MEDIA: INFLIGHT https://bit.ly/2z1pZCU PUBLISHING DATE: May/June Edition Volume 11 Issue 3 LANGUAGE: English

AMAC AEROSPACE – - AMAC AEROSPACE – MILAS-BODRUM

Opened in 2018, the design of the 4,626 sq metre hangar at AMAC’s Milas-Bodrum Airport facility offers various configurations for narrowbody aircraft. Options include three A321s or B737 NGs in staggered formation.

Sitting in the southwestern Aegean In July 2018, AMAC Aerospace “The original plan was to construct a twin-bay region of , the port city of Bodrum in inaugurated its aircraft facility at Milas- narrowbody hangar which would be able to Mugla Province, has a long and illustrious past. Bodrum Airport. Opened in 1998, the airport offer maintenance services to the local and Bodrum base – Once known as the ancient Greek city of boasts a 3,000 metre runway and airport international market.” , it was the site of the fabled facilities and services which can cater for He continues, “It would simultaneously be Tomb of Masusolus, one of the Seven aircraft of all sizes up to a B747. It is also just used to offer lighter VIP services to AMAC’s Wonders of the Ancient World, the stones of an hour’s flight from Istanbul, where AMAC already vast clientele base (especially the which were later re-employed by the Knights Aerospace offers maintenance services for Middle East and Gulf regions – the company is Hospitaller during the fifteenth century Dassault and Pilatus aircraft, from Atatürk the exclusive sales representative of the Pilatus An MRO hotspot construction of . International Airport and Istanbul Sabiha PC-12 NG and PC-24 in the Middle East, based Where once trod ancient Greeks later to be Gökçen Airports respectively. out of its Beirut, Lebanon office) for those followed by the Knights of St John and the Based on these attributes, as well as Turkey wishing to perform the lighter services closer The Turkish Riviera may be more synonymous with sun, sand and Ottomans, for the past two years, AMAC being a gateway between Europe and Asia, to home or their base of operations. super yachts, but for AMAC Aerospace, its MRO facility is the main Aerospace has been bringing private and AMAC saw a strategic opportunity to expand In April 2016, the company acquired 6,400 attraction. Alexander Preston finds out more. commercial aircraft to the area as it seeks to and build a new hangar in Bodrum. According square metres of land from the Turkish turn Muğla into an aircraft maintenance base. to Tarek Muhiddin, COO of AMAC Aerospace, Airport Authorities. “Just after breaking

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AMAC AEROSPACE – MILAS-BODRUM

AMAC strongly believes that customers will not only see the high level of work performed but will notice the reliability during their yearly operations.

The transition to cater for commercial train in Basel, the technicians and engineers airlines hasn’t been an easy path, but has manage to gauge the difference between been a successful one, thanks in part to the airliners and VIP. It is for this reason that both VIP expertise of AMAC Aerospace, which locations, Bodrum and Istanbul, support each automatically gave the team and workforce a other whenever there is an increased demand high level of quality and expectation. in manpower requirements. It is also worth mentioning that at the Istanbul facility space OPEN-DOOR PHILOSOPHY is limited and therefore it will also benefit As Muhiddin explains, “Using this to pass from the future back-shop programme.” down to the rugged world of airliners is It may seem that with such a mixed something we not only take pride in but are business model, the current ongoing trying to master with the turnaround time. It COVID-19 pandemic has dealt the Bodrum is not always easy to provide top-level quality facility a double whammy. But Muhiddin isn’t with low ground times and respectively lower too despondent. “We are hoping to see a rise pricing. However, AMAC strongly believes in those opting for private jet travel rather that customers will not only see the high level than airliners. On the other hand, we are still Tailwinds was Bodrum’s first commercial customer, of work performed but will notice the in the waiting game whereby some airlines but AMAC’s engineers have since worked on a reliability during their yearly operations. It is are trying to be proactive and get their growing roster of Turkish low-cost carriers. for this reason that we follow the same aircraft ready for when the restrictions and principles in Basel and allow an open-door limitations are lifted and other airlines are ground,” Muhiddin says, “We had some summer alone AMAC supported 49 winter months, the hangar carries out During the summer months where these philosophy to our customers while debating whether to put their aircraft in long- interest from customers operating B777-sized installations on VIP aircraft. commercial line and base maintenance. commercial aircraft are in the air, the Bodrum performing maintenance on their fleets.” term storage due to a fear that it shall take aircraft and so approached the Turkish As part of the AMAC Aerospace family, all During the summer months, the MRO Riviera becomes a magnet for the private jets. He continues, “With the fact that the time before they can fill their full fleet with authorities again to see if we could gain extra VIP and VVIP customers at Bodrum are services switch back to VIP business There were 2,570 private aircraft arrivals into employees all get the chance to support and normal operations.”  ground. Once approved we could just raise the assured of the same high-quality standards maintenance. Bodrum during 2019,” Muhiddin adds. roof and add a nose box which would then be set by the headquarters in Basel. AMAC Aerospace is the first and only One of the reasons for such high numbers The clever addition of the extra wide nose box allows AMAC to work on larger airliners. It’s large able to house aircraft up to the same of VIPs and VVIPs into the region are the company to offer this model. enough to fit the tail of a B737 inside. dimensions as a B777-200LR. The previously VIP SERVICE ETHOS “Due to the fact that one of Turkey’s largest three main marinas in the Bodrum peninsula, planned twin-bay narrowbody hangar would AMAC Bodrum regularly sends its engineering industries is tourism, most local airlines try to which cater for super yachts, including the now be able to accept not only the B777 but and technical staff to Basel for training, keep their planes flying during the summer award-winning Yalikavak Marina with its three narrowbody airliners thanks to the explains Muhiddin. There they learn how to season,” says Muhiddin. “This will translate gourmet restaurants, luxury brands and clever design of the extra wide nose box participate in delivering VIP and VVIP levels of to the months of May to October, meaning boutique hotels. allowing AMAC to fit the tail of a B737 inside.” quality. This has allowed the Bodrum facility that they shall have the six months during the Turkish low-cost carrier Tailwinds, which The result is a 4,626 sq metre hangar which to perform exterior and interior cleaning winter to perform their maintenance.” serves Milas-Bodrum Airport, was the first has secured multiple approvals including local services for all VIP jets landing at the location. During the first seven months of 2019, Milas- commercial customer for the MRO facility, SHGM SHY 145, FAA 145, and EASA 145 “Customers will enjoy their holiday with the Bodrum Airport handled over 2.3 million where its fleet of Boeing 737-400 aircraft approvals. Additionally, the facility is close to added luxury of having a well-serviced and passengers. underwent C-checks including a full cabin having multiple back-shop capabilities so it cleaned aircraft for their return trip,” Muhiddin “With some of our customer’s fleet sizes of removal. can continue to offer services to the core says. “Flight crews also have peace of mind 80+ aircraft their task of finding MROs Since then, the facility has welcomed other element of AMAC’s work as an MRO. knowing that there is now a hangar with capable of performing the maintenance Turkish low-cost airlines, including Freebird, To date the facility has performed 41 technical services available in Bodrum in case becomes a very big one. Although options are Anadolu Jet, Pegasus, Corendon and maintenance checks not including they face AOG or technical issues,” he adds. available in and around Europe for them to Sunexpress. “We have constant positive independent modifications and service Uniquely, the Bodrum facility operates on a explore, we hope to contribute to the local feedback on the services performed,” states a bulletin applications on specified areas. Last mixed business model where during the Turkish economy with competitive rates. proud Muhiddin.

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