Airbus : Sepang Aircraft Engineering opens second hangar

Airbus maintenance facility in Malaysia also celebrates 10th anniversary

Sepang Aircraft Engineering (SAE) officially opened its second hangar today with a ceremony attended by Dato' Sri Ong Ka Chuan, Minister of International Trade and Industry II, Malaysia. The event also celebrated the 10th anniversary of the independent maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) centre.

The 12,000 square metre hangar boosts SAE's capacity to handle the Airbus A320 Family, and can accommodate two of the aircraft at any time for major maintenance checks. It also features Malaysia's first eco-friendly closed-door dedicated paint bay, as well as state-of-the-art workshops for the repair and overhaul of a wide range of components used on Airbus aircraft, including hydraulic and pneumatic systems.

Speaking at the event, SAE Chief Executive Officer Pierre Reville said that the second hangar will strengthen and expand the MRO centre's capabilities.

'As an EASA-approved independent aircraft MRO centre, SAE is able to offer world class maintenance services to airlines from across South East Asia and beyond. The new hangar gives us added flexibility and space to offer more services for our customers,' he said.

'Since we opened in 2007, we have completed 500 C-Checks and established a strong reputation in the MRO market for on-time and reliable service. We are proud of our contribution to the growth of the Malaysian aerospace sector.'

SAE's first hangar, which opened in 2007, has a floor area of 37,000 square metres and can accommodate up to six single-aisle aircraft or two widebody aircraft at any one time.

In addition to its commercial aircraft activities, SAE provides spare parts and technical support services to the Royal Malaysian Air Force's fleet of A400M military airlifters. The facility also houses a major regional inventory of spare parts for Airbus A320, A330 and A380 aircraft for airlines that have selected the Airbus Flight Hour Services (FHS) total support package for their fleets.

SAE employs some 500 people. Its customers include the AirAsia Group, Cebu Pacific, Indigo, Jetstar Asia, Scoot, Malindo Air, MASWings, and VietJet Air.

With over 700 aircraft ordered by airlines in the country, Malaysia is Airbus' third-largest market in the Asia-Pacific region, after China and India. In addition, Airbus has a major industrial presence in the county. Apart from SAE, this includes an engineering design centre at Sepang and an extensive supplier base with Malaysian companies that produce parts for the complete Airbus commercial aircraft product line, as well as for the A400M military transport and H130 helicopter. The value of Airbus work undertaken in the country currently stands at USD 400 million per year, and is set to rise by 25% to USD 500 million by 2021.

Notes for Editors

The 'C' check is a major scheduled aircraft maintenance check, and is usually performed every 20 months on an A320. It entails an inspection of most of the aircraft's components, and can take up to two weeks to complete. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is the regulatory body that certificates Airbus aircraft for commercial service and provides approvals for MRO facilities to undertake work on in-service fleets.