Aviation General's Strategic Jet Services (SJS) subsidiary is stepping up its aircraft refurbishment business, with contracts from two operators covering five Cessna Citation Ultra business jets and five regional turboprops - two Fairchild Metros and three Raytheon Beech 1900Cs. The Bethany, Oklahoma-based company is also expecting to refurbish additional aircraft for both operators.
SJS is the sister company of Commander Aircraft, which manufactures the Commander 115 four-seat light aircraft. While sales of new and used Commanders account for around 60% of Aviation General's revenues, SJS's brokerage and refurbishment business is expected to provide a growing proportion of the company's revenues, according to the subsidiary's president, Keith Martinich.
Although sales of new general-aviation aircraft are down across the industry, Martinich says SJS's jet-aircraft brokerage business is on the increase, in part because of the large inventory of used aircraft available. "We are actively acquiring aircraft," he says.
This is also helping fuel growth in the company's other business, as SJS specialises in locating, acquiring and refurbishing aircraft to meet buyers' specifications.
Typical refurbishment services include stripping and painting, and some interior work. The company is equipped to paint business jets up to the size of the Dassault Falcon 50, and can handle as many as six aircraft in a single month, says Martinich.
Source: Flight International
