UK REGIONAL REPORT
BEYOND BREXIT
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SERVICES
From left: FlightSafety Farnborough, Textron Aviation station Biggin Hill, CAE 7000XR simulator, Gulfstream service center TAG Farnborough.
ately, when we talk about Business Aviation in the UK, our conversations immediately turn towards Brexit. And while Brexit is no doubt an important issue – and one that will likely have a significant impact on our industry – it’s not the only thing happening. While negotiations on the terms of Brexit continue, Business Aviation in the UK continues to fly. For instance, CAE recently announced the expansion of its Business Aviation training footprint with the launch of the new Bombardier Global 5000/6000 fullflight simulator (FFS) with Vision flight deck. Located at CAE London Burgess Hill, the new CAE 7000XR Series FFS is equipped with CAE Tropos 6000XR visual system, offering unprecedented realism. Luxaviation, TAG Aviation Europe, along with pilots of many other business aircraft operators, have already started their training. “Offering the most innovative training equipment and highest quality training programs to our customers is always a top priority at CAE,” says CAE Group President Civil Aviation Training Solutions Nick Leontidis. “The deployment of the latest Bombardier Global Vision full-flight simulator at CAE London Burgess Hill highlights our commitment to delivering the best training experience to our customers.” Meanwhile, Textron Aviation announced that it is expanding its presence in London with a line maintenance station at London Biggin Hill Airport. The move further enhances accessibility to factory-direct service and support for Citation, King Air and Hawker customers operating throughout Europe.
38 - BART: JULY - AUGUST - 2018
A brief look at Business Aviation in the United Kingdom by Nick Klenske
The addition of the Biggin Hill line maintenance station is the latest move by Textron to bring factorydirect service and support to customers in Europe. Since 2012, the company has grown its support footprint in Europe to include six company-owned service centers, six line maintenance stations and a team of more than 400 Textron Aviation staff, including engineers, service technicians and field service representatives. “In 2012, we committed to the European market to grow our service and support in the region and, just five years later, we’ve delivered on that commitment,” says Textron Senior Vice President Customer Service Kriya Shortt. At Farnborough, TAG Farnborough Airport has been chosen as the location for Gulfstream’s London Area Service Center. The new state-of-theart MRO facility, which is expected to be operational by the third quarter of 2020, will include office space, customer areas, shop space and a hangar able to accommodate up to 13 largecabin aircraft. Significant ramp space will also be included, along with a car parking area. The entire facility is projected to cover approximately 180,000 to 220,000 square feet. “We are delighted that Gulfstream has selected TAG Farnborough Airport as the location for its new MRO and welcome the investment, which will benefit the regional economy and underpin our role in supporting jobs and economic development,” says TAG Farnborough Airport CEO Brandon O’Reilly. “As Europe’s leading Business Aviation airport and a London gateway, we are well-placed to meet the specific requirements of Gulfstream and its customers.”
Also located at Farnborough Airport is FlightSafety International’s Farnborough Learning Center. Here, the company provides EASA (JAA) training for corporate fixed and rotary wing aircraft, including Hawker, Gulfstream, Bombardier and Sikorsky. The Center also offers a full range of enrichment and specialty training. “Here we pride ourselves on the high-quality training we provide and the excellent customer care to exceed our customers’ needs and requirements,” says Center Manager Paul Hewett. On the fuel side, UK-based Air BP has developed an innovative new Airfield Automation technology to enhance safety, reliability and compliance in airport fueling operations. The new digital platform for operators and airports is an integrated, realtime, global solution that strengthens safety barriers and mitigates risk during the fueling process. It is the first commercially deployed system in the world to provide an engineering barrier to actively help prevent misfuelling. As a result, Air BP is currently pursuing patent protection for this distinctive technology. “This new platform reinforces our ambition to be a leader in digital fueling technology,” says Air BP Chief Commercial Officer Matt Elliott. “With this technology, we are playing our part in ensuring that the fueling process is fast, efficient and safe.” Of course this is only the tip of the iceberg – as we simply don’t have enough space to cover everything that’s happening in the UK. But from this brief overview, one thing is for sure: No matter how Brexit turns out, Business Aviation in the UK is alive and well.
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