Where partnerships putwind beneath wings

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Welcome to Sonderborg AirportLocated at the heart of the Danish-German border region, Sonderborg Airport represents the nearest airport for some one million people and also for several thousand businesses on either side of the border. As a result, Sonderborg Airport is not just an integrated part of the border region, but also one of the essential elements in its development and growth.

The sound of a jet engine, is the sound of development and

progress - something we are reminded of many times a day

at Sonderborg Airport, a place filled with engine noise right

around the clock. Sonderborg Airport never sleeps, but rather

teems with life - even between the take-offs and landings.

People coming and going, passengers, businessmen and

women, cabin crew and ground staff. Here you will find

meetings and workshops, break times and busy times, happy

reunions and farewells.

Sonderborg Airport is something very special. Our airport sits in

the border region between Denmark and Germany and is the

closest airport for almost a million people. That is the second

largest primary catchment area in Denmark - exceeded only

by Copenhagen. We are also the closest airport for the many

thousands of businesses on either side of the border and as

such, a crucial component of the region’s infrastructure. It is

a role and a responsibility we are proud to accept and we do

so with open arms, to ensure the common development and

progress of this strong, thriving region.

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The airport forms the setting for a huge amount of activity

and is the base for a large number of companies - in the form

of airlines large and small, aircraft management, pilot schools,

MRO and other aircraft maintenance facilities, flight software

development companies and aircraft component suppliers.

And of course it is also the base for a total of nearly 300

workers. We embrace a broad range of enterprises, thereby

accommodating large and small, business and pleasure alike...

but what all of these activities have in common, is our ever-

keen focus on shared ambitions, visions and collaborations.

Sonderborg Airport’s development and success is the result of

close, effective cooperation between the airport, the business

sector, Sonderborg municipality and the region as a whole.

As a result of this strong cooperation, the airport finds itself

solidly planted on Danish soil, in a powerful collaboration

between the private business world and the public sector.

This strong partnership is driven by a shared vision: that the

airport represents the natural bedrock for a dynamic aviation

environment, in a constant state of development.

This is why highly specialized businesses within aviation

technology, service and operations, all grow and flourish here.

Sonderborg Aviation Center, is also located within the airport.

Here tomorrow’s skilled ground staff are taught subjects such

as radio communication, meteorology and Aerodrome Flight

Information Service.

Together we have created a professional aviation environment

characterized by synergy and knowledge-sharing. We thrive

best around the noise of aircraft engines and together we put

wind beneath the wings of new ideas. We challenge ourselves

constantly to get even better at what we do. This applies as

much to customer service - the fastest check-in time in Europe,

the free parking close to the terminal, the comfortable facilities,

and more - as to the development of new growth industries,

and to educational and training opportunities within the

aviation industry.

Shared vision, ambition and collaboration, is the formula that

places Sonderborg Airport among Denmark’s best regional

airports today.

We are driven by a shared vision, that Sonderborg Airport should be the natural setting for a professional and dynamic aviation environment

Anders Sorensen

Airport Director

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According to a string of customer satisfaction surveys, the experience of travelling by aircraft has changed for the worse over recent years. Sonderborg Airport goes against the current, always striving to restore quality on every single element, over which we might have an influence.

Part of a Common Project

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At Sonderborg Airport everything possible is done to make

it quick and easy, to be a passenger. Here, you won’t pay for

parking, coffee, wireless or newspapers; and you’ll be greeted

by smiling, service-minded staff at both check-in and security.

”Safety and security, however, is just as paramount here, as in

those airports where you, the traveller, might feel rather less

valued. We do the same things, but with a Sonderborg twist,

and this is crucial to us,” states Anders Sorensen. The airport is

also ”Highly valued” by the border region as a whole:

”We experience fantastic backing from the business sector,

leisure travellers and politicians, throughout the entire border

region. The airport is a part of our common project; it is a

deciding factor for the airlines who use it and Sonderborg

Municipality has a good understanding of the importance

of accessibility: The world can come to Sonderborg and vice

versa, so the airport means a lot - not least for the local business

world,” says Anders Sorensen.

