Mr Peter G. Edwards, CEO

Jet Aviation made world headlines recently when it announced it had been acquired by renowned US company General Dynamics. The acquisition will allow Jet Aviation to develop its broad range of business aviation products and services. The company can now expand further into new and established markets, including its rapidly growing Hong Kong base.

“The acquisition by General Dynamics will benefit Jet Aviation in providing long-term stability to our organisation and employees as well as the financial resources to support our continued growth, and, given the company's expertise in many of our lines of business, it will provide a range of collateral operational synergies. With regard to our Hong Kong operation, it is strategically important to us because, from a business aviation perspective, we view Hong Kong as a key gateway to the entire Asia region. We manage and service aircraft from our operation in Hong Kong, which serves as a centre point in our North-South service axis of Beijing, Hong Kong and Singapore,” said Peter G Edwards, CEO of Jet Aviation.

The company was founded in Switzerland in 1967 and is one of the leading business aviation services companies in the world. Close to 5,600 employees cater to client needs from over 25 airport facilities throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North and South America. The company provides maintenance, completions and refurbishment, engineering, fixed base operations, along with aircraft management, charter services, aircraft sales and personnel services. Jet Aviation's European and US aircraft management and charter divisions jointly operate a fleet of more than 200 aircraft and provided over 65,000 hours in global flight operations in 2007.

The Zurich headquartered firm has had a solid presence in Asia for many years, having set up a maintenance and FB0 facility in Singapore in 1995. The Hong Kong operations centre was opened as the company’s regional aircraft management and charter division in 2001 and now manages more than 10 aircraft. The in-house charter department operates 24/7 with its own Aircraft Operator Certificate (AOC). In May this year, Jet Aviation received HK Civil Aviation Department approval to expand its maintenance operations.

Barry Collier, Hong Kong’s director of flight operations says: “We have had an enormously positive response to our centre, especially now that we have expanded our on-site line maintenance offering.”

Under the leadership of Nigel Parker, director maintenance, Jet Aviation Hong Kong employs a team of maintenance specialists from around the world who are committed to delivering premium line maintenance services for Bombardier, Cessna and Gulfstream aircraft.

Hong Kong is an important regional hub and offers support to many aircraft passing through the region. Through its Singapore maintenance approvals, it can now service aircraft registered in Aruba, Australia, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Jet Aviation also has a network of maintenance centres in Asia: Beijing, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Clients throughout the region appreciate having a high-quality services provider on hand. Jet Aviation's support of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games from its new FBO at Beijing’s Capital International Airport represented one of the most challenging and exciting events that it has ever undertaken. The company provided maintenance and ramp services for over 300 aircraft together with its joint venture partner, Deer Air, while Capital Jet took care of passenger handling.

The company was also called upon to perform maintenance, including replacing a windshield and sort out landing gear, APU, avionics and oxygen systems issues. This allowed operators to continue with travel while plans without lengthy maintenance delays.

Despite the current economic turmoil, Jet Aviation is bullish about the company’s long-term prospects in Asia and recognises Hong Kong as an important strategic regional base. The downturn in financial markets has not greatly impacted private local flights yet. Juerg Reuthinger, Jet Aviation's SVP for aircraft management for EMEA and Asia, thinks that client aircraft movements will remain stable for the time being.

He says: “From our point of view, the market is still considered as strong and in developing mode, although we see some signs of market slowdown. However, we believe that the market in Asia will stay strong in the medium- to long-term with a growth factor above Europe and the Americas.”

Although Jet Aviation does not yet have any Chinese registered aircraft on its books, Reuthinger believes that they will come.

He says: “Jet Aviation is working actively and aggressively to increase market share in Asia and offer our clientele in the area solid and high-quality services to achieve best value for the products they buy.” Martin Bernegger, Jet Aviation's SVP for aircraft charters for EMEA and Asia, echoes his sentiments, pointing out the steady growth of the Hong Kong market over the last few years.

Collier adds: “We need to be here in Hong Kong. Strategically it is such an important hub. The site is small today, but there is scope for even greater growth and expansion, and we are ideally placed right in the middle of Asia.”
- Bonnie E Engel

PHILOSOPHY
We want to be the leader in business aviation services worldwide. We consider the safety and security of our clients and employees to be our first priority in all our operations and services. We provide our clients with impeccable services and products that meet superior standards

FAST FACTS
• Jet Aviation was founded in Basel, Switzerland with the acquisition of the former Globair hangars in 1967
• Jet Aviation offers maintenance services for business aircraft in Zurich and Geneva, Switzerland in 1969
• Jet Aviation enters the aircraft charter and management business in Europe in the 1970s, especially in Switzerland and begins an ambitious takeover strategy
• In the ‘80s, Jet Aviation opens facilities in Saudi Arabia, Spain, Germany and the United States
• In 1999, Jet Aviation acquires Jet East fixed base operation (FBO) in Dallas, Texas to offer FBO, maintenance, charter, management and aircraft sales services. Aircraft sales are added to Jet Aviation's worldwide lines of business as part of the Dallas, Texas acquisition
• In 2002 Jet Aviation celebrated its 35th anniversary
• Peter G. Edwards is appointed CEO of the Jet Aviation Group in 2007
• Jet Aviation acquired by General Dynamics, November 5, 2008