Colorado-based Adam Aircraft has forged a partnership with Singapore Technologies (ST) Engineering covering maintenance of existing models, engineering of new models and sales in Asia.
Under a letter of intent signed between the two companies at the show, ST subsidiary Singapore Technologies Aerospace will maintain A500 piston-engined twins and A700 very light jets (VLJs) at its facilities in Europe, North America and Singapore.
Adam Aircraft chief executive Rick Adam says having a major maintenance provider as a partner will help it with sales to operators who are interested in using the A500 or A700 for scheduled passenger operations.
Adam has sold over 350 A500 piston-engined twins and A700 VLJs but has not yet secured any orders from Asian customers.
“We anticipate having aircraft in the region within the next year or two,” says Adam.
ST deputy chief executive Wee Siew Kim says ST is interested in expanding into the VLJ market because it expects high demand in Asia, in particular to access remote regions of India and Indonesia. “We hope it really opens up the air taxi market,” which in Asia is very small but has high potential, Wee says. Adam also expects sales to pilot-training providers in Asia although he has not yet tapped this market in North America.
So far Adam has delivered two A500s to US customers while two A700s are being flight-tested with certification expected late this year.
ST’s engineering team will help Adam with the remaining portion of the A700 development programme and the two companies may later pursue joint engineering of new VLJ models.
“The initial focus will be finishing certification work on the A700 but likely there will be work on future models which likely will be larger,” Adam says.
Source: Flight International
