Press Release

Issued by .

February 11, 2014

Following the certification of its state-of-the-art paint shop at its Seletar Aerospace Park facility in Singapore, Hawker Pacific, the leading aircraft sales and product support company in Asia, Pacific and the Middle East, has completed a number of milestone projects with long-range jets and is anticipating a very busy 2014. The paint shop facility, dedicated to business aircraft, is the first of its type in the region and has become a valuable resource for local aircraft operators around the region.

In 2013 Hawker Pacific undertook a wide variety of aircraft paint projects including OEM warranty repairs, livery changes and full resprays. To date Citation, King Air, Hawker, Gulfstream, Embraer and Falcon Jet aircraft have been completed, with outstanding feedback from customers.

Tony Jones, chief operating officer, Hawker Pacific Asia, said he is delighted with the results, which have reaffirmed the company's first-mover advantage in its decision to build the paint shop as part of its investment at Seletar.

“We had identified early on a growing need for operators to reduce the cost burden of having to fly to the US or Europe for mid-life repaints, particularly as the fleet of local business aircraft matures. There is no other dedicated service centre with a paint facility of this standard anywhere in the region and we're proud that the service we provide is genuinely world-class in terms of quality and finish.”

“A quality paint finish is not just about looking good but is also an important maintenance action to preserve and protect the aircraft, its value, and to avoid unnecessary expense in the future. The environment in this part of the world is particularly tough on aircraft exteriors, so it's critical to be diligent when it comes to the aircraft's exterior. That said, it's always very rewarding when the aircraft rolls out of the paint shop looking as good as new.”

“Additionally at Seletar, we have performed a number of mid-life, high-quality refinishing projects, significant avionics upgrades, major aircraft inspections, modifications and more. There are no signs of a slowdown as we continue to cater for the growing demand of aircraft coming through the facility and we're expecting 2014 to be even busier than 2013 – already a record year in terms of productivity.”

The state-of-the-art paint shop was built by US company, Global Finishing Solutions, and was commissioned in December 2012. Built inside an aircraft hangar, the paint shop has a floor area of 1000sqm, allowing Hawker Pacific to work on aircraft up to the size of the Dassault Falcon 7X, Gulfstream G550 and Bombardier Global Express to an “as-new” standard. It also has a fully filtered cross-flow booth which meets all of the stringent environmental standards.

Hawker Pacific provides ongoing, in-depth training and development programs for its staff which are carefully managed to accredited standards and strictly adheres to occupational health and safety regulations. The company also works with paint providers to facilitate proactive regular, ongoing, on-site training, and continues to investigate and implement the latest processes and technologies in the aircraft paint industry.

Hawker Pacific represents some of the world's leading aircraft and equipment manufacturers. Hawker Pacific is located at Chalet CD31 and 32, at the 2014 Singapore Airshow, located at the Changi Exhibition Centre, which runs from 11 – 16 February 2014.