Singapore firm to build P1-M hangar in Clark

MANILA, Philippines - Aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) firm SIA Engineering Co. will construct a second hangar costing around P1 billion inside the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in the first quarter of this year.

“SIA Engineering will be building a bigger hangar to accommodate wide-bodied aircraft such as the Boeing 747 and 777,” Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) president and chief executive Victor Jose Luciano said.

The second hangar is expected to generate 300 direct jobs and 200 indirect jobs in the 2,367-hectare Clark complex.

“We are just awaiting for the height clearance to be issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines,” Luciano said.

The new hangar is expected to be operational by the end of 2012.

SIA Engineering built DMIA’s first hangar in November 2008, accommodating Airbus 320 and 319 series aircraft.

The first hangar built at a cost of P800 million, started operations in July 2009.

Currently, there are two cargo companies in DMIA, United Parcel Services and Federal Express, which are operating 12 flights a week each.

Six airlines are currently handling passengers in DMIA — Asiana Airlines, Air Asia, Cebu Pacific, Seair, Spirit of Manila and Jin Air. Total passengers in 2010 reached 607,704.

SIA Engineering is a leading aircraft MRO company based in Singapore, providing total maintenance solutions to wide-bodied aircraft worldwide.

The firm also provides support services at the Changi International Airport in Singapore as well as line maintenance support services to countries such as Australia, United States, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Vietnam.