The construction of the aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) plant located in the Punta Cana Free Zone (ZLC) has reached its final stage, a project that represents an advance for the country's aeronautical infrastructure and marks the beginning of operations focused on heavy aircraft maintenance.
The facility will include a hangar designed to service aircraft from airlines in North, Central, and South America, according to a press release. The project was developed with a joint investment of $70 million between FL Technics and Grupo Puntacana, bringing specialized technical expertise to a traditionally tourist area.
Méjico Ángeles-Lithgow, CEO of FL Technics Dominican Republic, assumed the position last spring amidst the company's expansion in the region. Since then, she has been involved in assembling the staff that will operate the plant and in coordinating with institutions linked to the sector.
In the document, Ángeles-Lithgow states that the project will begin with a team comprised of Dominican and foreign technicians , the latter responsible for supporting the knowledge transfer process. The company anticipates that, over time, operations will become entirely under local responsibility.
The report also notes that the plant is part of efforts to strengthen the country's aeronautical capacity, in a context where air transport is the main means of arrival for visitors and a key component of tourism.
It also indicates that the initiative will contribute to the economic diversification of Punta Cana by incorporating a technical industry that creates new job and training opportunities in the aeronautical field.
The first phase envisions the creation of more than 300 specialized jobs , which, according to the statement, will allow for the development of technical capabilities in the region and expand the professional offering linked to the sector.
It also states that the availability of local aircraft maintenance will reduce operating times and make it easier for airlines to carry out processes that previously required being sent abroad.
With the infrastructure now complete, the plant is awaiting commissioning once the corresponding procedures are completed and the planned technical equipment is installed.
