple in-house workshops (Landing Gear, Flight Controls, Hydraulics, Wheels, Electrical & Instruments, Inspection NDT, Machining, and Accessories & Pneumatics). The company also sells rotable aircraft components and OEM precision parts, holding rare certifications including Lockheed Martin C-130 Licensed Repair Center and Authorised Global CEF Repair Station status.

Product overview

Kearsley Airways is an aerospace component repair and overhaul company offering a unified suite of in-house engineering services from its 45,000 square feet facility at Stansted Airport. The core offering comprises multiple specialized workshops covering Landing Gear, Flight Controls, Hydraulics, Wheels, Electrical & Instruments, Inspection NDT, Machining, and Accessories & Pneumatics — all operating as an integrated capability enabling complete component repair from receipt to dispatch. The company holds distinguished status as one of the few Lockheed Martin C-130 Licensed Repair Centers worldwide and an Authorised Global CEF Repair Station, serving both civil and military aircraft platforms with comprehensive rotable and repair capability services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Aircraft Component Repair & Overhaul Services Comprehensive repair, overhaul, and inspection services for aerospace components including landing gear, flight controls, hydraulics, wheels, electrical instruments, and accessories/pneumatics for civil and military aircraft platforms. Serves military and civil aviation operators worldwide.
• Landing Gear Workshop Specialized landing gear inspection, repair, and overhaul services with over 45 years of C-130 experience, supporting aircraft including Lockheed Martin C-130, Boeing 737 (classic and NG), and E-3 Sentry.
• Flight Controls Workshop Repair and overhaul of flight control units including dual system hydraulic actuators, valves, servos, elevator, aileron and rudder booster assemblies, flap screwjacks, and linear/rotary electro-mechanical actuation systems.
• Hydraulics Workshop Fuel and hydraulic component repair with extensive test facilities capable of applying hydraulic pressures up to 8,000 PSI static, 5,000 PSI dynamic flow, and pneumatic systems up to 4,000 PSI static.
• Wheels Workshop Military, commercial, and regional aircraft wheel repair, overhaul, tyre change, and inspection services with full in-house capability covering inspection, NDT, machining, painting, and final assembly.
• Electrical & Instruments Workshop Inspection, repair and overhaul of electrical components including A/C and D/C motors, generators, relays, contactors, actuators, electronic inverters, and aircraft instruments including altimeters, fuel gauges, and power supplies.
• Inspection NDT Workshop Non-destructive testing services including visual inspection, eddy current inspection (high and low frequency, semi-automated), fluorescent magnetic particle inspection, and penetrant flow detection.
• Machining Workshop CNC and conventional machining capabilities for batch machining and high-value component salvage using approved repair schemes, including CNC milling, turning, boring, and grinding facilities.
• Accessories & Pneumatics Workshop Overhaul and repair of gearboxes, driveshafts, fuel components with spin testing to 7,500 RPM, and pneumatic components including air cycle machines, heat exchangers, and thermal anti-ice valves.
• Rotables Sales Searchable catalogue of rotable aircraft components available for exchange or purchase, searchable by part number. Full catalogue available on request.
• CEF Industries C-130 Component Repair Authorised Global CEF Repair Station service for C-130 components including flap gearboxes, elevator trim tab actuators, rudder/aileron actuators, main landing gear assemblies, wing flap ball screw assemblies, and oil cooler door actuators. One of only five Authorised Global CEF Repair Stations worldwide.
• OEM Precision Parts Manufacturing Production of precision parts for aerospace original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), complemented by special rigs and fixtures designed and manufactured in-house.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50+ years of C-130 component repair experience
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Lockheed MartincoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerKearsley Airways is one of few Lockheed Martin C-130 Licensed Repair Centers worldwide, authorized to repair and overhaul C-130/L382 Hercules aircraft components.
• CEF IndustriescoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerAuthorised Global CEF Repair Station for C-130 components including flap gearboxes, elevator trim tab actuators, rudder/aileron actuators, main landing gear assemblies, wing flap ball screw assemblies, and landing light assemblies. One of only five worldwide.
• Rolls-Royce AerospacemajorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerApproved repair facility for Rolls-Royce Aerospace products, enabling warranty repair services for aircraft operators.
• Various OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers)majorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerKearsley has achieved approved repair facility status with multiple OEMs, becoming their European (warranty) repair station. Precision parts produced for aerospace OEMs underlining high quality control standards.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kalairuk

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kearsley Airways