Georgia-based private jet maker Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. has opened a new service center near London in an effort to offer greater convenience to customers, many of whom are spread across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
The new 225,000-square-foot center at the private Farnborough Airport will offer maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) services, as well as interior upgrades and aftermarket modifications.
Built initially to replace an existing presence at London’s Luton Airport, the new hangar can better accommodate larger Gulfstream jets like the soon-to-be-introduced G700, with space for 13 planes at once.
Gulfstream’s ground teams will continue to offer service for aircraft arriving in Luton, a departure from the initial announcement about the new facility, when Gulfstream said it would move all 250 employees and their functions to Farnborough.
“Gulfstream Farnborough is already seeing great demand,” said Derek Zimmerman, president, Gulfstream Customer Support, in a news release noting that the first plane serviced there was a Middle East-based G450 arriving for scheduled maintenance. “This opening marks the completion of another goal in our overarching strategy to enhance convenience and increase options for our customers.”
Gulfstream Customer Support has opened many new facilities across the U.S. in recent years, butLondon is a major international hub for Gulfstream activity; the Savannah-based company has its European parts distribution center near Heathrow Airport and a sales and design center in London’s upscale Mayfair district. As of May 2018, Gulfstream had 225 aircraft based in Europe and 180 in the Middle East and Africa.