MRO MIDDLE EAST: Fujairah to become region's first aircraft recycling centre

Fujairah is to become home to the region's first new recycling centre for aircraft.

At the MRO Middle East show today, Dr Khaled Almazroui (left) signed a MoU with the UK’s Falcon Airside’s managing director Ian French.

The UK company owns Falcon Aircraft Recycling and had been looking for an ideal site to establish a recycling facility.

“Fujairah was ideal,” said French. “We are committed to doing this job properly and it so happened that at the same time as we were looking, so Fujairah Airport was searching for a recycler to meet its strategic plan”

Almazroui said “We are committed to supporting the environmentally friendly recycling of aircraft as this is one of the sectors of the market that is underserved in the region. We are very happy to be the first airport in the region to set up professional and ISO accredited recycling organisation as part of the development plans for Fujairah International airport.”

Accreditation and meeting international standards is key to Falcon’s plans.

“We will be providing a safe and efficient recycling facility at Fujairah,” French said. “As well as protecting the environment we will be proiding a cost effective solution for airline owners to dispose of their ageing and redundant aircraft.

“Recycling engines and other aircraft components safely in a highly regulated and technical market is what we are equipped and set up to do. It has been our ambition for some time and Fujairah provides the perfect location with space, skilled staff and facilities such as workshops and storage facilities within the airport as well as smelters, a sea port and good road access to the rest of the UAE.”

The facility is expected to open by April.

In an interview with Arabian Aerospace TV, Almazroui said that 22% of the aircraft that would need to be replaced by 2028 would come from the Middle East. French said that narrowbody aircraft in particular are also being built for disposal.

“If you look at the automotive industry now, cars are built to last seven years. Narrowbody aircaft are designed with a 10 year lifespan. Aircraft are becoming consumables. The Kyoto agreement calls for aircraft to be recyclable. We believe we can achieve greater levels of recyclable material from the aircraft than is currently achieved.