MACE aspires to create an environment of collaboration and cooperation in which aviation leaders can come together to help each other succeed, profit and thrive, according to the mission statement on the event’s official page.

With the Maltese aircraft register having exceeded 300 aircraft registrations and more than 35 airlines calling Malta home, the island nation is optimistic about becoming determining voice aviation jurisdiction of Europe.

“With a fast-growing aviation sector that is gaining momentum as we speak, Malta is well on its way to establishing itself as a hub for all things aviation. MACE is an excellent opportunity to foster healthy dialogue, collaboration and the sharing of best practices in such an important sector,” said Ian Borg, Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects, Government of Malta, according to the event’s website.

Minister Borg, as well as Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, will address the conference and expo, in reference to the vertical’s current sentiment in the island nation.

“Malta has been slowly but surely making a name for itself in the aviation industry; today the Maltese Aircraft Register has more than 350 aircraft listed and more airlines and leasing companies are calling this aviation-friendly jurisdiction their home,” said Charles Pace, Director-General for Civil Aviation at Transport Malta.

The list of speakers includes:

• Eamonn Brennan, Director General of Eurocontrol, will give an overview of the aviation industry,
• Captain Charles Pace, Director-General Civil Aviation Directorate at Transport Malta, will speak about the Maltese aviation cluster,
• Anita Sengupta, Chief Product Officer at Airspace Experience Technologies (ASX), will propose a possible future of urban air transport,
• James Hogan, Knighthood Capital, will focus on the financing and leasing of aircraft,
• Professor Alexei Dingli will speak about artificial intelligence (AI) and real applications of blockchain in aviation,
• Andrew Nicholson, CEO Osprey Flight Solutions, will speak about innovation in risk management,
• Diarmuid O’Conghaile, Ryanair’s Director of Public Affairs, will concentrate on the aviation industry of the future.

MACE will see the participation of Malta’s Ministry of Transport, Transport Malta’s Civil Aviation Directorate, European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) and its ‘Expanding Horizon’s Campaign’, and with the support of the Malta Business Aviation Association (MBAA).

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“While Malta is aware that the Energy Taxation Directive needs to be updated to reflect present day realities, and to help promote the use of renewable and clean energy sources, the removal of tax exemptions on aviation and shipping fuels will have serious repercussions on many member states, including Malta, unless tackled internationally,” said Minister for Finance Edward Scicluna during the Informal ECOFIN meeting held in Helsinki, Finland on 13-14 September, according to the government’s Department of Information (DOI).

“Ships will bunker tax-free outside the EU waters while new aviation taxes would hamper connectivity of peripheral regions,” the minister added.

Current EU rules for taxing energy products and electricity are recorded in the Energy Tax Directive 2003/96/EC. The Energy Taxation Directive establishes the minimum excise duty rates that EU member states must apply to energy products for fuel and transport and electricity, according to the official website of the European Commission.

“EU legislation only sets harmonised minimum rates. Member states are free to apply excise duty rates above these minima, according to their own national needs,” the EC writes on the subpage carrying details on the ETD.

Should all EU members align with the ETD, tax exemption would be removed from the area of the European Union. Pundits expect this would result in countries in the bloc losing revenues from bunkering and refuelling, as operators would likely manage such activities in a tax exemption zone before entering the area of the European Union.

Countering hybrid threats

During the informal meeting, attending ministers also debated the resilience of financial market infrastructure and the role of the financial sector in countering hybrid threats, the next steps needed by the European Union to enhance the Capital Markets Union (CMU) as well as the European Fiscal Rules, according to the press statement published on the official website of the DOI.

Minister Scicluna said that there are elements of the fiscal framework which need to be reviewed — including the overreliance on unobservable indicators such as the output gap, and the complexity of the rules. “However, changing the rules will not be enough. What is truly imperative is to ensure that the rules are observed and properly enforced. If we do not address this core issue, the framework will remain weak,” the minister added

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An airside land allocation has been assigned for Britten-Norman at the Safi Aviation Park (SAP) after discussions with the Malta Enterprise and Malta Industrial Parks. The Maltese government has additionally invested in the building of new hangars at the SAP through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) scheme.

“Malta aims to develop into a fully-fledged aviation centre that supports the entire spectrum of aviation-related services. We are committed to continuing to build a cluster of quality and Britten-Norman’s addition is a testament to the potential of our jurisdiction,” said Christian Cardona, Minister for the Economy, Investment and Small Business of Malta.

The aviation cluster in Malta employed a staff of 1,409 by the end of April 2019, which represents an increase of 5.4% as compared to the same month in the previous year. The Maltese government expects the deal to support the growth of the aviation cluster further through the 14 new jobs the UK firm will create.

Britten-Norman has applied for approvals from Transport Malta’s Civil Aviation Directorate for a number of procedures, and its operations will have multiple facets, according to the press statement.

The company has also applied for an Air Training Organisation certificate, under which they will be able to train pilots in Malta, as well as for a Maintenance Training Organisation certificate for training engineers and technicians.

Britten-Norman is weighing the possibility of registering a number of its aircraft in the Malta registry and has recently entered a new three-year agreement for training of the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) pilots, according to the DOI press statement.

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Addressing a Malta Aviation Outlook conference, Mr Borg reminded that the sector generates 2.5% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product, and creates more than 3,200 jobs. The minister also mentioned the importance of connectivity; Malta recently reached a number of agreements with Japan, South Korea, Ghana and the Ivory Coast and is seeking to reach agreements with a number of countries in South America, including Brazil.

