Hawker Pacific opens new Shanghai FBO

Leading aircraft sales and services company, Hawker Pacific and its joint venture partner, the Shanghai Airport Authority, officially opened their new business aviation facility at Shanghai’s Hongquiao airport on 27th March 2010.

The Shanghai Airport Authority is the operator of the city's two airports that are amongst the busiest in China.

Initially, the joint venture is providing FBO services, including full customs, quarantine and immigration services to passengers, as well as aircraft hangarage.

When fully operational, the new facility will also offer, Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) and Aircraft Management services to attract international and China’s domestic owners of business jets and to support OEMs and flight service providers.

The 3100sqm full-service FBO operation offers a large lounge, five offices, theatre and conference facilities for customers as well as a quality rest and service area for crew. The 4000sqm workshop and hangar is large enough to house two BBJs side by side.

Covering a total area of 7100sqm plus a dedicated apron area, the facility will be capable of handling up to 6000 aircraft movements a year.

It is planned to have an established and fully certified MRO capability in place by the fourth quarter, 2010. In the interim, a certified Hawker Pacific mobile maintenance team will provide service support as required.

Hawker Pacific Chief Executive, Alan Smith said: “The Shanghai joint venture is an extremely important milestone for Hawker Pacific from both a corporate and operational perspective.

“Strategically, it is a perfect fit with our requirements to grow our FBO, MRO and Aircraft Management Services businesses throughout Asia, regarded as being the power base for economic and aviation growth over the next decade. This has always been an integral plank in our strategy.

“Operationally, promotion of corporate aviation and the provision of product support capabilities within the region are core objectives of our business. It makes good business sense to do so by establishing these facilities in one of the largest cities in arguably, the fastest growing market in the world.

“We are enjoying our relationship with the Shanghai Airport Authority and look forward to working with them as we progressively enhance the capabilities of the new business aviation facility,” he said.

Forward bookings for use of the Shanghai business aviation facility during the World Expo 2010, which commences in Shanghai in May and will continue for six months, are already heavy. It is expected a large number of business jets will use the new facility over this period.

Over the past two years and in line with the company’s progressive expansion program for the Region, Hawker Pacific has also made a significant investment in establishing world class Service Centres in Singapore, Malaysia, and The Philippines.

Following the success of Hawker Pacific’s SkyPark Malaysia VIP lounge and Fixed Base Operation joint venture (with Execujet) in 2008, the company has expanded these operations with the opening of a product and service support centre at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, Subang, Malaysia.

The facility carries a Part 145 Maintenance Organisation approval from Malaysia Dept of Civil Aviation and is an accredited HBC Line Service Centre for the King Air range of aircraft.

Hawker Pacific’s Manila Service Centre, established in 2001, has been a highly successful venture for Hawker Pacific and is now recognised as the prominent service support centre for Hawker Beechcraft and Bell Helicopters in the Philippines. It employs 60 people.

In June 2009. Hawker Pacific added to its Australian FBO network by opening a new FBO facility in Perth. The new FBO will support anticipated growth in Australian domestic, Asian and international traffic.