DALLAS, TX, UNITED STATES, April 14, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Coltala Aerospace, a Texas-based aerospace platform backed by Coltala Holdings, announced the appointment of Phil Bathurst as President of Coltala Aerospace, bringing more than three decades of leadership experience building and scaling aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) organizations across the global aerospace aftermarket.
Coltala Aerospace is building a long-term aerospace platform focused on mission-critical services supporting commercial aviation and national defense.
Bathurst most recently served as Chief Executive Office at Aspire MRO, a Fortress Investment Group backed MRO started in Fort Worth, Texas to support the B777 P2F modifications. Aspire MRO grew from 30 employees to well over 500 employees in a three-year period and now has the capabilities of supporting five lines of P2F modifications. Earlier in his career, he held Senior Leadership roles across major aerospace maintenance operations and technology platforms including Embraer, EmpowerMX, Aviation Technical Services, and TIMCO (AAR).
He began his career installing avionics equipment on small aircraft before rising through the ranks of the aviation industry to lead large technical teams and complex aircraft maintenance operations.
In his new role, Bathurst will work closely with leaders across the Coltala Aerospace platform, including Nick McDonald, leader of Evans Composites, and Michael Campbell, leader of ACD Consulting and AeroParts Machining, to support the continued national growth and expansion of Coltala Aerospace companies.
“The aviation aftermarket is entering one of the most important growth cycles in decades,” said Phil Bathurst, President of Coltala Aerospace. “Airlines are flying aircraft longer, systems are becoming more complex, and the industry needs organizations that can deliver reliable, high-quality maintenance and engineering capabilities.
What attracted me to Coltala Aerospace is the vision to build a long-term aerospace platform grounded in operational excellence and strong culture. Companies like HEICO and TransDigm have demonstrated what disciplined leadership and smart growth can achieve in the aviation aftermarket.
Coltala Aerospace has the opportunity to build a company where great technicians, engineers, and operators want to build their careers while delivering exceptional service to customers. We look forward to partnering with great aerospace businesses and leaders as we continue expanding the Coltala Aerospace platform.
I’m excited to work with the Coltala team to continue building a platform that supports both commercial aviation and national defense.”
“At Coltala we build leaders who build companies that build America,” said Edward Crawford, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Coltala Holdings and a Founding
Advisory Board Member of NYSE Texas.
“Coltala Aerospace strengthens America’s aerospace industrial base—from commercial aviation to supporting the warfighter. Phil is the right leader to guide the next generation of leaders across our aerospace companies.”
Crawford, a former U.S. Naval intelligence officer and Co-Founder of the Sentinel Defense Forum, said Coltala Aerospace is focused on building long-term aerospace capability while strengthening America’s industrial base and creating American jobs.
“Building aerospace companies that support national capability and create American jobs is both a mission and an honor.”
Ralph Manning, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Coltala Holdings, said Bathurst’s leadership experience makes him a natural fit for the company’s next phase of growth.
“Phil understands how to scale aerospace operations while maintaining the discipline and culture required in this industry,” Manning said. “His leadership will help accelerate the continued growth of Coltala Aerospace.”
About Coltala Aerospace
Coltala Aerospace is part of Coltala Holdings, a Texas-based investment and operating firm focused on building companies in mission-critical industries including aerospace, engineering services, infrastructure, and healthcare.
Coltala Aerospace is pursuing a long-term strategy of building a leading aerospace services platform through organic growth and strategic acquisitions across the aviation aftermarket
Coltala Aerospace is committed to advancing America’s aerospace and defense industries with precision and purpose. Through integrated expertise in composites, MRO, and consulting, we provide mission-aligned solutions designed for long-term national impact. We deploy the Coltala Enterprise System (CES) into each of our businesses; a business system utilizing time tested Fortune 100 best practices and tools grounded in lean management principles. The CES facilitates rapid growth and ensures that every Coltala business achieves scale and reaches its full potential. We build businesses by establishing a foundation where both Mission and Margin are given equal priority. To learn more, please visit coltalaaerospace.com.
Beatriz Arana
EnergíaComm, Corp.
beatriz.arana@energiacommunications.com
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