Universal Weather and Aviation's affiliate in Aruba is planning to open a new hangar facility as it looks to attract more business jets on their way to and from the USA.
In May Aruba became the first country to forge a pre-clearance agreement with the USA covering private aircraft. Universal Aviation Aruba general manager Claudio Stamper says US Customs and Border Protection pre-clearance services will be in place late this year or early next year and should lead to a significant increase in business aviation transit traffic. "I have that traffic already. Pre-clearance will make it easier," Stamper says.
Universal Aviation Aruba, which is the only company handling business jets on the island, now handles about 300-350 movements a month. About 80% of this traffic comes from nearby Venezuela and only about 8-10% consists of transit traffic between Latin America and the USA.
But Stamper expects his business to grow to 500 movements a month by the end of next year, with most of the additional traffic consisting of transit customers who now stop in Puerto Rico or other US territories in the Caribbean on their way to the USA. Stamper aims to in particular tap the fast-growing Brazilian market as Aruba is almost exactly halfway between Brazil and the USA.
He says several customers have also expressed interest in basing aircraft in Aruba if a dedicated hangar is opened. To accommodate the expected rise in business jet traffic, Stamper aims to open a new business jet hangar that will be able to accommodate five to 10 large-cabin aircraft. "We're talking to authorities now and hope to start construction by the end of the year," he says.
Universal Aviation Aruba, which is owned by Stamper, a Venezuelan businessmen and Texas-based Universal, has been handling business jets since 2005. Last year it opened a 1,300m² (14,000ft²) FBO building which significantly improved the service offered as previously it had to pick up passengers from the commercial passenger terminal. But it only has one small maintenance hangar that can accommodate two to three Cessna 172-size aircraft.
While Aruba will be the first non-US territory to offer pre-clearance services, other countries in the Caribbean such as the Bahamas are also considering participating in a new US CBD programme designed to encourage clearance of private aircraft before entering US airspace.
Source: Flight International
