ExecuJet South Africa says it is witnessing a strong uptake in third-party widebodied business jet maintenance activity as owners plan ahead to have their aircraft available for charter during the World Cup football finals to be held in the country in June/July 2010.

Engineers at the company's MRO facility at Lanseria International airport in Johannesburg are now handling four Bombardier Global Express, three Challengers and a Dassault Falcon 900.

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 Dassault Falcon 900

The Falcon 900 is undergoing a full C check. A foreign-registered Global Express is in for its major phase inspection, while the other Bombardier aircraft are undergoing minor phase inspections.

ExecuJet South Africa maintenance director Steve Bothma says bookings for maintenance have already been taken at the company's Cape Town and Johannesburg facilities for a number of narrowbodied and widebodied business jets for the early part of next year.

"Our clients are making their maintenance plans early to ensure they don't get caught out with aircraft that can't fly in what will be the biggest and busiest event on the global sporting calendar," says Bothma.

"We are gearing up our facilities in Lanseria and Cape Town to accommodate the many visitors that are expected to fly in during June and July next year for the matches. This event is going to be a great boost for business aviation in South Africa."

Source: Flight International