Large catchment area

After Copenhagen Airport, Sonderborg Airport has the largest

primary catchment area of all the airports in Denmark.

Sonderborg Airport has greater potential than is currently being

exploited - 40% of this population base lives south of the border

in Germany and it is this sector which has been previously

overlooked. No longer, however, according to the Airport Director:

”The strategy is, that just as we open up a route to an

international destination, we will change our status from

being a purely Danish airport to that of a bi-national Danish/

German airport. We are a classic feeder-airport, meaning that

we carry passengers forward to traffic nerve-centres (so-called

’hubs’) and that is what we are here for. Somewhat 55% of our

passengers change flights in Copenhagen in order to travel

onward around the world, so it would make perfect sense to

establish corresponding feeder routes to Berlin, Frankfurt or

Amsterdam.”

Sonderborg Aviation Park

Sonderborg Aviation Park is the collective name for a range

of base-companies, all drawing on the synergy effect of

being positioned next to other kindred businesses in a

versatile business environment. Naturally, it is also an obvious

advantage for the companies to have direct access to a speedy

Copenhagen connection and thereby the rest of the world, via

the traffic hub of Copenhagen.

On the following pages you are able to meet and greet our

base companies and hear about their objectives and their

version of the advantages related to being located at one of

Denmark’s finest regional airports.

Sonderborg Airport is a modern, well-run airport.

The control tower and runway are well-equipped with navigational resources, allowing the airport to operate flights in most

kinds of weather, ensuring a very high level of regularity for the airlines flying from the airport. The runway is 1797 metres long

- long enough for e.g. a Boing 737. Sonderborg Airport is open to airline traffic 24 hours, 7 days a week, offering a high level of

service with flexible staff.

Sonderborg Airport is owned by Sonderborg Municipality, who sees the airport as a central and important part of the

region’s infrastructure.

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Alsie Express, a sister company to Air Alsie, took over the

Copenhagen route in the summer of 2013 and since then

the airport has, month by month, seen a steady increase in

passenger traffic. With several daily departures going both ways

on every weekday, plus flights during the weekend, the route

meets current popular demand - and the three price groups

fulfil the customers’ need for flexibility.

Regardless of where you are heading - to an onward flight, a

meeting, or a cultural event - the entire border region has easy

access to the world and vice versa. Alsie Express is a guarantor

of accessibility, the opportunity to reach the capital in less

than an hour and be close to the rest of the world via the

Copenhagen traffic hub is of great importance, not least for the

many large workplaces in the area.

Henrik Therkelsen CEO of Alsie Express: ”We swim against the

current - where the rest of the world focuses on discounts, we

focus on quality instead. Passengers are our future, so we wish

to provide everyone with a great experience - a fast check-in,

pleasant and helpful staff and en route catering to reflect great

quality.”

Chartered flights - and more

Having two ATR-planes in the fleet, Alsie Express can focus

on chartering aircraft to businesses which have a need for

individual flights (ad hoc charter flights) - and may also market

its flight routes to the whole of the border region through this

initiative:

Bringing the World Closer

The Express breaks with many customary notions. What other company would give its planes a cool, matt-black look, serve home-baked

treats and local apple juice on board and have the captain greet the passengers at the aircraft before boarding? In the border region,

we are not afraid of try out new things - and it seems to be working.

Alsie Express

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”For instance, we arranged a ladies’ tour to Copenhagen, in co-

operation with a German company, where the guests enjoyed

special catering and a red carpet reception. And we have

also transported sports people several times, for example the

local Superliga team to a match in the Europa League. When

it comes to charter, we can offer that little bit more - and we

maintain a close dialogue with both the business sector and

the travel bureaus,” says Henrik Therkelsen.

With its regular scheduled route, Alsie Express is doing its bit for

the region. Having so many departures on the books demands

that you are present. Sonderborg Airport is the nearest

airport for 978,000 people and Alsie Express is therefore an

important part of the infrastructure for the whole of the border

region. The North German area alone constitutes 40% of the

population base and that is where the largest area of expansion

is to be found. Alsie Express are very aware of this - which is why

the company’s in-flight magazine are published as a double

edition, under the Danish name Grænseløs and the German

name Grenzenlos (’Borderless’).

