At the Singapore Airshow 2016, held on February 16-21, Jet Aviation Singapore has observed its 20th anniversary. Jet Aviation Singapore was established at Seletar Airport as an authorized service center for Gulfstream aircraft in 1996, gaining Bombardier service center authorization in 1997.
“It was a new territory and the first five years presented many challenges. In fact, the learning curve was both steep and unexpected,” said Ruedi Kraft, vice president of business development for Jet Aviation’s completions center in Basel, Switzerland, and former founding vice president and general manager of Jet Aviation Singapore. “We’d been in international business aviation for nearly 30 years at that time and simply thought that we could transfer our business paradigms to Asia. We misjudged that, of course, but we were persistent.”
“Our commitment to our customers in the region has never waned and our long-term strategy – our commitment to providing the most benefit through continuous focus on quality, service, comfort and high standards – is now really paying off,” said Rob Smith, Jet Aviation Group president. “We have cooperated with Singapore’s Economic Development Board throughout our two decades of dedicated service and are very grateful for their continued support, which was particularly instrumental to our 2014 expansion project.”
The company says steady growth began in early 2000; Jet Aviation Singapore has continued to expand and upgrade its facilities and services ever since. FBO services were extended to Changi International Airport in 2006, and the company expanded its footprint in Asia with the establishment of a maintenance facility in Hong Kong in 2008. Its MRO facility became an authorized BBJ line maintenance center in 2010, and in 2013 was appointed as an authorized service center for Nextant 400XT aircraft. In the same year, the company formed a strategic alliance with the Air Transport Training College at Seletar Aerospace Park, to build up a pool of local talent.
In May 2014, Jet Aviation opened a new multimillion dollar hangar facility adjacent to its existing location, effectively tripling its size. With the expansion, the company further developed its cabin refurbishment business by adding an interior shop and broadening its interior service offerings, while also introducing new hangarage and parking services.
Designed to accommodate large, long-range business jets – particularly Gulfstream G450, G550 and G650 aircraft – Jet Aviation Singapore also enhanced its partnership with Gulfstream, upgrading its status to factory authorized service center and warranty repair facility. In addition, Gulfstream technicians are located on-site to assist with airframe, avionics and interior work, including refurbishment.
In late 2014, John Riggir joined Jet Aviation Singapore as vice president and general manager, and is responsible for further expanding the facility’s service offerings. The company undertook three major refurbishments in 2015, including a full interior refurbishment on a Global Express, and is currently completing a full cabin refurbishment on a second Global. Towards the end of 2015 it received Part 145 CAAC maintenance approval to support Chinese operators of Bombardier and Gulfstream aircraft, in addition to FAA approval for the G650 and its interior shop. In November 2015, Jet Aviation Singapore received the Asian Business Aviation Association’s (AsBAA) Best Maintenance and Repair Services Industry Award. Jet Aviation also recently completed the refurbishment of its FBO at Seletar Airport.
February 18, 2016
