FL Technics Indonesia chief executive officer Martynas Grigalavicius (JP/Istu Septania)

For years, Batavia Air’s abandoned hangar complex at the northwest periphery of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, stood in a sorry state, filled with old airframes and parts. Inside the office building lay piles of documents and trash the domestic carrier left behind.

Batavia Air vacated the hangar after it was declared bankrupt in 2013. The facility remained neglected for quite some time and it was unflatteringly called the “aircraft graveyard”.

In spite of the hangar’s poor condition, state-owned airport operator Angkasa Pura (AP) II offered it to prospective tenants. Lithuanian aircraft maintenance and repair company FL Technics was among those expressing their interest.

AP II then called for tenders. All but FL Technics dropped their bids when their applications were just about to be assessed. In 2015, the two companies agreed on a business partnership. The tender-winning company, under the name of FL Technics Indonesia, spent US$10 million to rebuild the old hangar complex and establish a new repair and overhaul facility.

With a large windows overlooking the hangar and parked airplanes, the three-story office building now has a simple and rustic interior design. Painted gray and dimly lit, the office appears to tell the story of its past as a once-forsaken building — with a chic twist.

Currently, FL Technics Indonesia can simultaneously handle heavy maintenance tasks for three airplanes at the hangar. Such tasks can take up to a few days or even months. The company also provides line maintenance services for airplanes outside the complex. Some clients have operational routes in Jakarta, but some others come to the airport specifically to get fixed by FL Technics Indonesia.

“Around 90 percent of our clients are international airlines that want their aircraft to get repaired at our hangar,” says FL Technics Indonesia chief executive officer Martynas Grigalavicius.

The Lithuanian company currently employs 260 workers, mostly Indonesians, and upskills local technicians through training programs. It has also earned national and international certifications, including one from the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), to fix the Airbus A320 and the Boeing B737.

FL Technics Indonesia is not the only maintenance and repair service provider at the extremely busy Soekarno Hatta International Airport. Another major player is the Garuda Maintenance Facility, a subsidiary of national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia and among the country’s largest aircraft maintenance companies.

The maintenance, repair and overhaul business has promising prospects in Indonesia, which has a growing number of domestic airlines. The country, thus, needs more aircraft repair and maintenance service providers to cater to the growing demand.

AP, which seeks to diversify its business and boost the aircraft maintenance and repair industry, is opening opportunities for interested companies to open new hangars at its airports across Indonesia.

FL Technics Indonesia plans to extend its contract by 20 years and build a new hangar that can accommodate up to five aircraft.

FL Technics is part of Avia Solutions Group, the biggest aviation holding company from Central and Eastern Europe with 42 subsidiaries across the world. FL Technics has opened a number of facilities across Southeast Asia, including a warehouse in Singapore and a technical training subsidiary office in Thailand.

Popular

Indonesia bury China's hopes of reaching 2026 World Cup

Purbalingga holds ‘Chased by Sumanto the cannibal’ race to attract tourists 

Ministry reviews nickel mining in Raja Ampat after outcry