Bali to Become Aircraft Maintenance Hub

Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport has laid the cornerstone for a large aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility in cooperation with PT Angkasa Pura I and Angkasa Pura Properti (APP)-FL Technics Indonesia. 

The state-of-the-art aircraft maintenance facility is anticipated to employ 500 workers. 

The general manager of Bali’s Airport, Handy Heryudhitiawan, commented at the cornerstone ceremony: “This is adding to the airport ecosystem. MRO activities will add 500 workers. Currently, we have 7-8 thousand workers in airport operations, every day serving around 65 thousand passengers, 400 aircraft movements, and 120 tons of cargo, so with the addition of the MRO, our enthusiasm has increased.”

As reported by NusaBali.com, Handy said the new MRO facility will become a tourism destination where aircraft transit while undergoing care and maintenance. Australia is being targeted as a potential for MRO services, with 36 daily air movements flying between Bali and Australia. 

The director of FL Technics Indonesia, Martynas Grigas, said the new MRO hub in Bali will be built and operated in accordance with the international standards of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Adding: “Certainly, we will also follow the regulations of the Indonesian Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). This means we will open our doors to Australian aviation operators seeking to do maintenance and repairs in Bali. Bali is a popular destination for Australians.”

Director of FL Technics Indonesia, Martynas Grigas

Grigas said that FL Technics Indonesia has already done care and maintenance of aircraft in Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Australia, where each assignment can require 2-4 weeks.

The CEO of Angkasa Pura Properti (APP), Ristiyanto Eko Wibowo, revealed that building the hangar and maintenance facility is targeted to be completed and in full operation in July 2024. Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport presently has two hangars, each capable of housing one aircraft. The new MRO hangar run by Properti (APP)-FL Technics Indonesia will be large enough to serve four aircraft.

“We have a target to be able to accommodate six medium-sized aircraft because the largest population of aircraft in Indonesia is narrow-bodied planes such as the B 737 series and Airbus 320,” added Wibowo.

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