Nov 29, 2012– Beijing, China (Techreleased) –Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. announced today that its aircraft service center in Beijing – Gulfstream Beijing – is officially open for business after recently being approved as a Part 145 maintenance facility by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). The certification gives facility technicians the authorization to work on aircraft registered in China.
Gulfstream Beijing is a joint venture (JV) between Gulfstream and two subsidiaries of Hainan Airlines Group, Hainan Aviation Technik (HNAT) and Deer Jet. Deer Jet, China’s largest business jet charter provider, has the largest Gulfstream fleet in China. Gulfstream’s business relationship with the company began in 2004, when the charter operation leased a pre-owned GIV. HNAT offers aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services.
Gulfstream Beijing, conveniently located at Beijing Capital International Airport, comprises an 82,000-square-foot (7,618-sq-m) hangar and 22,000 square feet (2,044 sq m) of offices and back shops. It is overseen by general manager Kay Ardalan, a veteran Gulfstream Product Support executive. The facility is staffed by factory-trained Gulfstream and Deer Jet employees, and is equipped with extensive ground support equipment and tooling.
The facility has quick access to more than $50 million in parts and materials strategically positioned at warehouses in Beijing, Hong Kong and Singapore.
“We are proud to be the first business jet original equipment manufacturer to offer MRO services for its customers in China,” said Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream Product Support. “Gulfstream Beijing is a result of the excellent cooperation between Gulfstream, our Chinese partners and CAAC. We are very pleased to be able to provide our world-class customer service and support much closer to the home base of more than 100 Gulfstream aircraft. Our main goal is to ensure the safety and reliability of these aircraft every day. With the growth of business aviation and our fleet in Asia, we expect this to be a prosperous partnership for many years to come.”
“This is a logical and important step for Hainan,” said Zhang Peng, chairman of Deer Jet. “We have built our charter and management business through close cooperation with Gulfstream. Many Chinese customers gain their first exposure to Gulfstream on a Deer Jet aircraft. We will be able to strengthen our position and Gulfstream’s through this added maintenance component of our business. It will reduce our maintenance expense, increase our aircraft availability and demonstrate to the Chinese market our unrelenting commitment to provide the very best in business jet services. We are delighted to be teaming with Gulfstream in this effort.”
The Gulfstream Beijing licensing process began in February. In September, the JV was granted a Chinese business license. The CAAC completed an audit of the JV in October and certified the facility in November.
The facility serves Deer Jet’s Gulfstream fleet, other Gulfstream aircraft and select non-Gulfstream models. Initial support will be for the large-cabin G550 and G450, the most popular Gulfstream aircraft in China. MRO capability will extend to Gulfstream’s other models, including the new G650 and G280, in the coming months.
