AMAC Aerospace’s business continues to boom

As in previous years, AMAC Aerospace of Switzerland will be at the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (Ebace), promoting its all-round excellence in business aviation.

At the event, which takes place from May 22 to 24 in Geneva, AMAC will spotlight its state-of-the art hangars in the heart of Europe at EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg, where its experts provide a comprehensive range of maintenance services, completions and refurbishment, management, charter and aviation consulting.

AMAC Aerospace was founded in 2007, and has grown to become the largest privately owned facility in the world, offering narrow and wide-body VIP completions and maintenance for the corporate and private aviation market. 

Its growth and expansion is spearheaded by Kadri Muhiddin, Group Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Group Chief Operating Officer Bernd Schramm, and Group Chief Financial Officer Mauro Grossi.

AMAC’s presence at Ebace 2017 comes following a successful showing at the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX), which ran from April 4 to 6 in Hamburg, Germany.

At AIX, JCB Aero of France, which is a part of the AMAC Aerospace, showed off its various solutions for the industry. The VIP interior design specialist, which is based at a private airport at Auch near Toulouse in France, boasts nearly 30 years’ experience in wood, lamination, upholstery, paint and engineering modifications.

JCB Aero has the capability to manage complete projects for helicopters, VIP aircraft and commercial airlines in one place – from minor modifications to major refurbishments, from design to completion, maintenance and upgrades.

Products on show at AIX, which was attended by more than 14,000 industry professionals, included its Cocoon seat, a lightweight cabinet concept featuring carbon panels.


FLYING START

As in 2016, AMAC Aerospace has got off to a flying start in 2017, winning and executing several contracts in the first quarter of the year.

In March, AMAC reported that its four hangars were operating to full capacity with maintenance work under way on three Airbus A340s, a Boeing B777 and other wide-bodies, and a B747-8i to be expected to enter the hangar doors later this year. In addition, a contract for work on an A330-200 – which includes a major C-Check, landing gear overhaul and interior refurbishment including re-upholstering the cabin seats and laying new cabin carpet – was signed to be executed in May.

“AMAC has become the MRO (maintenance, repair and operations) of choice when it comes to maintenance of wide-body aircraft. After just 10 years of existence, we have gained significance in the market and are acting now as an established partner in business aviation and are widely considered by private and head-of-state wide-body owners to perform maintenance on their aircraft,” said Schramm.

The month of March also saw AMAC welcome an A340-500 to install a Ka-band system on the head-of-state jet. The Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for this installation is developed by AMAC’s engineering department.

AMAC has already developed a STC for Ka-band installation on B737-900ER aircraft, which was issued in January 2017. The STCs for a Ka-band installation on the A340-500, A340-600 and B777-200LR are currently under development and will be available in Q2, 2017.

“Our engineering department has worked on over 750 projects for which minor modifications and STCs have been developed in order to fulfil the demands of our esteemed clientele. The STCs developed by AMAC for the Ka-band installation on the A330-200, A340-500/-600, B777-200LR and B737-900 offer a shorter downtime, a broader service portfolio to clients and are therefore a decisive market advantage when it comes to future Ka-band installation requests,” said Roger Sandmann, Head of Engineering and Lead Certification Engineer (CVE).

Also in March, AMAC won a tender to perform a 12-year modification on an Airbus A340-200 in conjunction with extensive cabin modifications during a short layover. The scope of work includes a pylon inspection and removal of all four engines of the wide-body. Beside the heavy maintenance check, the aircraft was to undergo a cabin modification as well as a refurbishment of the cabin seats, furniture and the carpet using a “smart repair” technique.

“With our in-house capabilities in regard to engineering, design and production, we are delighted to offer this ‘one-stop-service’ and we are committed to the highest business aviation standards to our esteemed clientele, which keeps his operational costs down,” said Grossi.

In February, AMAC redelivered a BBJ737-900 after installing a Ka-band system and undertaking several modifications to reduce noise levels in a part of the cabin. AMAC also signed several maintenance agreements in February. One of them involved a heavy C-Check in conjunction with cabin works and a landing gear overhaul on an A320, while a new operator from China selected AMAC for a maintenance programme along with minor cabin modifications on his BBJ1. 

“We are delighted that our expertise is well known and appreciated by our Asian clients and we will further strengthen our position in the Chinese market,” said Alexis Ott, Senior Manager Sales and Key Account, AMAC Aerospace.

Another maintenance contract on a BBJ was signed with a new European operator which included a C-Check  and structural repair work on the fuselage in cooperation with Boeing.

January contracts included a cabin oxygen system to be replaced from a liquid to a chemical system in conjunction with an annual maintenance check on a BBJ 1; a maintenance check on a BBJ 2; a deal from an existing customer to carry out C1, C2 and C4 checks along with a landing gear overhaul on a privately-owned BBJ 2. Other orders included one from a new customer dor a C1 check on his BBJ 3; from an Asian client to perform a C1 check, service bulletins and cabin interior work on an A319; two A319s for annual inspections; and from a new customer for a C-Check on an A319.

AMAC will be at Ebace at Booth H115.