FL Technics has started the establishment of a new, 20,000 square metre maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) infrastructure at the Dominican Republic’s Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ), the second-busiest airport in the Caribbean.
Once the first stage of the development is finished, facilities will include five bays for base maintenance operations, including a complex of full-fledged supporting shops.
Including the hangar and bays facility of 20,000 sq. m., the total area of the new infrastructure will be 52,000 sq. m.. The construction process will take up to two years and marks FL Technics’ commitment to developing the existing global independent MRO network, including current base maintenance hangars in the UK, Lithuania and Indonesia.
With a physical MRO hub in the region, FL Technics is aiming to support the growing fleet of narrow-body aircraft operated in the Americas, as the company will leverage its global expertise and Part-145 capabilities certified by FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency).
The company plans to provide both base and line maintenance services in the new hub.
Zilvinas Lapinskas, CEO of FL Technics, said: “This expansion is our first physical base maintenance foothold in the region, following the existing FL Technics operations in the Americas, including line maintenance network in Canada.
“It is a decisive investment as we aim to provide comprehensive MRO solutions to create long-term partnerships and a base for other future developments in the continent.”
With further investments across the Americas in mind, the Punta Cana project itself is also set for future development as the infrastructure includes plans for an additional seven bays in the second phase, totalling a hub of 12 bays as a result.
Giovanni Rainieri, airside operations director at PUJ, said: “We are pleased to announce our strategic alliance with FL Technics to offer world-class MRO services at Punta Cana International Airport and Punta Cana Free Trade Zone.
“With this strategic alliance, airport customers will have access to a wide range of aircraft maintenance and repair services, including scheduled inspections, component repairs, cabin modifications, and painting, among others.
Such strategic developments are backed by Avia Solutions Group, parent company of FL Technics, which is one of the world’s largest ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance) providers with more than 180 aircraft in its fleet, operating in all continents in the world.
Outside the MRO and ACMI solutions, the group also provides various aviation services such as pilot and crew training, ground handling and other interconnected services.
Image credit(s): FL Technics
