The Shanghai Hawker Pacific Business Aviation Centre (SHPBAC), host facility for ABACE since the show’s relaunch in 2011, saw its busiest year in 2015, with a 20-percent year-over year increase in traffic. The company, which has a traditional FBO at Hongqiao International Airport and a small satellite facility at Pudong International Airport, handled more than 5,500 business aircraft movements last year.

“The steady and sustained maturation of the business aviation market in Asia is continuing despite economic uncertainty,” said SHPBAC general manager Carey Matthews. “Shanghai is a top destination in Asia, and we are seeing proof of that in the continuing increase in flight activity.”

The location has built on that momentum in the first quarter, with a 20-percent rise year-over-year, while February saw a 40-percent jump from the same month last year. With that increasing tempo of activities, the company–a joint venture between Hawker Pacific and the Shanghai Airport Authority–announced that it has received approval from the airport authority to begin construction of a new hangar, which will more than double its aircraft maintenance and storage capacity. According to Matthews, the $8 million, 4,500-sq-m (48,440-sq-ft) structure, will occupy a space to the south of the FBO’s existing 4,000-sq-m (43,060-sq-ft) hangar, from which some old airport service equipment garages were cleared last month.

With an expected completion in 2018, the new hangar will accommodate up to eight large-cabin business jets and will give SHPBAC the most expansive capabilities in the country. “This represents the largest investment in infrastructure to support business aviation in China,” said Matthews, who added his company would have built an even larger structure if it wasn’t constrained by the space available. “I think it’s mainly a reflection of the fact that Shanghai is such a great city for business and the opportunities here are very good. We have a good business case for this level of investment.”

The company also announced that plans are under way for development of a new full-service FBO at Pudong, which currently receives approximately a third of Shanghai’s business aviation traffic. Space for a substantial facility at the airport has already been allocated, according to Matthews, who would also like to see an additional two maintenance hangars at the planned FBO. “The main reason we have been so successful is that the city of Shanghai has been very supportive and they are willing to help business aviation come along.”

In November, the company was approved by the CAAC and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to provide maintenance for the Gulfstream 450 and 550. Since then it has performed more than 40 factory-authorized service events, including 11 last month alone. “It’s been nice steady incremental growth for us in the Gulfstream community,” said Matthews. “We feel good about being able to provide this service to the business aviation community to keep the airplanes going.”