Lithuanian company FL Technics will open a workshop in the Dominican Republic for large aircraft maintenance and is currently negotiating five contracts.
It is unusual to see the interior of an aircraft without all its seats. It appears as if its entrails have been removed. Similarly, it is uncommon to see the cockpit open and unobstructed, missing screens and some buttons that passengers do not understand.
However, this “disruption” is part of the maintenance process, and a large workshop dedicated to this purpose is about to open in Punta Cana. Originally a tourist destination, the area now aims to diversify into an industrial and aviation hub.
Foreign investment for this workshop originates from Lithuania, a Baltic country rarely mentioned in the Caribbean context. By the end of 2024 or early 2025, Lithuanian firm FL Technics will begin operating an independent maintenance center for large aircraft, such as Boeing or Airbus models.
The company is already advancing negotiations to secure contracts for aircraft to be received at its new hangar in eastern Dominican Republic, driven by the proximity to the United States.
While details remain confidential due to ongoing negotiations and pending permits, FL Technics CEO Žilvinas Lapinskas has outlined five contracts in the final stages.
In its client acquisition efforts, the company has engaged with approximately six airlines and ten leasing companies, suggesting that its operations in the Dominican Republic—nicknamed “Quisqueya”—will soon commence, with work already in progress.
“We like the geography (of the Dominican Republic), the people, and the opportunity to attract clients from the United States,” says Lapinskas from his office in Vilnius, Lithuania.
From his window, a cloudy sky reminiscent of 16°C degrees outside contrasts sharply with the warm, sunny climate of Punta Cana.
This climate has already generated expectations among FL Technics personnel. Some are inquiring about life and conditions in this popular vacation spot. Notably, ten employees responsible for training Dominican workers are learning Spanish.
Lapinskas monitors in real-time videos of active hangars worldwide where the company provides base aircraft maintenance, including operations that will be established in Punta Cana. These facilities are located at Vilnius and Kaunas in Lithuania, Jakarta and Bali in Indonesia, and Prestwick in the United Kingdom.
“We have three aircraft from Angola,” Lapinskas explains, referring to the aircraft operating in Kaunas, Lithuania’s second-largest city. Africa is a significant market. Europe is also a key focus. Now, the United States and the broader American continent are the targets, with the Dominican Republic as the strategic focal point—a project for which $70 million has already been invested.
Unusual Job Opportunities
There are no direct flights between Lithuania and the Dominican Republic. The personnel at the headquarters must undertake lengthy journeys—up to three layovers—to monitor operations at Punta Cana’s new Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) workshop, which is its technical sector designation.
The company plans to train and certify up to 250 Dominicans in aircraft maintenance and to attract expatriates with relevant experience, fostering a new and uncommon employment sector in the country.
Furthermore, it will offer benefits such as housing, transportation subsidies, and training, with strict safety and quality protocols for workers.
The starting salary for inexperienced trainees in aviation mechanics will be $600 gross per month (approximately 37,200 Dominican pesos). While modest as a beginning, certified and experienced aircraft maintenance professionals are highly valued in the market.
Licensed aviation maintenance technicians (AMTs) earn from $30 (about 1,860 pesos) per hour, with senior roles such as supervisor reaching up to $50 (3,100 pesos) per hour, according to company data.
Long-term, approximately 2,000 technical jobs are projected to be created in the country through this initiative, especially targeting young people, including those seeking opportunities through FL Technics Engineer Services.
At FL Technics Engineer Services’ facility in Lithuania, trained youth aged 25 to 41 repair complex aircraft engines for Boeing and Airbus models.
“We offer university scholarships to young people to encourage careers in aviation. We are pleased to see the number of students doubling in the last two years,” states Lapinskas.
Regarding future projections, he estimates that the global fleet will reach around 35,000 to 38,000 aircraft by 2035. “Currently, there are about 27,000,” he adds.
“This means—a profession that, for at least the next 10 to 15 years, will not be replaced by robots, because it is highly complex. The responsibility is enormous. Maintenance is not like car repairs; a car can stop working, but an airplane cannot simply halt in midair. Therefore, safety and quality systems are critical,” he explains.
How the Company Entered the Dominican Republic
FL Technics has over 20 years in the industry. It operates under the umbrella of Avia Solution Group, the Lithuanian parent company that owns a global fleet of more than 200 aircraft used by various airlines, and provides crew, maintenance, and insurance services for the sector.
Just FL Technics—which is more of a corporate group comprising 24 companies—employs over 3,000 staff members. It offers line and base maintenance, spare parts supply, engine repairs, and other services to more than 500 clients worldwide.
