Aircraft maintenance demand seen growing in PHL

Sheldeen Joy Talavera, Reporter

KUALA LUMPUR — Business jet maker Dassault Aviation said it sees increased demand for aircraft maintenance services in the Philippines due to strong growth in the business jet market.

“No doubt, the demand is growing, and I think it’s related to the economy growing as well,” Jean Kayanakis, senior vice-president for WorldWide Falcon Customer Service and Service Center Network for Dassault Aviation, said on the sidelines of an event launch in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last week.

The Philippines’ gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by 5.6% in 2023. For 2024, the government is targeting 6-7% GDP growth.

Citing market reports, ExecuJet MRO Services said that there are more than 60 business jets in the Philippines.

Ivan Lim, ExecuJet’s regional vice-president for Asia, said that aircraft utilization is expected to increase, which will require maintenance services.

“I think post-COVID, we have seen the numbers going up in terms of flights, in terms of usage of business jets in the region, so that is what is driving our growth,” he said.

Asked if there are any plans to expand in the Philippines, he said, “it’s something that we assess all the time when opportunity arises.”

ExecuJet, a wholly owned subsidiary of Dassault Aviation, operates in Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, and the Middle East, where major repair and refurbishment activities are conducted.

Last week, ExecuJet formally inaugurated the largest business jet maintenance facility in Malaysia, located at Subang Airport in Kuala Lumpur.

The company said that the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility area is 149,500 square feet, more than twice the size of ExecuJet MRO Services Malaysia’s previous operation.

The MRO facility, which can accommodate up to 15 medium and large business jets simultaneously, serves business jet operators from across Asia, including the Philippines.

It is partially powered by an 85 kilowatt-peak solar installation to further reduce electricity consumption from the power grid.

“With this brand new facility, we’re able to support and attract people from the region. I mean, not only Malaysia, but I would suppose for Philippine growing business aviation activity, it’s a kind of a hub, and that’s what we want to offer with the support of Dassault Aviation as a major company,” he said.

ExecuJet MRO Services Malaysia has received certification from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines to service specific aircraft on the country’s aircraft registry, including those from Bombardier, Gulfstream, and Dassault Aviation.

ExecuJet has been providing services to the Philippine market since 2014.