ExecuJet, the Switzerland-based business aviation group, is expanding its operations in Asia with the opening of a new hangar at Singapore’s Seletar Aerospace Park.
The facility will provide maintenance, repair and overhaul services to Bombardier and Gulfstream aircraft based in Asia, and the company’s managing director Gerrit Basson says that it gives ExecuJet “an instant foothold in the region”. “We see great opportunities in India and China especially,” he adds.
ExecuJet has also been boosting its Australian operations over the last year with the opening of maintenance facilities in Melbourne and Sydney. The facilities are the only regional authorised warranty repair facility for Bombardier and Gulfstream business jets, and also provide maintenance support for Boeing Business Jet aircraft.
Given that the company is also the international sales distributor for the Aeiron Supersonic Business Jet, Basson plans to be in India shortly to promote the aircraft in South Asia. ExecuJet has just signed letters of intent for three SBJs, and it also inked a deal with Pakistan’s Akbar Group for another aircraft at November’s Dubai Air Show.
“We are delighted to have secured our first sales in India, coming so close after announcing the first SBJ customer in Pakistan,” says Basson. “Asia, and India in particular, represent exciting growth markets for business aviation and it’s fair to say the Aerion SBJ has captured a lot of interest.”
Aeiron says that it is on track to recruit a manufacturing partner by early 2009, leading to certification and service entry by 2014. The SBJ was unveiled in October 2004 and the company says that wind tunnel and other tests have taken the aircraft to an advanced stage of design. The jet is designed to cruise at speeds up to 1.15 Mach overland without producing a boom on the ground, and at speeds up to 1.6 Mach in other areas. It would be able to seat up to 12 passengers and have a range exceeding 4,000 nautical miles.
On behalf of Aerion, ExecuJet is now offering 40 early delivery positions to customers for a per-aircraft launch price of US$80 million in 2007 dollars. The positions will be secured by initial deposits of $250,000.
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Source: FlightGlobal.com