In 2024, the 24 companies that make up FL Technics collectively achieved revenues of 400 million euros. The goal is to reach 1 billion euros by 2030, with Punta Cana already included in those plans.
However, establishing MRO services in the Caribbean was not its initial target; the company was first seeking to invest in the United States, where it already had line maintenance operations in Canada.
But the ideal cost and location combination was found in the Punta Cana Free Zone, a logistics complex and industrial park near Punta Cana International Airport, both operated by Grupo Puntacana. The aim is to develop an aviation ecosystem within the free zone, benefiting from the airport’s high traffic, with an average of 8 million passengers annually.
“We brought in the anchor: FL Technics, which will establish a new industry in the Dominican Republic,” says Frank Elías Rainieri, CEO of Grupo Puntacana.
The free zone status will enable access to tax incentives, resulting in lower costs. Additionally, the group’s broader ecosystem plans include opening an aviation academy and establishing aircraft parts production.
With a joint investment of 70 million dollars, Grupo Puntacana is responsible for constructing the complex, which is planned to cover 52,000 square meters of land. The company will lease it to FL Technics for 20 years, with FL Technics contributing operational staff, equipment, and contracts to manage the aircraft maintenance center for Airbus A320 and Boeing NG and MAX families.
In the first phase, the hangar, covering 20,000 square meters, will feature five bays or individual spaces for aircraft maintenance and specialized workshops. In the second phase, the number of bays will increase to 12, and ultimately, the goal is to reach 20.
This design is innovative for the company, as it is the first of its hangars that allows independent movement of each aircraft.
“The building is constructed in such a way that it can withstand hurricanes, earthquakes, and everything else,” assures Lapinskas. “If we have a hurricane, we might need to suspend maintenance for a while. But MRO facilities are located in that region.”
Indeed, in the Caribbean—which faces an annual hurricane season from July to November—MRO services are available in Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Panama. “So, we will neither be the first nor the only ones in that area affected by hurricanes.”
“Show me the Money”
Lapinskas tiene 12 años en el negocio de la aviación, al que llegó por una conversación casual en un vuelo con un ejecutivo de la industria. Cuando es un pasajero regular, se siente tranquilo.
“Siento mucha seguridad —dice— porque conozco todos los sistemas: cómo se entrenan los pilotos, cómo se mantiene una aeronave (…) La industria aérea está muy estrictamente regulada, desde la formación de pilotos, el mantenimiento de las aeronaves, hasta la producción de aviones. Por supuesto, en todas partes la gente comete errores”.
Esa seguridad también la perciben quienes trabajan en el hangar ubicado en la ciudad natal de Lapinskas: Kaunas. Aquí, en un hangar de 18,000 metros cuadrados en el aeropuerto internacional, la empresa puede atender cuatro aviones a la vez.
Un viernes de septiembre tenían estacionados tres Boeing 737-700 de una aerolínea de Angola y un Airbus A320neode una compañía arrendataria. Este último sobresalía por su revestimiento amarillo, en preparación para un buen retoque de pintura. No tenía los motores, ni los asientos ni nada regular en su interior.
Su intervención por 30 días le costará al cliente unos 15 millones de euros, pues abarca el mantenimiento del fuselaje y de las góndolas, y la revisión de los motores, lo más costoso. De todas formas, es mucho menos que los 120-140 millones de dólares que cuesta un avión nuevo, según calcula Vilius Grigas, jefe de Ventas del Departamento de Mantenimiento Base de FL Technics.
Para los otros tres aviones de Angola, Grigas estima que su cliente pagará entre 1.5 millones y 2 millones de euros por cada uno.
Sí, en la industria de la aviación se habla de miles y millones. El costo promedio del mantenimiento de un avión es de 200,000 a 300,000 dólares por proyecto, calcula Lapinskas. Esto, además de la derrama económica que significa para el país.
“Every aircraft arriving at the airport pays taxes to the local airport, and the airport pays taxes to the government. So, more money enters the country… If companies or airlines from different countries come to perform maintenance, they will leave money in the country,” says Lapinskas.
The executive, who has firsthand experience, views aviation as a global industry: “Being in the maintenance business, you can start your career in Vilnius, then move to Punta Cana. From Punta Cana, go to Bali or Indonesia. The next hangar we are thinking of opening, for example, in India. So, you can travel around the world and have a truly interesting job.”
That morning, Lapinskas was dreaming big for the Caribbean from Lithuania, regardless of the distance. He is likely to visit the Dominican Republic in November to support the workshop’s launch. He describes Dominicans as friendly and positive, with a willingness to learn and embrace this new career.
While he still has no local competitors challenging his plans, he remains convinced that it has been a good investment: “The geographic location is good. We decided that we can train local people. And I believe we will be an attractive employer for young locals.”
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