The Hong Kong Business Aviation centre opened its new $12.8 million hangar beside the island’s main airport on Monday, with ambitious aims of being the hub for corporate aviation in Asia.
The hangar has over 38,000sq ft of space, more than double the space at its first hangar at the same site and large enough to accommodate an Airbus ACJ or Boeing Business Jet (BBJ). The HKBAC is the only fixed base operation for corporate jets in Hong Kong, and the first in Asia to have on-site customs and immigration clearance facilities.
The bigger space would help cater to the rising number of private jet movements at Hong Kong. The centre had 981 aircraft movements in 2000 and this has grown to 2,583 in 2006 - an average annual growth of almost 20%.
“Changes in global travel pattern and style are underway, creating a growing need for business aviation service and supporting facilities in Hong Kong,” says Michael Kadoorie, director of the HKBAC. This hangar will provide expanded and improved services for business travellers and contribute significantly to serving regional and global business aviation.”
“Since its inception, the Business Aviation Centre has positioned itself as Asia’s premier executive aviation support facility and has played an important role in meeting the travel needs of senior business executives,” says John Tsang, Hong Kong’s financial secretary who officiated at the opening. “With the second hangar in place, the business aviation centre will be best placed to compete and respond to the growth in market needs.”
Raymond Kwok, managing director of the HKBAC, adds: “With globalisation increasing rapidly, the way business is conducted and the style in which people travel has been changing considerably. Hong Kong is one of the prominent gateways to global business, and business aviation is an important contributor to this financial hub.”
Hong Kong’s business aviation sector has been booming over the last few years, with the island recording one of the highest growth rates in private aircraft registration and ownership in Asia. This is partly driven by demand from China, which has seen many of its companies listing their shares on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The island is also a base for Northeast Asia, with corporate jet owners in Japan and Taiwan preferring to register their aircraft in Hong Kong for the convenience and access to China that it offers.
Other countries in Asia are also bidding to build or expand their existing business aviation facilities. Singapore is redeveloping its Seletar Airport into an aerospace hub that comprises both business aviation and MRO facilities, while Malaysia has similar plans for the old international airport in Subang and Thailand for its airport at Don Muang.
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Source: Flight Daily News