“We could only dream about such success up to a few years ago and we did not achieve it overnight. The achievements we have made in this sector resulted from determination, consistency, proactivity and long-term planning. It is necessary to continue pushing for more and more growth and achievement while ensuring that we have skilled personnel working in this important sector,” Mr Borg said, according to the DOI.

“The government’s commitment will always remain to witness improvements in the economy and in every sector, towards a better quality of life for the people and more success for our businesses and our country,” the transport minister added.

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The agreement between the company and the government includes the construction of a modern multi-bay hangar facility for narrow and wide-body aircraft at the Malta International Airport (MIA). With a size of 30,000 sqm, including workshop space, the new infrastructure will enable SR Technics to increase its capacities to up to six narrow-body aircraft at once for maintenance such as C-checks, modifications and retrofits, the DOI press statement says.

SR Technics expects to hire and train approximately 350 new employees in various positions, such as B1 and B2 engineers, structure mechanics and technicians to join the workforce to service existing and future customers.

“We have developed a long-term growth strategy directed towards the expansion of our global market position through services to our customers across the entire Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) value chain. These conditions can only be reached with a supportive government willing to hear the needs of the aviation industry,” said Arthur Magri, General Manager for local operations for SR Technics, at the groundbreaking ceremony today.

Chris Cardona, Minister for the Economy, Investment and Small Businesses, insisted that the government is ambitious and keen to reach higher and wider goals, and sees MROs as a first crucial building to reach to wider opportunities in the aviation industry.

​“The global aviation industry is set to continue to experience rapid growth for the near future. Malta too has a role to play in that growth trajectory. This is a vision this Government shares with its local partners and stakeholders,” said Mr Cardona. “This €40 million investment will be instrumental in bolstering Malta’s aviation portfolio,” he added at the event in Ħal Farruġ, where the new centre will be located.

The expansion is another step made in the framework of Malta’s aviation strategy developed by Malta Industrial Parks and Malta Enterprise. The strategy aims to make better use of the area which the government expects could be leveraged to the country’s advantage in expanding the industry further.

“We fully appreciate that the speed at which the industry is growing poses challenges, particularly in regard to human resource needs and safety and congestion. Significant investment will be needed in all areas of aviation to ensure it will be ready to meet long-term demands,” added Mr Cardona.

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The growing aviation industry has attracted the attention of both local and foreign investors, the press statement says. Job vacancies in the sector are hiking, especially for technicians. Grappling on the most recent trends, Malta Enterprise, a government agency responsible for supporting economic growth, and Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST), a vocational education and training institution in Malta, partnered up to promote the aviation technician career path as a solid option for the youth at the beginning of their education.MCAST already offers specific courses for technicians within the aviation sector; specifically in maintenance, repair and overhaul. Enrollment for new classes is opening up in February. For further information, visit the official website of MCAST.

The courses on offer require Ordinary Level (O-Level) standard of education; however, Foundation Courses are available for candidates who currently do not meet the entry requirements.

“The campaign is one of the initiatives that Malta Enterprise carries out to support and stimulate economic growth, job creation and further training of the workforce,” the press statement says.

The aviation industry has been experiencing rapid growth worldwide, chiefly fuelled by booming tourism industries, readily available flights thanks to low-fare airlines, and an increasingly globalised economy. The middle-class expansion has also contributed to the popularisation of air travel, according to an analysis put out by Oxford Business Group. Aircraft manufacturer giant Boeing forecasts an additional 41,000 plane deliveries by 2036.

The global trend is highly visible in Malta, too. Malta Airport’s traffic in 2018 reached 6,808,177, which is a 13.2% growth as compared to the preceding year. Calculating with a further 5.8% growth for 2019, Malta Airport expects to break the glass ceiling of 7.2 million passengers by the end of the year.

EDITORIAL NOTE: The present story has seen its hyperlinks updated.

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Managed by Jet Aviation’s aircraft management and charter business in Malta, the Boeing BBJ1 has been added to the company’s Maltese air operator’s certificate (AOC), according to the press statement.

“We are thrilled to expand our fleet for charter customers,” says Claudio Peer, senior director Aircraft Management & Charter Sales, EMEA & Asia. “This airliner-type private jet is ideally suited to customers who enjoy premium comfort and the latest technology for long-range flights,” he adds.

The BBJ1 is a long-range aircraft, for up to 9,260 km, and can accommodate 11 passengers. Aimed to cover for luxurious trips, the aircraft features a master bedroom and ensuite bathroom with shower, separate guest and crew lavatories, and two side-facing divans that convert to single berths.

“Customers appreciate charter options to meet their varying needs,” says Norbert Ehrich, vice president for Flight Services EMEA and Asia.  “A larger jet provides greater space and comfort for longer flights and trips with more passengers. It is our pleasure to offer clients more choice for long-range charter trips,”

Jet Aviation Business Jets, owned by General Dynamics and founded in Switzerland in 1967, is an Air Carrier Certificate holder in Malta, Germany and Switzerland. The company is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland and delivers aircraft management and charter services in EMEA and Asia.

Jet Aviation currently manages and supports more than 150 aircraft from Cologne, Germany; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Hong Kong; Malta; and Zurich, Switzerland. More than 4,800 employees cater to client needs from close to 50 facilities throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia, North America and the Caribbean.

Jet Aviation’s European and US aircraft management and charter divisions jointly manage a fleet of some 300 aircraft.

Jet Aviation signed a joint venture agreement in May 2017 to establish an aircraft management and charter operation in Malta. By December 2017, the company received its Maltese operator’s certificate (AOC) and launched its flight operation in the country.

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