Henrik Therkelsen wrote the following in the introduction to

the first edition: ”With the establishment of Alsie Express, we

have taken a step towards creating growth and development

in the border region. Not the first step, but an important step

- because we believe that good transport opportunities are an

important factor in creating more jobs and greater business for

local companies.”

Our passengers are our number one concern, so we wish to provide everyone with a great experience.

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It is an advantage for many companies to own their own aircraft

– but only a small number of them actually have the skills to

operate it. This is where Air Alsie steps in. Air Alsie organises

pilots and cabin staff and crucially takes care of service and

maintenance. Director Henrik Therkelsen from Air Alsie explains:

”Our customers have chosen to outsource the operation of their

planes to us, not least because of the fact that air travel rules

are extremely complicated and require specialized knowledge

these days. Our organization holds this knowledge and we have

experience with the training and appointment of personnel.

20% of the aircraft that we manage today are owned by Danish

businesses; the rest are spread across the world. When aircraft

have to undergo their regular, mandatory maintenance checks,

or are subject to repair, this will always take place in our hangar

in Sonderborg Airport - and we are the Authorised Service

Center for Dassault aircraft which constitute the majority of

our fleet.”

Air Alsie also offer Executive Jet Charter Service, i.e. private

jet rental, as a secure and flexible solution for customers with

special transport requirements.

Air AlsieQuality beyond all limits

Based at Sonderborg Airport, Air Alsie is one of the leading private jet operators in the Northern hemisphere. The company oversees a

fleet ranging from compact, short-distance aircraft to intercontinental jet planes. The core service is aircraft management.

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Air Ambulance

Scandinavians are travelling more than ever and this

unfortunately means that some will also be affected by

accident or sickness, far from home. Whether the affected

person will be treated locally or brought back home is

dependent on various circumstances. Air Alsie’s fully equipped

air ambulance flies around 180 times a year with a medical team

on board to bring unfortunate Scandinavians back home, even

from remote destinations.

”Our plane is ready for action at very short notice; and as well

as this primary ambulance-plane, we can also make two more

available for the same purpose,” says Henrik Therkelsen.

Another kind of ambulance service is the one that Air Alsie

offers to aircraft needing in-situ repairs. In these cases, it is the

company’s mobile technical team who will head out to fix

the problem.

We are ready for action at very short notice!

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The know-how to save

Every hour an aircraft sits on the ground costs money.

Notification of AOG (Aircraft on Ground) should always call

for a speedy response. With Skyways Technics at Sonderborg

Airport, you will be prepared for every kind of situation. The

phone lines are always open – 24/7/365.

With a centrally-located administration, hangar facilities,

workshops and not least a team of highly specialized and

experienced personnel, the company fulfils the particular

demands of quality and efficiency that are characteristic of

the industry.

”It has exceeded all expectations.” Brief and to the point, this

is how CEO Benjamin Nielsen puts it when asked to describe

the kind of start that Skyways Technics has experienced as an

independent specialist in aircraft maintenance and repairs. The

CEO is not slow to pass on the credit to a dedicated workforce.

When it comes to business, Skyways Technics have had the

wind under their wings right from the beginning - but this

is also an organization with strong roots in the region. The

customer base has been built up over many years through

relationships of mutual trust and a large number of the staff,

including some of the world’s most experienced mechanics,

are residents of the region. Many clients come to the Skyways

Technics centres in Sonderborg and Billund; but the technicians

also fly out to the whole of Europe, to assist with AOG,

for example.

Experience and expertise mean everything

Every aircraft operator understands that the conditions for

smooth traffic handling require a strong organization behind

Base and Line Maintenance. Experience and expertise mean

everything when it comes to getting the plane in the air on

time. With their know-how, Skyways Technics are therefore

the natural choice of partner for every serious aircraft operator

within regional traffic.

In order to handle the intense time-pressures, Skyways Technics

keeps a large warehouse of spare parts for various types of

aircraft and carry out component exchanges.

