AN aerospace firm is cutting jobs at a loss-making North-East airport, The Northern Echo can reveal.

Cobham, based at Durham Tees Valley Airport (DTVA), says it is making redundancies as it moves work from the region.

Bosses, who employ about 90 people at DTVA, say its flight inspection services are being transferred to Bournemouth Airport.

The firm has not confirmed how many workers' posts are at risk.

However, Cobham says it remains committed to its North-East base, and will continue providing the Ministry of Defence (MoD) with training in a £165m five-year deal from the region.

The move comes as DTVA chiefs work on plans to stem annual £2m losses that could see part of the site turned into a 400-home estate and an industrial hub, strengthened by flights to Amsterdam and Aberdeen.

Cobham's flight inspection division includes commissioning, engineering flight checks, and inspections for instrument landing systems, airfield ground lighting and distance measuring equipment.

Its work is used by airport operators and service providers, equipment makers, Government regulators, and organisations responsible for flight inspections and air traffic management aids.

A spokesman said: “Cobham has no plans to leave DTVA but is restructuring and moving its flight inspection operation to Bournemouth Airport.

“There will be some redundancies due to the move.

“However, we will continue to use DTVA for the foreseeable future as our Northern base to provide the MoD with operational readiness training.

“That mission involves five aircraft flying about 3,000 hours annually.”

The airport's MoD work includes operational readiness work, which builds on a 25-year partnership with the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy to train service personnel on Eurofighter Typhoon jets and Type 45 Destroyer battleships.

Cobham uses Falcon 20 aircraft that use equipment to emulate jammed radar and communication systems and work as targets for gun and missile firing.

The firm's DTVA team also conduct calibration of air traffic and navigation systems for civilian airports and military airbases from London Heathrow to the Falkland Islands.

DTVA bosses' master plan includes selling land for housing, which they say will generate millions of pounds and help fund nine new hangars, office space and industrial units.

They say rent occupants would make the airport viable and protect scheduled flights to Aberdeen and Amsterdam.

  • DTVA's plans, which are on public consultation until January 10, will be discussed today (Tuesday, December 17) at a NOF Energy Subsea North East Oil and Gas event at Hardwick Hall, in Sedgefield, County Durham.