Jet Aviation has announced that development is underway on two new wide-body hangars at its site in Basel, Switzerland. The combined structures will bring the total hangar capacity of the site to some 40,000m².
The Basel site is the company’s largest facility and global headquarters, with six hangars currently totalling some 36,000m²; 52,000m² of ramp space; and some 18,000m² of production and shop space. The current Hangars 1 and 2 will be rebuilt and extended to create two new wide-body hangars, totalling 16,000m², with 5,500m² of shops.
“As one of the world’s leading maintenance and completion facilities, we are committed to growing and evolving our site and capabilities in line with the needs of our customers,” said Cyril Martiniere, VP of maintenance operations, Europe, and GM of the Basel site. “In 1967 we were pioneers, bringing business aviation to Europe. Basel was our first site and remains our global headquarters, and home to our largest maintenance, refurbishment, modification and VIP completions centre. We have grown from one hangar to six hangars, and in the past decade we have expanded the site by over 14,000m² to ensure that we continue to provide an effortless experience, no matter the aircraft type, or service required.”
Building on existing sustainability-focused practices at the site, including a building energy management system designed to optimise and reduce energy consumption, and the introduction of on-site Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) earlier this year, the new hangars are built with modern, sustainable construction methods in mind.
They will feature a wooden arch; extensive natural lighting via skylights; geothermal and solar energy production; underfloor heating; an exterior constructed for optimal insulation; and a mega-door to allow for flexibility in aircraft movements and reduce door opening in extreme weather. Additional features have also been integrated into the design to provide an efficient working environment, including integrated GSE storage areas; tank ventilation systems; lifts for the efficient flow of parts and raw materials; a flat floor for jacking and levelling; and aerial lifelines across the entire space.
“As well as offering new options for customers, we also build our infrastructure with our team top of mind,” said Sylvain von Hof, VP of SCM and real estate. “The new hangars will provide a state-of-art working environment, enabling them the highest standards of safety and efficiency in service of a seamless employee experience. These hangars represent the next step in our ongoing infrastructure journey in Basel, and I would like to thank everyone who has supported us and enabled our continued growth and success in the region, including the EuroAirport, the local authorities and community, our local construction partners, and, of course, our team on site.”
In 2008, Jet Aviation opened a 10,000m² wide-body hangar in Basel. A new 8,740m² wide-body hangar was opened in 2018, with a 10,000m² Logistics Center opening in 2020, and an 8,000m² Production Center in 2021.
Jet Aviation is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics with more than 4,500 employees and 50 locations worldwide. Jet Aviation’s offerings include aircraft management, aircraft sales, charter, completions, government programmes, FBO, maintenance and staffing.
