Austria ground power systems manufacturer Hitzinger is debuting at this year's show and showing what it believes is the only ground power unit (GPU) on display.

The company produces a range of power units for military and civil applications. With KLM its biggest customer operating more than 100 units, Hitzinger's business is biased toward the civil airlines.

With a general downturn, the company is keen to shift the balance and believes there are military customers in the region. The Royal Malaysian Air Force is already a customer with a unit based outside Kuala Lumpur.

Hitzinger also believes that its products, which meet European standards on noise emissions, can lead the way as Asian regulations become more stringent.

General sales manager Peter Pinter says he's been surprised by the numbers of visitors and the level of interest the company has experienced. "We see Singapore as our base for the region.

"We work with an agent, Avia, and believe it's the place from which we can explore Southeast Asia."

The power unit on display is the 140MDI 1, the second largest in the Hitzinger range.

Pinter is hopeful that it won't be shipped back to the company's manufacturing base in Linz - he hopes to find a local customer to whom it will go as a test unit.

Source: Flight Daily News