Having signed a lease back in February with Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) to transform Subic Bay International airport, a former United States Navy base, into a hub for business aviation in the Asia Pacific region, Philippines-based business aviation services provider Aviation Concepts Technical Services Inc (ACTSI) has completed a phase one upgrade of its facilities. Strategically-located within an 18,000 sqm hangar, ACTSI is to become a premier parking and MRO service provider for business jets within the region.

“With the opening of ACTSI's facility, business jet owners and operators will now have the confidence of knowing that a world class facility, complimented with a team of certified engineers, can now handle parking and maintenance of their aircraft,” says general manager John O'Meara.

At the launch of the newly refurbished MRO facility, senator Richard 'Dick' Gordon spoke of the value of this latest Razon & Co investment: “This is a welcome development in the Subic Bay International airport. It will allow more executive jets to come here to be serviced. I hope the whole of Asia, especially owners and operators of private jets, will start using this airport. Now we are going to put the airport to use and, hopefully, it will expand. Certainly, we want anybody who does business here to be happy.”

Attourney Wilma Eisma, chairman and administrator of the SBMA, adds that the facility ushers in new businesses for the former military airbase, which served as a global hub for courier giant Federal Express until 2009: “We have long dreamed of developing the airport for business and general aviation airport in the country, and this project is one huge step towards realising that vision. We are banking on the strategic location of Subic in the Asia Pacific region to boost SBIA's chances to become a regional player in the MRO business.”

Also attending the launch were executives from Gulfstream, Rolls Royce, Satcom Direct, JSSI, Honeywell and top aircraft management companies in Asia.

The Subic Bay International airport can accommodate large aircraft as the runway length of the former American airbase stands at 9,000 ft. With no slot restrictions, an average flight time to Subic is only one hour and thirty minutes from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, a mere three hour flight from key Asian cities such as Singapore and Malaysia, and three hours and fifteen minutes from Indonesia and Thailand.

In addition to limited parking slots and general maintenance services required to keep aircraft flight-ready in the region, ACTSI's facility in Subic Bay is poised to provide solutions to issues such as corrosion and exposure to natural elements.

Led by O'Meara, a former Gulfstream test pilot with over 40 years aviation experience, ACTSI has Cayman and Bermuda approvals and is currently working towards expanding its capabilities to include an FAA Part 145 approval.