Farnborough Airport has announced the completion of the first phase of its 175,000 sq. ft sustainably designed hangar facility.
In August 2022, Farnborough Airport embarked on a £55m investment program to significantly expand its facilities and infrastructure by developing an iconic 300m-long, four-bay hangar facility, increasing its overall hangar space by over 70%. The landmark development was conceived in response to the growing demand for premium hangar space and to support and enhance the Airport’s international business connectivity, which in turn promotes inward investment and economic growth.
Eight months after work began on Domus III, phase one of the construction program has been completed on time, unlocking much needed support and capacity for the airport operations.
While the airport remains fully operational throughout the development, it will now benefit from increased apron capacity with the opening of new and improved aircraft stands, assisting the Airport’s growing operations and allowing maximum flexibility in the day-to-day operations.
The completed groundworks also lay the foundation for the installation of the hangar’s main steel frame, which began at the end of March and is due to be completed in mid-July. The end of April will see the specialist roofing and cladding teams arriving on site to work concurrently alongside the steel teams.
Domus III will be centrally located adjacent to the airport’s two main taxiways, complementing the airport’s existing architecture and will have the flexibility to accommodate several large aircraft such as the Global 7500 and the next generation of business jets including the Dassault Falcon 10X and Gulfstream G700.
The design of Domus III incorporates several sustainable features, including translucent automated doors, that will stretch the entire length of the building, optimising natural light inside the hangar and reducing lighting usage. The large unhindered access provided by the door design will improve aircraft manoeuvrability, helping to mitigate unnecessary emissions from aircraft handling activities. Other sustainable features include rainwater harvesting, intelligent lighting, eco-friendly heating systems and a fully integrated building control and energy monitoring system to minimise operational and in-use energy consumption.
Simon Geere, Farnborough Airport’s CEO said, “The transformation of our hangar space at Farnborough Airport is undoubtedly one of the most modern and progressive aviation projects in the south-east of England, sealing the Airport’s future as a thriving hub of international connectivity. Not to mention Domus III has been meticulously designed to incorporate the latest state of the art technology to drive environmental performance, advancing our goal to be a global showcase for airport sustainability. The completion of the first phase of the development marks a significant milestone in the construction programme as we look forward to completion in early 2024.”
