Sunday, 24 November 2024
Business

Asia Digital Engineering opens Malaysia’s largest aircraft maintenance hangar

New facility boasts 14 maintenance lines, aims to expand regional aviation services

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(L-R) Dato’ Hisham Othman, Non-Executive Chairman of Asia Digital Engineering; Mahesh Kumar, CEO of Asia Digital Engineering; Tun Musa Hitam, Chancellor and 5th Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia; Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, Chief Executive Officer of Capital A and Datuk Mike Syarul, National Sportsman 2023, Six-time World Champion in Men’s Athletic Physique, National Coach of Bodybuilding and Physique. (Photo: AirAsia)

Asia Digital Engineering (ADE), the maintenance arm of Capital A, has unveiled a new 14-line aircraft maintenance hangar in Sepang, Malaysia. The facility, which opened on September 26, 2024, is reported to be the largest of its kind in the country.

Spanning over 380,000 square feet on a 20.25-acre plot within the KLIA Aeronautical Support Zone 1, the hangar features specialized workshops for composite materials, sheet metal, upholstery, and cabin interior repairs. It also includes a 3D printing lab for aircraft livery and a digital product development center.

The Malaysia Book of Records recognized the facility with three national records: Longest Single Span Pre-Engineered Building System Rafter, Longest Locally Designed Single Span Truss Frame System, and Longest Vertical Hangar Door.

Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A, stated, “This new hangar is not just a facility; it represents our vision for the future of MRO in Asia with our ambitions to disrupt and become the leading provider in South East Asia and beyond.”

According to Mahesh Kumar, CEO of ADE, the new hangar will significantly expand the company’s capacity to serve clients. “We will be completing our 200th C-check this year with initially seven lines, and the addition of up to 14 lines will significantly expand our capacity to serve more clients,” Kumar said.

The company projects the creation of at least 500 new jobs in Malaysia as a result of this expansion. ADE is also considering further growth, with plans for an additional four-line facility on an adjacent plot and discussions to acquire 20 more acres for development within the KLIA area.

ADE, which leverages 20 years of engineering experience from servicing AirAsia, has recently received EASA’s Part 145 Maintenance Organisation approval and Approved Maintenance Organisation (AMO) approvals in seven other countries. The company aims to expand its services to cover various aircraft models, including the Airbus A320 and A330 families, as well as the Boeing 737 family.

In 2023, ADE secured a USD 100 million investment from OCP Asia Ltd. to support its growth plans.

Written by
Dirk Andrei Salcedo

An aviation enthusiast turned creator of the top aviation news portal in the Philippines, Dirk has a deep passion for everything that flies. When he's not keeping his finger on the pulse of the industry, he also volunteers with a major humanitarian organization, impacting people on the ground and in the sky.

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