Bombardier opened its first wholly owned service centre in the UK on 18 May, with London Biggin Hill airport home to the new operation. The facility is also Bombardier's first fully owned base in Europe to offer tip-to-tail maintenance on its Global, Challenger and Learjet business jet families. It complements the Canadian airframer’s service centre in Berlin, which it operates in partnership with Lufthansa Technik and ExecuJet – now part of the Luxaviation Group.
The 4,790m² (51,540ft²) Biggin Hill facility forms part of the airframer’s strategy to beef up its maintenance provision across Europe, which is home to more than 600 Bombardier business jets.
“It is fully equipped to perform scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, as well as modifications, avionics installations, and aircraft on ground (AOG) support for our business jet family,” says Bombardier’s vice-president and general manager, customer experience, Jean-Christophe Gallagher.
“Enhancing our service and support in Europe is a top priority, as our aircraft installed base in the region is significant and growing,” he adds.
In its latest business aircraft market forecast, Bombardier predicts around 1,500 deliveries of light, midsize, large-cabin and long-range jets in Europe between 2016 and 2025.
Bombardier currently has five line-maintenance facilities in the region.
Gallagher calls Biggin Hill “a strategic location for business aircraft operators”. He says Bombardier is committed to a long-term relationship with the 100-year-old airport “to develop a world-class aviation hub serving as a catalyst for business aviation growth in the region”.
Source: Flight International
