Architect and Builder August/September 2018 | Page 50

PROJECT FEATURE
AHRLAC
MANUFACTURING FACILITY
AHRLAC MANUFACTURING FACILITY
Wonderboom Airport, Pretoria
CLIENT
AHRLAC
PROJECT MANAGERS &
PRINCIPAL AGENTS
Pro Arnan
ARCHITECT
Riekert & Osman Studios
QUANTITY SURVEYORS
Bredell Quantity Surveyors
CIVIL & STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS
DG Consulting Engineers
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS
Rawlins Wales
MECHANICAL ENGINEERS
Q-Mech Consulting Engineers
FIRE ENGINEERS
H Hamman & Associates
HEALTH & SAFETY CONSULTANTS
Cairnmead Industrial Consultants
MAIN CONTRACTOR
Archstone International
PHOTOGRAPHY
Studio88 Photography
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T
he new AHRLAC Manufacturing Facility and Offices, located at the Wonderboom
airport, is the only aircraft manufacturing and assembly plant on the African
continent. The client, Aerospace Development Corporation, in collaboration with
the Paramount Group, is wholly responsible for the design, production and support of
the versatile multi-purpose AHRLAC aircraft. A lot of imagination and daring have gone
into the AHRLAC project since it was initially conceived nearly ten years ago. AHRLAC
(Advanced, High Performance, Reconnaissance Light Aircraft) has an unusual design
with a high two person cockpit and a pusher propeller but the company’s manufacturing
strategy for the aircraft is also unusual with plans to build a high degree of self-reliance
on the manufacturing of parts from the start.
AHRLAC was conceived as a multi-purpose single propeller driven reconnaissance
and surveillance aircraft. There is now also a militarised version, the MWARI, which is
able to take on weapons. Roles include anti-poaching, offshore patrols, and border and
general domestic security. Its military role is focused on asymmetric threats.
Paramount Group and its partners in AHRLAC Holdings are gradually ramping up
production of the AHRLAC. The new state of the art aircraft factory is designed to
produce two AHRLAC aircraft per month when it reaches full capacity. However the
modular design of the factory allows for the scaling up of production to meet according
to customer demand.
The development, in the northern region of Pretoria, harnesses the excellent
accessibility and additional security features provided by the Wonderboom Airport
with its access to road networks to reach ports, import and export opportunities and
the runway and air space.
AHRLAC