Skyways Technics covers Base and Line Maintenance (usually

maintenance checks and non-scheduled repairs), along with

the overhaul and maintenance of primarily aircraft types ATR

42/72 and CRJ 100/200 - also the aircraft that operate from

Sonderborg Airport on a daily basis on the Alsie Express routes.

Skyways Technics

FACTS: The time intervals for aircraft component maintenance checks

depend on the function of the component. For instance with the

landing gear, it is dependent on the number of cycles - i.e. takeoffs and

landings - while others are determined by duration.

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CP Avia Support & Avia ConsultOn first-name terms with an entire industry

Carl and Peter Pedersen have a great view from their office.

They can see the planes landing and taking off and be part

of a workplace with air traffic at its core. Father and son have

respectively dedicated 50 and 30 years of their lives to

this industry.

At CP Avia Support and Avia Consult, you will find neither

storage racks nor workshops. Here, it is all about network,

guidance, expertise, language skills, and the right certificates.

When it comes to maintaining aircraft, nothing is left to chance.

So, confidence is important - but nothing ever takes place until

the staff member in question can show that their qualifications

are 100% in order. The market is the whole of Europe, and the

clients number among the very biggest, such as Lufthansa, KLM

and Air France.

”You might not think it, but this is a small industry, where

everyone knows each other,” says Carl Pedersen, who, after

having overstepped the age limit in his previous job, was urged

by his former contacts to branch out on his own. That was the

beginning of CP Avia Support in 2008 and Avia Consult in 2013.

Large market for alternative spare parts

The companies have partnership agreements with a handful of

American firms - within, respectively, fuel components, aircraft

components, avionics and automatic testing equipment.

As in the car industry, there is a large market for alternative

spare parts within aviation. All components, original as well as

alternative, must be subject to the same approval procedures

to meet the exact standards of the American FAA, Federal

Aviation Administration and EASA, the European Aviation Safety

Agency. As well as dealing with alternative spare parts, both

firms are involved in Designated Engineering Representative

(DER), which is responsible for the development of individual

component repair as an alternative to replacement.

A range of solutions are made available via the huge network

and the reliable names in the industry, resulting in the clients

saving money without having to compromise on quality

or safety.

Airbuses might not land here very often - but Sonderborg

Airport is a natural base for experienced aircraft experts:

”But you can still smell the countryside around here,” as Carl

Pedersen puts it drily.

AVIA CONSULT.DK Our business is to keep you in the air

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The knowledge to develop

Promonitor is a good example of the type of knowledge-based

companies Sonderborg Municipality wishes to have on board.

This consulting company was established in Copenhagen and

still retains many customers in and around the capital - but the

two directors, natives of South Jutland, became homesick. With

a location at Sonderborg Airport, however, the big city is never

far away.

Promonitor is a highly specialized consulting company

working primarily for the public sector and typically for the

municipalities. ”We have two supporting pillars: One is analysis

in the form of public and consumer research; the other is

process consultancy, where we go one step further, in close

dialogue with the public and the local community, around

the development of urban areas, local areas and housing

associations,” says Promonitor’s Director Lars Lindenberg.

When Promonitor enters into partnership with a municipality, a

comprehensive process is set in motion, setting out to improve

the local community in question. Promonitor’s philosophy is

that it is all about the local resident and that it is wrong to let

an expert come in as an outsider and decide what should take

place. The development should move forward based on actual

values and resources.

Development of the municipality with the citizen at

the centre

Two areas of expertise lie at the centre of Promonitor’s activities:

Statistics and urban development. Both are about gathering the

knowledge that is required for decision-making. Knowledge

in the form of numbers, charts and tables; and knowledge in

the form of familiarity with the public’s positions on concrete

questions. This set-up provides the strongest foundation for the

decision-making processes of local government.

The next step is for public meetings, café meetings and

workshops. ”It is not just the inclusion of residents; it is also

about involvement. I work from the philosophy that if the

residents are going to feel any kind of ownership, then they

must be involved in the process from A to Z,” says partner

Tenna Tychsen, who is educated as an urban planner and

process consultant.

Far away - and yet nearby

With their background in both national administration and the

country’s largest businesses, you might think that Promonitor’s

experts would feel a bit left out of things at their current

location in Sonderborg. But an efficient flight connection, as an

alternative to 4 hours’ travel in a car or on a train, makes all the

difference - both psychologically and in purely practical terms.

