Bombardier has opened its new service centre at Essendon Fields airport in Melbourne, Australia. The facility is a testament to Bombardier's commitment to the Australian market and establishes a key building block in its growing global customer support network. At full capacity, the OEM-operated service centre will add 65 aerospace jobs in the community, including more than 48 highly skilled technicians, and will boost Bombardier's customer service footprint in Asia Pacific by some 50,000 sq ft.

The 4,700 sqm hangar and FBO facility includes a luxury lounge for aircraft owners, guests, pilots and crew, as well as meeting rooms for use while jets are serviced.

Australia is a key market for Bombardier with more than 80 aircraft in its Australian business fleet. Bombardier is also the OEM with the largest percentage of deliveries in Australia, representing 31 per cent of the market (47 per cent for medium and large business jets). This new, highly efficient facility will serve as an important gateway to Asia-Pacific, serving as a key focal point for customers in the region and for future growth prospects of the Bombardier fleet.

Bombardier and Essendon Fields team members and customers were in attendance at the launch event, including Bombardier CEO Eric Martel and executive vice president, services and support and corporate strategy Jean-Christophe Gallagher.

“The addition of the Melbourne service centre is the latest in a series of worldwide infrastructure investments aimed at enhancing Bombardier's customer service capacity in line with our 2025 plan,” says Martel. “In the past year, we have added close to one million square feet of service capacity in several key locations, solidifying our plan to bring more Bombardier jets home no matter where they operate.”

Earlier this year, Bombardier enhanced its customer service footprint in Asia-Pacific with the opening of the new Singapore service centre. Bombardier will soon celebrate the opening of its enhanced London Biggin Hill service centre in the UK and later this year will gather to highlight the opening of its new service centre at Miami-Opa Locka Executive airport in Florida.

Customers at the Melbourne service centre will benefit from a variety of service options, including scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, modifications, avionics installations and AOG support for Bombardier's family of aircraft, including the newly introduced flagship Global 8000. The facility will also boast a 4,000 sq ft parts depot.

“The new Melbourne service centre brings essential, specialised services for our customers, enabling us to continue to deliver the service excellence they have come to expect from Bombardier,” says Gallagher. “Our new facility will provide infinite benefits, including quick aircraft turnarounds, greater convenience and OEM peace of mind to Bombardier's growing customer base in Australia.”

It also underscores the steadfast commitment of the team from the Essendon Fields airport as well as the Victoria Government, which has supported Bombardier's development of the service centre and its growth plan.

“Partnering with one of the world's leading manufacturers of business aircraft for its new facility is evidence of Essendon Fields' continued investment in creating a centre of excellence for general aviation here in Victoria. There are more business jets based here than anywhere in the country, and Bombardier's commitment cements Essendon Fields as Australia's home of business aircraft,'' says Essendon Fields CEO Brendan Pihan.