Swiss-based Jet Aviation will acquire Australia’s Hawker Pacific in a $250 million deal that will combine their business aircraft services in China, Southest Asia, Australia and the Middle East, the two companies announced on April 11.

The two are major players in fixed base operations, maintenance, and management of business aircraft. Jet Aviation is owned by , which also owns business jet manufacturer Gulfstream. Hawker Pacific is 66% owned by the U.S. private investment firm Britton Hill and the remainder by the shipping and aviation company SEACOR, which owns the Hong Kong consultants Asian Sky Group (Booth H2706) and Avion Pacific (Booth P218).

“The acquisition of Hawker Pacific represents a significant step in expanding our footprint, capability and customer offer across Asia Pacific and the Middle East,” said Rob Smith, president of Jet Aviation. “Hawker Pacific has a wide range of services including civil maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), fleet services, a network of fixed base operations (FBOs) and aircraft sales, enabling Jet Aviation to further expand its current portfolio, enter new markets, and reinforce the company’s position as one of the world’s leading business aviation service providers.”

Jet Aviation's aircraft management and charter divisions jointly operate a fleet of more than 250 aircraft throughout the world.

Hawker Pacific operates businesses in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, China and the United Arab Emirates, including eight FBOs at Brisbane, Cairns, Perth, Sydney, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai’s Hongqiao and Pudong airports, and Singapore. It supports a wide range of fixed wing aircraft and helicopters for corporate, charter, defense and special mission operators.

“The acquisition will expand our geographic reach,” said Smith, adding Hawker Pacific’s 19 locations in those regions.

The deal includes the Shanghai Hawker Pacific Business Aviation Service Center FBO and MRO joint venture with the Shanghai Airport Authority that is hosting this week’s Asia Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition, the leading business aviation trade show in the region.

Smith says it is premature to discuss details before the closing of the deal. Decisions have not yet been made on whether the “two strong brands” will remain separate, or whether to consolidate the two companies’ major FBO and MRO ventures at Singapore’s Seletar Airport.