Gulfstream Aerospace Corp’s service centre in Beijing, China, has received Part 145 approval from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). 

The news was revealed ahead of the 2015 Asian Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (Abace) which gets under way in Shanghai tomorrow.

The authorisation gives Gulfstream Beijing technicians the authority to perform base and line maintenance and provide aircraft-on-ground support for most US-registered Gulfstream aircraft.

Gulfstream Beijing is a joint venture between Gulfstream and Hainan Airlines Group.

“This achievement marks the culmination of a committed effort by many employees at Gulfstream Beijing and company headquarters in Savannah,” says Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream Product Support. “More and more of our US operators are based in or travelling to China and this certification enables them to take advantage of the comprehensive support provided by our team at Gulfstream Beijing.”

Gulfstream Beijing is located at Beijing Capital International Airport, one of the world’s busiest airports, and includes more than 6,503 sq m of hangar, ramp and office space. Along with its FAA certification, Gulfstream Beijing holds maintenance approvals from the aviation authorities of China, Hong Kong and Macau. The approvals cover Gulfstream G550, G450, G280, G200 and GV aircraft.

Gulfstream Beijing has grown to approximately 50 employees, including 24 technicians. The site has handled more than 350 aircraft visits since opening.

Meanwhile, Gulfstream Aerospace’s component maintenance facility in Lincoln, California, has earned approval from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) to repair components on China-registered Gulfstream aircraft.

Under the CAAC certificate, Gulfstream Lincoln can work on more than 150 parts associated with the Gulfstream G550, G450, G280, G200, GV and GIV aircraft models. Gulfstream’s China fleet has grown from 15 aircraft in 2009 to approximately 100 in 2015.

“Whether it is component maintenance at Gulfstream Lincoln or airframe maintenance at our Gulfstream Long Beach Service Center, providing Product Support options on the West Coast of the US is more convenient for our China-based operators,” says Burns. "We will continue to expand our capabilities list at Lincoln to support our customers' needs.

Gulfstream Lincoln, a 4,645-sq-m facility, is staffed by more than 55 employees and holds numerous original equipment manufacturer authorisations. The facility is instrumental in supporting Gulfstream’s global stocking strategy with a $34 million parts inventory that includes alternators, converters, avionics, wheels and brakes. Gulfstream Lincoln has more than 1,000 approved part numbers on its current capabilities list.

In other news, Gulfstream Aerospace announced it has appointed Chandroo Methani as regional sales manager for Product Support Sales in the Asia-Pacific region. 

Methani, who is based in his native Singapore, is responsible for sales of aircraft maintenance, avionics upgrades, refurbishment and modifications. He reports to Nicolas Robinson, director, Product Support Sales, Asia Pacific.

“Chandroo will be a valuable resource for customers in the region,” Robinson says. “He is fluent in seven languages, including English, Bahasa Indonesia and Hindi, and has more than 30 years of aviation experience, including time spent as a mechanic and technician. We are very happy to have him on our team.”

Most recently, Methani spent nearly 10 years as the Singapore-based regional sales director for Hawker Pacific Asia, an aviation services company headquartered in Australia. His extensive background in the industry includes marketing and sales positions at Qantas Defence Services, Pacific Turbine, Hawker de Havilland and ST Aerospace.

Methani earned a master’s degree in international business from the University of Wollongong in Australia and a diploma in management from the Singapore Institute of Management. He also holds certifications in aeronautical maintenance engineering and mechanical engineering from Singapore Polytechnic and London’s City & Guilds Institute, respectively.

A wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation designs, develops, manufactures, markets, services and supports the world’s most technologically advanced business-jet aircraft. 

Gulfstream offers a comprehensive fleet of aircraft, comprising the G150, the G280, the G450, the G550, the G500, the G600, the G650 and the G650ER. Gulfstream also offers aircraft ownership services via Gulfstream Pre-Owned Aircraft Sales. The company employs more than 15,000 people at 12 major locations. 

Abace 2015 will be held at Shanghai Hongqiao Airport at the Shanghai Hawker Pacific Business Aviation Service Centre from April 14 to 16. In partnership with Shanghai Airport Authority (SAA) and co-hosted by the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) of the US, the Asian Business Aviation Association (AsBAA) and the Shanghai Exhibition Center (SEC), the event has proven to be a rapidly-growing, high-value premier business aviation event in Asia since its launch in 2012.