A COMPANY that finds parts for old aircraft is helping to keep the only remaining airworthy Lancaster bomber in the air.

CMCA (UK) identifies, finds, procures and delivers parts for all kinds of equipment, both commercial and military.

The firm, based in Wyld's Lane, Worcester, will source electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical parts and specialises in finding hard-to-find items.

Earlier this year the company, which was established in 1996, won a £200,000 contract to supply spare parts to RAF Stafford.

The contract involves finding parts for aircraft such as Hawk Trainers, Nimrods and Hercules.

Securing parts

It also involves finding parts for old aircraft and the firm, which employs 16 people, has even found parts for the only Lancaster bomber still flying in the world.

"Some of the parts are very hard to find and supply because they are obsolete or the company has gone bust and no one knows where to get them," said Ron Parrott, business development manager.

"Also, as technology advances, people tend to make better, more advanced equipment, but not many people can afford to upgrade."

Mr Parrott said CMCA prided itself on finding parts other people could not.

"The RAF came to us with a list of about 150 items which it had been looking for, for well over 12 months. All its existing contractors and other specialist sourcing companies hadn't knocked a single item off the list. Within about four weeks, we'd found about 40 per cent.

"It helps to keep the old aircraft flying, but it also saves money. If they can't find the part they're faced with major redesign projects."

The company, which this year hit £1m in turnover for the first time, has access to thousands of databases and surplus stock listings, including the Ministry of Defence's mainframe components database and the latest commercial obsolescence management databases.