Andrzej Jeziorski/SINGAPORE
SIA Engineering (SIAEC) has revealed plans to invest S$80-90 million ($45-50 million) in two new maintenance hangars designed to accommodate the Airbus A380 at its Singapore Changi Airport base.
The 87% Singapore Airlines (SIA)-owned company says that it could become a regional maintenance, repair and overhaul centre for the A380. "We would like to see that," says SIAEC president and chief operating officer Mervyn Sirisena. "We will be gearing up to meet the needs of SIA. We will always try to do as much as we can to serve other customers," he says.
SIA is the launch customer for the A380, with 10 firm orders and 15 options, and an early-2006 entry-into-service target.
SIAEC has been in talks with Airbus on A380 maintenance, but Sirisena says it is "premature" to say whether its plans could lead to a maintenance joint venture with the European consortium.
On 31 January, SIAEC held the ground-breaking ceremony for its third maintenance hangar - a S$25 million facility due to be operational by July. The 85m-wide hangar will be able to accommodate Boeing 777s and 747s, as well as new Airbus A340-500/600 types.
The hangar, capable of handling two to three aircraft, will be equipped with a docking system designed for the 777, enabling the company to offer 'D' checks for the type for the first time.
The A380-capable hangars are due to be completed in 2002 and 2003, and will add a further 30% capacity.
The new hangars will include increased pressure hydraulic systems, laser welding, and facilities for fibre optics and high-end digital control systems, says Sirisena.
The regional market potential for A380 maintenance, repair and overhaul is likely to be substantial, with 55% of the predicted 1,230 large airliner sales up to 2018 expected to be in the Asia-Pacific region.
Source: Flight International
