Story ID: 739 Amac
Amac Balances Completions With MRO
By: James Wynbrandt
Caption: Basel-based specialist touts recent contracts for MRO services, along with green completions and total interior refurbishment projects
Word Count: 563
Though known primarily for its aircraft completions work, Basel-based Amac Aerospace (Stand A8) has recently been promoting its MRO capabilities, and is touting successes in both service categories here at MEBAA.

In the MRO arena, Amac has announced contracts with new and existing customers for maintenance packages on an Airbus Corporate Jets ACJ318 and ACJ319, a Boeing Business Jets BBJ, and a Gulfstream G550. The BBJ, owned by a Middle Eastern customer, will undergo an A-check package in conjunction with minor cabin modification. The ACJ319 will also get an A-check, while a Middle East-based ACJ318 is already undergoing a heavy C-check along with an overhaul of its landing gear. The G550, just delivered to Amac, will receive a six-year check package.

The contracts come on the heels of the three aircraft—an ACJ318, ACJ319 and BBJ—returning to service after heavy maintenance at the company’s headquarters facility in Basel.

“Our goal is to secure the greatest convenience for our esteemed customers by providing our excellent maintenance services, highest quality standards, and by ensuring an on-time and within-budget delivery of each maintenance project,” said Bernd Schramm, Amac’s Group COO.

Schramm noted that that Amac aims to even out its completions and total refurbishment revenues with MRO services. “In previous years, it was more like a 60-40 or 65-35” split, with completions taking the lion’s share of work. But we see this year and next year, more of a 50-50 balance,” Schramm said.

Amac views widebody maintenance as a growing opportunity, as MROs that provide maintenance for airlines’ widebodies don’t have the training or capability for removal and reinstallation of executive-configured airliner interiors.

Meanwhile, Amac will deliver a green completion on a Boeing 777 to an undisclosed customer in Q1 of next year, and Schramm said Amac is “in final discussions” for refurbishments of three more widebody aircraft.

Earlier this year Amac announced an expansion of its footprint in Turkey, where its Istanbul facility is a Falcon Authorized Service Center, and also plans to establish a base at Milas Bodrun Airport in southwest Turkey, where it has acquired a parcel from the Turkish Airport Authorities. Amac will build a hangar on the property, slated for completion in 2017, that can accommodate a 777, or two narrowbody aircraft simultaneously. Bodrun is a popular summering spot for many business jet owners, and Amac’s plan calls for performing maintenance on business jets at the facility during the summer, and airline maintenance in the winter.

Amac is also a distributor for the Pilatus PC-12 in Turkey and the Middle East, and during the past year has sold its first three of the turboprop singles in the region—two to a buyer in the UAE, and one in Turkey. The company expects the Pilatus PC-24 twinjet, currently in development, to be in demand in the region, but Schramm declined to discuss any orders Amac has for the aircraft.

Amac (which stands for both Aircraft Modifications And Completions, and Aircraft Management And Charter) opened its first hangar in 2008. With the completion of its fourth hangar this year, its hangar space totals more than 28,280 square meters (300,000 square feet) and secure apron area exceeds 44,610 sq m (480,000 sq ft). Two of the hangars can house two widebody and one narrowbody airframe simultaneously.