Flying Colours is ramping up expansion preparations to align with the growth of the Bombardier Business Aircraft Service Centre at Seletar airport, which is quadrupling in size. Located within the service centre, Flying Colours is recruiting new team members, acquiring equipment and adjusting its workflow layout to triple its capacity.

Recruitment activity has begun to double workforce numbers by the summer of 2021. Flying Colours has already appointed four new recruits who are being trained in the specialised techniques used by the finishing and cabinetry departments. The management team has also been strengthened with the addition of an operations supervisor. A further four technicians are expected to be recruited, trained and in place by the planned opening in the second half of 2020, with ten more recruits anticipated to bolster numbers within the year.

To better support expected business growth in demand for interior repairs and refurbishments the company is also revising the facility layout to enhance workflow and efficiently incorporate new high-tech equipment. A total of three large spray booths will be complemented by the addition of a second sanding booth and additional polishing room, both of which will feature high efficiency ventilation and filtration systems. In addition to wood-veneers, the polishing room will support repairs of the increasingly popular granite countertop surfaces used in aircraft galleys and lavatories. The upholstery section will move to a larger area to support a diverse range of leather and alternative soft materials repairs, while extra space will add valuable storage space for soft goods, veneers and other cabin interior components.

With the new equipment supplementing an already fully equipped interior shop Flying Colours' capabilities will ensure owners in the Asian region have local access to the latest woodwork finishing techniques required for the flagship Bombardier Global 7500, as well as full repairs for existing Bombardier aircraft. This complements the full scope of preliminary inspections, repair work, modifications and refurbishments already offered to complement Bombardier's comprehensive line and heavy maintenance services.

“It is an exciting time for us as we continue to strengthen our brand in the Asia Pacific region while working in tandem with Bombardier to deliver the expertise needed for the regional fleet. We are particularly excited about the addition of the exterior paint shop as external paint work is normally accompanied by significant interior modifications. Our new facility will be able to work on multiple cabin refurbishments in parallel. On completion the facility will be the largest OEM-owned business aviation maintenance facility in Asia-Pacific region and owners will have a single source for maintenance, paint and interior refurbishment under one roof. That's a real game changer for us and our customers,” says MD of international operations Paul Dunford. “We're working with local contractors to ensure minimal interruption of our current daily operations while ensuring that once the doors of the extended facility open, the team will be more than ready to satisfy the rise in throughput. We are already discussing projects with a number of customers from the region.”

The expansion preparations are being implemented following the renewal announced in 2019 of a five-year agreement between the two Canada-headquartered companies confirming that Flying Colours will continue providing interior services at the OEM's Singapore facility.