Business has been brisk for AMAC Aerospace of Switzerland

Completions and MRO specialist AMAC Aerospace of Switzerland ended 2016 on a flourish, with a flurry of contracts executed over the last quarter, while successfully demonstrating its expertise at two major exhibitions in the UAE and Turkey. 

AMAC Aerospace had a successful outing at the Middle East and North Africa Business Aviation Association (MEBAA Show) in Dubai, UAE, during which it also signed a key contract with a Saudi customer. 

The biennial MEBAA Show is the leading business aviation event for the Middle East and North Africa. Inaugurated by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, and Chief Executive and Chairman of Emirates Airline & Group, the show was held over three days in December, and attracted as many as 460 exhibitors and 9,042 attendees.

At the event, AMAC Aerospace proudly presented its capabilities as well as the Pilatus PC-12 NG aircraft. AMAC’s engineering, maintenance and completions expertise were presented by key departmental heads, and formal entertainment in all areas of business was carried out. 

“AMAC Aerospace was represented by 15 members and we had a full show of force, along with our sister companies Gamit and JCB Aero. The PC-12 NG aircraft, for which AMAC Aerospace is the exclusive distributor for the Middle East, was presented on the static display in front of AMAC’s chalet,” says Bernd Schramm, the Group Chief Operating Officer of AMAC Aerospace.

AMAC also used the show to sign a new maintenance contract with Sky Prime of Saudi Arabia. Headquartered in Riyadh, Sky Prime is a leader in private aviation and provides private aviation services such as charter flights and consultancy.

Following the success of several maintenance inputs on Sky Prime’s Airbus A340 aircraft, which were performed at AMAC’s facilities in Basel, Switzerland, the Saudi firm signed the contract with AMAC to perform major modifications on a privately-owned A340 jet in the second quarter of 2017.

The contract includes major modifications such as cabin reconfiguration and refurbishment and the redesign of the cabin.

Beside the cabin reconfiguration, AMAC will also perform structural modifications on the A340. A KA-band system that is designed to enable broadband class data connectivity as well as a live TV system will be installed. The STCs for the KA-Band system and the Live TV are developed by AMAC’s engineering department. Sky Prime’s A340 will also undergo a complete external paint job at AMAC’s partner facility for painting.

“Access to ultra-high speed, KA-band and high-speed live TV that is consistent and reliable is crucial for private aviation firms. VIP business aviation passengers demand connectivity and comfort whenever they fly and need their online services to work as seamlessly in the air as they do on the ground,” explains Kadri Muhiddin, Group Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AMAC Aerospace. 

“AMAC has worked closely with Sky Prime, supporting its fleet and operations through our aftermarket and technical services, and we are pleased to extend this support to their next-generation aircraft offering full connectivity,” adds Schramm.


ISTANBUL AIRSHOW

AMAC Aerospace also successfully exhibited at the Airex Airshow, which was held in October in Istanbul, Turkey. The Istanbul show is focused on civil and business aviation and is aimed at serving and meeting the challenges of the Eurasian and the Middle East markets.

AMAC has a 1,200-sq-m hangar in Istanbul, while construction of a 4,626-sq-m hangar in Bodrum is under way and will be ready

this year. “Our facility in Istanbul, which is operated by AMAC’s subsidiary, AMAC Aerospace Turkey, as well as our new hangar in Bodrum, are two strategically chosen locations in order to offer our high standards in maintenance services, AOG (aircraft on ground) support, parts supply and parking to our esteemed clientele in the Eurasian and Middle Eastern markets. We were delighted to showcase our capabilities as well as to promote our Pilatus PC-12 aircraft and the new Pilatus PC-24. The Istanbul Airshow was an excellent platform to maintain and expand our network in these markets,” says Muhiddin.


FLURRY OF CONTRACTS

In December, AMAC Aerospace of Switzerland won four maintenance contracts on small and mid-size business jets to be carried out at its headquarters in Basel.

Under a contract signed, an Airbus A319 would undergo a registration change and owner transfer process. AMAC Aerospace’s maintenance and logistics organisation would prepare all due documents to fulfil the registration change requirements and release an engineering order for a new exterior paint livery.

AMAC also won contracts to perform an annual inspection on a privately owned Boeing BBJ aircraft as well as multiple C-Checks and minor cabin modifications on another BBJ.

Also, a 60-month check package on a Bombardier Global Express aircraft was performed.

“It is a pleasure that beside new maintenance contracts on narrow bodies, we also had the opportunity to showcase our know-how and expertise on a Global Express aircraft, which demonstrates our willingness to strengthen our position on the Bombardier market. We are proud to be recognised in this way by our esteemed clientele,” says Schramm.

The months of October and November too were extremely busy for AMAC Aerospace. 

In November, AMAC was awarded four new contracts on mid-size and wide-body aircraft to be carried out in Basel. A privately owned A340 from a new customer was welcomed for an A-Check while an Asian customer brought an A319 aircraft to the facility for AMAC to perform a heavy C-Check in conjunction with a partial cabin removal and a landing gear overhaul. A second wide-body contract was signed for another A340, a Head-of-State aircraft, to undergo a C-Check along with a KA-band installation. AMAC also won a deal to install a KA-band on a privately owned BBJ aircraft. 

The same month saw AMAC return to service three aircraft after a heavy maintenance input. An Airbus A319 and a BBJ underwent a heavy base maintenance check and were delivered within time and budget.

“Our goal is to secure the greatest convenience for our esteemed customers by providing our excellent maintenance services, highest quality standards and by ensuring an on-time and within-budget delivery of each maintenance project,” says Schramm.

October saw AMAC clinch several contracts with new and existing customers for maintenance packages on several jets. These included a privately owned BBJ from a Middle East customer which underwent an A-Check in conjunction with minor cabin modifications and another A-Check input on a privately owned A319 from a new customer. A new customer from Europe also signed a six-year maintenance contract package for his privately owned Gulfstream G550 aircraft. 

Also, an A318 from the Middle East was welcomed in Basel to undergo a heavy C-Check in conjunction with a landing gear overhaul.

In addition, AMAC’s Gulfstream and Global Express team undertook five scheduled base maintenance packages on Gulfstream G450, GIV, GV and Global Express G5000 jets, while carrying out a registration change on a Gulfstream G450.

All these contracts left Hangar 1 – which is dedicated to maintenance on mid-size aircraft –fully occupied, says Maintenance Director Rudi Kurz. “This proves that our facility is appreciated for our highly qualified technicians, minimising downtime and finding suitable solutions depending on budget and operational requirements by our clients worldwide,” he concludes.