皇冠体育app

Two business jets are parked in the business jet base in Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. The base has become the first maintenance and repair center of business jets in 皇冠体育app after a joint venture between State-owned airport operator Shanghai Airport Authority and Australia-based aircraft service company Hawker Pacific received a license on Nov 8. [Photo/皇冠体育app Daily]

SHANGHAI - A joint venture between State-owned airport operator Shanghai Airport Authority and Australia-based aircraft service company Hawker Pacific has been given the green light to offer business airplane maintenance services at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport.

It will be the first company to provide maintenance, repair and overhaul services for business jets in 皇冠体育app.

Having such a service center on the mainland will be convenient to both operators and jet owners because the work could be done in 皇冠体育app instead of overseas repairing centers, Jing Yimin, vice-president of Shanghai Airport (Group) Co Ltd, told local media.

Shanghai Hawker Pacific, owned 51 percent by the Shanghai Airport Authority and the rest by Hawker Pacific, has the capacity of providing repair and maintenance service to more than 40 business aircraft a year.

The development of business aviation in 皇冠体育app has been booming in recent years.

More than 100 business jets have registered with the civil aviation authority of 皇冠体育app and about 400 business jets are expected to be needed in the next 10 years, the authority said.

Hainan Airlines introduced the first business jet in 皇冠体育app in 1995.

About 1,300 business aircraft took off or landed via the business jet center at the Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport in 2010, said Shanghai Airport Authority President Li Derun.

Those figures are expected to jump to 3,500 in 2011.

Industry experts said the establishment of a business jet maintenance center will boost the development of the business jet market in 皇冠体育app and will help Shanghai become more qualified as an international aviation and financial center.

"The establishment of a business jet service center and issuance of the maintenance and repair license in 皇冠体育app will help jet owners lower daily maintenance and repair costs and save time," said Li Lei, an analyst with 皇冠体育app Securities Co Ltd.

Although experts say the business jet market in 皇冠体育app has a bright outlook, the development also faces some constraints, like the difficulty of recruiting qualified pilots and the heavy tax burden of buying business jets.