Aeronas Secures RM357 Million Aircraft Orders, Marks Milestone for Malaysia’s Aerospace Industry

SERDANG — Malaysia marked a significant milestone in its aerospace industry today as Aeronas Aerocraft Sdn Bhd secured cumulative orders for 50 light aircraft worth US$85 million (RM357 million) from Hong Kong-based Wholechoice Consortium, paving the way for Malaysian-made aircraft exports to the international market.

The achievement represents not only a commercial success for the Bumiputera-owned aerospace company, but also demonstrates Malaysia’s growing capability to develop, manufacture and market its own aircraft capable of attracting foreign buyers.

The announcement was made during Aeronas’ participation in the MyAERO Summit 2026 at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS), where the company also unveiled several key developments, including international orders, a Malaysia Book of Records (MBOR) recognition, strategic collaborations with educational institutions and government agencies, as well as expansion plans for the local aerospace ecosystem.

Under a memorandum of understanding signed with Wholechoice Consortium, 30 units of the six-seater MYPX5 MARK I and MYPX5 MARK II aircraft have been confirmed for purchase, while an additional 20 units are expected to be finalised by September this year.

The first batch of 15 aircraft is scheduled for phased delivery in the first and second quarters of 2027 to support the consortium’s flight training and aircraft leasing operations across Asia.

The agreement also appoints Wholechoice as the first regional distributor for Aeronas aircraft, enabling the Malaysian company to expand its presence into other Asia-Pacific markets.
Malaysia has long been recognised as a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) hub and aerospace component manufacturer for global aviation players.

However, through Aeronas, the country is now beginning to demonstrate its ability to produce complete aircraft systems that can be marketed and operated internationally.

Through a strategic acquisition from United States-based MAEL Aircraft Corporation, Aeronas officially obtained the aircraft programme ownership rights and technology to be brought back to Malaysia for local development, manufacturing and commercialisation.

The Johor-based aerospace company began operations in 2015 under the P3TRA group before being restructured under PETRAX5 in 2023.
The company is also expected to create more than 450 high-skilled jobs led entirely by Malaysian talent, including Chief Electrical and Structural Engineer Faiz Zainal and Chief Avionics and Components Engineer Rais Rosli.

Aeronas Managing Director and Acting Chief Executive Officer Tengku Shazreen Petra said the decision to acquire the programme was aimed at accelerating the development of Malaysia’s aircraft manufacturing industry.

“If we wanted to develop an aircraft from scratch, it could take another 10 to 15 years and involve development costs amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars.

“By acquiring a certified programme, Malaysia can move much faster and focus directly on manufacturing, high-skilled employment and aerospace industry development,” he said.

The aircraft programme developed by Aeronas is based on a platform certified under the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 23 Type Certificate, one of the world’s most recognised aviation safety and certification standards for light aircraft.

The highlight of Aeronas’ participation at MyAERO Summit 2026 will be its official recognition by the Malaysia Book of Records on June 27 as the first Malaysian company to develop a multi-purpose light aircraft manufacturing programme based on an FAA Part 23 Type Certificate-certified platform.

During the summit, Aeronas also signed strategic collaboration agreements with Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM), Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM), Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL), Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM), TVET MARA and several industry partners to strengthen talent development, research and the national aerospace ecosystem.

Earlier, the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) approved a manufacturing licence under Pioneer Status for Aeronas, while Invest Johor issued a No Objection Letter (NOL) for the company’s operational site and supported the placement of the Aeronas initiative in Johor.

Aeronas had previously announced a RM51 million endowment to UTeM to support local aerospace talent and workforce development, reflecting its long-term commitment towards human capital development in the country.

The company currently operates manufacturing facilities in Senai and Iskandar Puteri, Johor, and is expanding its production capabilities through a new facility scheduled to commence operations in the fourth quarter of this year.

Its semi-production facility is currently capable of producing up to 30 aircraft annually, while the planned full-scale manufacturing facility is expected to increase capacity to 60 aircraft per production line each year.

Tengku Shazreen said the international orders demonstrate that Malaysia possesses the talent, expertise and capability to emerge as a new player in the global aircraft manufacturing industry.

“This is not merely a commercial order, but a recognition of the technology, engineering capabilities and local talent that we possess.

“For years Malaysia has been known as part of the global aerospace supply chain. Now we want Malaysia to also be recognised as a country capable of manufacturing and exporting its own aircraft to international markets.

“Through this business, we expect to create more than 450 world-class high-skilled jobs, while supporting the Johor state government’s aspiration to generate more premium-income employment opportunities.

“In addition, we estimate another 3,000 jobs will be created in logistics, support services and related industries.

“Once production operations reach full capacity, the industry could potentially create up to 20,000 jobs across the country’s aerospace value chain,” he said.

He added that 78 per cent of manufacturing work is currently carried out in Malaysia and the figure is expected to increase to 100 per cent within the next three to five years.

“We are also using 100 per cent locally sourced raw materials and supply chains for the manufacturing of these light aircraft, reflecting our confidence in the quality of Malaysian-made products,” he said.

Meanwhile, Wholechoice founder and principal Ho Choy said the consortium had been following Aeronas’ progress since 2023 before evaluating the aircraft through flight sessions in 2024.

“Our confidence in the aircraft’s performance and the industrial potential being developed by Aeronas encouraged us to collaborate in flight training operations, aircraft leasing and market expansion across Asia,” he said.

With its first export orders secured, MBOR recognition, growing production capacity, support from educational institutions and industry players, as well as rising international interest, Aeronas is now on a strong trajectory to emerge as a regional light aircraft manufacturer.

More importantly, the achievement marks the beginning of Malaysia’s transformation from merely being a user and supporter of aerospace technology into a nation capable of developing, manufacturing and exporting its own aircraft to the global market.