Bombardier is to build a larger service center at Biggin Hill Airport to replace its existing hangars.
The 250,000 square foot (23,225 square meter) service center is expected to be completed by June 2022 to provide customers in the region to reinforce Bombardier’s maintenance and customer service provision in Europe.
The service center will have the capacity to accommodate up to 14 Global 7500 aircraft and will be equipped to carry out component painting and interior refurbishment, component repair and feature overhaul workshops and training rooms. The site will also be able to provide a quick response to customers’ repair needs with the integration of a brand-new parts depot.
The expansion will bring the facility’s workforce to more than 250 employees and beyond to meet demand.
Jean-Christophe Gallagher, vice president and general manager, customer experience at Bombardier Aviation said, “With the expansion of the London Biggin Hill service center, Bombardier is taking another step in showing its unwavering commitment to providing customers with industry-leading services on a global scale, and the OEM expertise they rightfully deserve.
“Europe continues to be a strong market for business aviation, and we’re glad to show our commitment to our customers with this important investment in the region.”
The existing Bombardier service centre at Biggin Hill Airport was opened in 2017 and offers heavy maintenance capabilities for the Learjet, Challenger and Global families of aircraft. The site is equipped to perform scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, modifications and avionics installations, paint and repair services and interior repair and refurbishment activities.
Robert Walters, commercial director of London Biggin Hill Airport said, “The expansion of Bombardier’s service centre and the enhancement of its service and maintenance capabilities is a testament to the dynamism and attractiveness of the Biggin Hill Airport. Bombardier has been a tremendous partner and with this announcement demonstrates its strong commitment to the continued growth of our world-class aviation hub.”
Bombardier is also building a new service center at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport and expanding its Singapore service centre. The company has also recently added two US line maintenance stations at Teterboro and Van Nuys and expanded its Mobile Response Team with a new Challenger 300 aircraft which is based in Munich, Germany.
According to data from WingX Advance, London Biggin Hill has experienced some of the strongest growth amongst London airports in recent years, with 14,465 movements in 2017 and 16,129 in 2019. Growth has been particularly high in the larger business jets segment.
“At Biggin Hill there has been a 10% growth rate over the last ten months, with larger business jets standing out, from 6% in January 2015 to 10% at the end of last year,” said Richard Koe, managing director of WingX at the recent Air Ops 2020 conference in Brussels, Belgium.
