Falcon Aviation Engineering Ltd, set up 17 years ago, is planning an investment of €1.5 million in the construction of another hangar next door to the one it has on airport grounds at Park 3.

This expansion is the result of strong demand from owners of small aircraft for the services the company, which offers aircraft maintenance, periodic inspections, aircraft overhauls, anti-corrosion treatment and interior refurbishment on aircraft with a maximum weight of 5,700 kilogrammes.

Managing director Ray Zarb told Transport Minister Austin Gatt during a visit that this heavy increase in demand came about as a result of Malta’s increase in efforts to entice airdraft owners to register their aircraft in Malta, building on the success of the maritime register.

Since the law was approved in October, the country now has 80 aircraft on its register.

At 650 square metres, the new hangar will double the company’s work area to 1,300 square metres. As a result of the expansion, the company will also be employing another four people.

Dr Gatt said that the problem being encountered was that MCAST was not producing enough aircraft engineers and technicians to cope with the demand in the sector, especially with the requests of bigger companies, including Lufthansa Technik and SRT.