A new business aviation facility – described as the finest in Europe – was opened this morning by a member of the UK royal family.
The TAG Aviation centre for business aviation at Farnborough was opened by HRH Prince Andrew, the second son of the Queen and a keen helicopter pilot.
The £100 million ($178 million) facility – which includes a new control tower, state-of-the art terminal building, fixed-base operation and new hangars – was five years in the planning and construction. Manager of the new Farnborough airport, Len Rayment, says work will continue to create a centre that will be the heart of business aviation in Europe.
Apart from its biennial air show, the airport is specifically geared for business aviation. “Many of the other alternatives for London have business aviation as an add-on. That’s not the case with Farnborough. Our very existence depends on the success of business aviation.”
Bombardier, through its Skyjet operation, Cessna, Gulfstream and Embraer are all taking space in the spectacular buildings designed by London architects Geoffrey Reid.
“We are one hour from touchdown to Hyde Park Corner in central London,” Rayment says. “We usually clear passengers in less than five minutes. We have cars on the ramp – it’s our airport, we set the rules – and they can be on the motorway into London in an unbelievably fast time.”
The new terminal building has a large passenger lounge and VIP check-in facility, there are meeting rooms and a fully operational boardroom. There are unobtrusive security systems and an airside lounge with direct access to the ramp or the waiting car.
“There is very much a ‘wow’ factor at play here,” Rayment says. “It’s about space, it is modern, it is clean.”
On the first floor of the 5,570m2 (60,000ft2) terminal is the TAG flight operations centre and on the floor above are the OEM offices.
“This kind of investment couldn’t have happened if we had the City looking over our shoulders. The investment was made with the belief that the business aviation market would recover. It has and it needs a place like Farnborough.”
Rayment has been at Farnborough for 18 years and has passed through the hands of its various owners. Following the huge investment by TAG the airport is now close to its licensed maximum of 28,000 movements.
Already the 11,150m2 of hangars are nearly full and the next phase calls for the doubling of space.
“The whole thing is being done so well,” Rayment says. “The TAG philosophy is that if you can’t do it right, then don’t do it at all.”
Source: Flight Daily News