The Director Lars Lindenberg has an example to hand:

”I had a meeting in Bredgade in Copenhagen. I went directly

from my desk here, down to the plane. About 30 minutes later I

was in Kastrup, and then in Bredgade shortly after that. One of

the people at the meeting had come from Ballerup, and it took

him significantly longer to make the trip - so you can easily say

that our location here at Sonderborg Airport lends us a very big

advantage. We sit right at a nerve centre for the entire region,

in an international atmosphere, reminding us that we are not

way out in the sticks just because we live in Sonderborg,” he

concludes.

Promonitor

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AmicosIn control

Amicos software developers have worked on creating total

solutions for over 25 years, helping the aviation world keep

track of what is known in the trade as MRO: Maintenance,

Repairs and Overhaul. Sonderborg Aviation Park houses the

company, which solves very essential tasks in terms of security

and good finances within the industry.

The lengths of time between compulsory aircraft maintenance

checks are determined variously by either the number of flight

service hours, the number of cycles (take-offs/landings), or

according to fixed time intervals, depending on the type of

aircraft, status and usage. Those responsible can easily keep

track of the many different factors and parameters with the

tried and tested software solutions from Amicos. When an

aircraft is called up for maintenance, an overview must be kept

of which parts are due for inspection and crosschecks must be

made regarding which spare parts are being held in stock.

The system is kept updated with the numbers of spare parts

and will store information about individual operations, so that

the technicians can always look back over the aircraft’s history.

Data is also kept regarding the time spent on individual

work tasks.

The software is easily accessed on screen wherever the work

takes place and each team member’s employee ID card has

its own bar code. Use of material and time is continuously

monitored, since these parameters are especially important

within the industry.

Amicos currently has a broad customer base - a fact

demonstrating the need for a professional, thoroughly road-

tested software solution, which can be developed alongside

the changing needs and requirements of the customer.

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Climb2

Take to the skies

Becoming a pilot represents a dream for many. Flight school

Climb2 can make that dream come true, whether you are

looking to fly for pleasure, or are set on a career as a commercial

pilot. You can begin this journey with a trial lesson, where an

experienced flight instructor will be by your side.

Sonderborg Airport provides facilities for both the theory

and the flying side of commercial pilot training. You will find

dormitory rooms with all shared facilities, including kitchens,

bathrooms and living room spaces, along with the option to

obtain food at the airport café.

The commercial pilot training complies fully with the

requirements set out by the Transport Authorities and the

Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) and is approved with regard to

the Joint Aviation Regulations (JAR) and is therefore valid over

large parts of the world. This provides good opportunities to

also look for work outside of Europe; and as Alf Reinholdt, the

school’s proprietor, puts it: ”Skilled people can always find work.

We try to equip people as well as possible and to re-train the

students for whichever types of aircraft are the most current.”

The Pilot Course at Climb2 is split up into theory and practice:

theory unfolds chiefly through traditional, classroom-based

teaching from skilled instructors. The practical part of the

training comprises different modules, which can be combined

in various ways. This means that the training can stretch over 3

years, allowing room to take paid work at the same time.

What is required

There are strict requirements for a pilot’s condition of health

and before getting started with the training programme you

must have a valid doctor’s certificate, issued by the Flight

medical clinic at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen. The focus

is mainly on vision, hearing, balance and general health.

Certificates must be kept up-to-date and current, according to

statutory numbers of flying hours. Climb2 can also assist

with this.

Primary Catchm

ent Area

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A Catchment Area with PotentialCentrally located

Sonderborg Airport is situated in the centre of the largest

potential passenger market in Denmark, with the exception of

Copenhagen Airport.

Nearly 1 million people are in closer proximity to Sonderborg

Airport than any other airport. Sonderborg Airports primary

catchment is in the most attractive primary catchment in the

western part of Denmark.

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Contact us:

Sonderborg AirportLufthavnsvej 1DK-6400 SonderborgTelephone: +45 7442 2130post@sonderborg-airport.com

www.sonderborg-airport.com