Gama Aviation Hutchison – a joint venture between UK business aviation services provider Gama and Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison – has launched a new partnership with local aircraft maintenance provider China Aircraft Services (CASL).
The move is designed to boost the companies’ business aircraft support offering within the lucrative Greater China market.
From its base at Hong Kong International airport, CASL is largely focused on maintaining and supporting Boeing and Airbus types for local and international airlines and operators. The company has approvals from both the local aviation authority and those in Bermuda, Europe, Mongolia, South Korea, Taiwan and the USA.
Gama says it will seek to expand CASL’s capabilities to include base and line maintenance and aircraft on-ground support for a range of traditional business jets. “These services will be progressively introduced during the course of 2017 to support resident and transitory aircraft at the airport,” the company says. “At a minimum, we plan to add Bombardier Global 5000, 6000, Gulfstream G450, G550 and G650 aircraft approvals this year.”
Flight Fleets Analyzer shows 179 business aircraft based in Hong Kong out of a total fleet for Greater China of 489.
Gama Aviation’s group chief executive, Marwan Khalek, says the collaboration with CASL “delivers a strong and long-term maintenance proposition at [a] strategically important aviation hub”.
He describes the venture as “another tangible example of our ability to create sustainable platforms for organic growth worldwide”. This includes the 1 January merger of Gama’s US management and charter business with the Landmark Aviation arm of fellow UK business aviation services company BBA Aviation. The partnership, known as Gama Aviation Signature Aircraft Management, has a fleet of more than 200 aircraft.
Source: Flight International
