ExecuJet Haite Aviation Services China (ExecuJet Haite) plans to establish a business aviation MRO facility at Beijing’s Daxing airport, following an agreement with Capital Airport Holding Business Aviation Management (CBM).
ExecuJet Haite, a wholly owned unit of China’s Haite Group, will operate a 5,000 m² hangar and facilities, which are already built within a 300,000 m² district in the Beijing airport. The company is targeting the second quarter of 2024 to commence operations. The district also houses an 11,000 m² FBO building and five other 5,000 m² hangars.
ExecuJet Haite is already operating an MRO facility at nearby Tianjin airport.
The Daxing hangar can house eight aircraft and will have similar services to Tianjin, which is a Gulfstream Authorized Warranty Facility, Falcon Jet Authorized Service Center, and Embraer Authorized Service Center and has CAAC, EASA, FAA, Cayman, Bermuda, and Aruba certifications. Paul Desgrosseilliers, general manager of ExecuJet Haite, says Beijing is the busiest single market for business aviation in China, and given Tianjin’s proximity to Beijing, it is already supporting some Beijing customers.
“We recognized that there was a growing need for a highly skilled and authorized full-service MRO company with hangar space available in Beijing to support both the local based and high-volume international transient customers,” he told Aviation Week.
When asked about the state of business aviation in China, Desgrosseilliers says the market remains “quite challenged” due to a wide range of converging causes.
“One of the main factors in the net reduction of the Greater China fleet in the last 3-4 years was the lack of usage during COVID-19 coupled with sky high prices in North America for used aircraft, which gave Chinese owners an opportunity to sell an under utilized asset at or above market rates,” he said.
The government has been quite supportive in further developing general and business aviation and the building of these world class facilities in the capital city further demonstrates their long-term commitment to supporting our industry, Desgrosseilliers added.
