South African aircraft maintenance company to set new record this year for heavy checks

19th June 2024 By: Rebecca Campbell - Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

South African aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) concern, ExecuJet MRO Services South Africa, announced on Wednesday that it is on course to establish a new company record for airframe heavy maintenance checks this year. The enterprise specialises in business (also called executive) aircraft MRO services, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of renowned French aerospace group Dassault Aviation.

The new record that will be set this year will be for at least 11 airframe heavy maintenance checks. The South African company’s previous record was seven such checks in a single year.

ExecuJet MRO Services South Africa is approved for both line and heavy maintenance on the Dassault Falcon 50, Falcon 2000, Falcon 900, Falcon 7X and Falcon 8X business jets. It is additional work on Falcon-series aircraft that will allow the company to set its new record. The company’s engineers are already prepared to supply line maintenance for Dassault’s latest type, the Falcon 6X.

The South African operation is also an authorised service centre, providing both line and heavy maintenance, for Bombardier and Embraer. The heavy maintenance checks programme for this year also includes work on Bombardier Learjet 40, Learjet 60 and Challenger 600, as well as Embraer Legacy 650, aircraft. In addition, such work will also be carried out on Beechcraft King Air turboprop aircraft.

ExecuJet MRO Services South Africa is the biggest business aviation MRO operation in Africa. Its hangar, at Lanseria International Airport (north west of Johannesburg, south west of Pretoria, in Gauteng province) can accommodate up to 14 aircraft, of different sizes, at any one time. The company employs 130 people, of whom 70 are in the engineering department.

The company also has an engine workshop. This can undertake overhauls of Honeywell TPE 331 engines and major repairs on Honeywell TFE 731 engines.

Last but not least, the operation installs and upgrades avionics and satcom systems.