Gama Aviation has committed its European maintenance future to Bournemouth Airport with the opening of a new 135,000ft
2 facility.
Its Europe Ground managing director Scott McVicar said: “We originally moved to Bournemouth in August after closing our maintenance facilities in Farnborough and Oxford.
"Since the move, we have won long-term contracts worth more than £90 million, brought two commercial airlines to Bournemouth for maintenance, and are building a strong corporate jet and turbo-prop maintenance business.
"This is a good start, but we will increasingly ramp up our capabilities to meet the demand from civil aviation, business aviation, defence sectors, air ambulance and law enforcement.”
With the business aviation MRO (maintenance, repair, overhaul) market consolidating, Gama Aviation is primed to become one of the world’s largest independent maintenance networks.
Dr McVicar added (
www.gamaaviation.com): “Our Bournemouth facility is fully integrated into a network that incorporates 14 sites in the USA, six in the UK, two in Europe, one in the Middle East, two Asian sites and four associated sites in Australia, providing coverage through the Asia-Pacific region.
"The specialisms, experience and capability we have here make it a keystone location, to which the network is already driving heavy maintenance business, particularly from the Middle East.”
Bournemouth Airport managing director Stephen Gill said: “Bournemouth Airport is a flagship aviation hub in southern England, as evidenced by the arrival of Gama Aviation and its long-term commitment here.
"The close flight proximity to mainland Europe and the excellent infrastructure — along with skilled local labour, the popular coastline and the nearby New Forest — are proving attractive to industry players and their employees.”