KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will start jet services at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (LTSAAS) in Subang here in the third quarter of this year, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
LTSAAS is currently undergoing renovations and adjustments by Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd.
"That is just for the initial phase, namely the first three years. But in the medium term, we will be building a new terminal in Subang to replace the Skypark Terminal," Loke was quoted by Bernama after the opening of ExecuJet MRO Services Malaysia's new maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in Subang today.
He added that the new terminal will take at least three years to complete, hence some adjustments are being made for the jet operations to start immediately.
Meanwhile, Loke said the aviation industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in Asia Pacific, not only for commercial airlines but also for the business jet segment.
"It is a very important segment, hence, we think that we can potentially attract this (business jet) specific segment," he said, adding that Malaysia has the potential to be a hub for MRO in the Asia Pacific region.
Loke pointed out that Asia Pacific is the world's third-largest and fastest-growing business aviation market after North America and Europe.
"It is forecast that Asia Pacific will account for 11 per cent of all new business jet deliveries over the next five years, driving demand for business aviation MRO," he said.
With the Subang Airport Regeneration Plan (SARP) in place, the minister said Malaysia is targeting to capture the aircraft maintenance business for business and private jets from the region such as Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong and the Philippines.
ExecuJet MRO Services Group president Graeme Duckworth said it had chosen Malaysia for its MRO expansion due to the forward-thinking government committing to growth and welcoming entrepreneurs and readily-available workforce.
He added Malaysia also offers ease of operation at LTSAAS, which is also known as Subang Airport, and the availability of land in the area.
"For a few years now, Malaysia has been our most successful business within the ExecuJet MRO Services Group, and remains so to this day.
"This facility will of course take it to the next level, and I'm sure it won't be long until we reach capacity, as we play our part in helping Subang airport to strengthen its position as the epicentre for business aviation in Malaysia and beyond," Duckworth said.
ExecuJet Malaysia is a unit of French business jet manufacturer Dassault Aviation.
The centre by ExecuJet Malaysia, which is a unit of French business jet manufacturer Dassault Aviation, spans 149,500 sqft and is the largest business aviation MRO facility in Malaysia.
Dassault Aviation senior vice president of Worldwide Falcon Customer Service and Service Centre Network Jean Kayanakis said the MRO facility supports the company's full range of aircraft namely the Falcon 900, the Falcon 2000, the Falcon 7X and the Falcon 8X as well as the Falcon 10X, which is due to enter into service in 2027.
The facility also caters to other business jet manufacturers such as Bombardier and Gulfstream.
"The reason we invested in ExecuJet MRO activities is because we want to be as close as possible to our customers and continue to provide them with the best experience, both flying our Falcons and getting the excellent support they deserve.
"Being able to provide comprehensive MRO services and customer support in-region and in-country is crucially important. It's a key asset for our sales team and for customers when they're deciding what aircraft to buy," Kayanakis said.
Malaysia was the first market in Asia Pacific for Dassault Aviation Falcon aircraft since 2006 while Kuala Lumpur is the French business jet manufacturer's Asia Pacific headquarters.
The ExecuJet MRO Services Group started in South Africa in 1991 and expanded international over the years to Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates and Belgium as well as a franchise in China.