Inks 10-Year Maintenance Agreement With Atlantic Southeast
Airlines
Bombardier Aerospace today announced that it has added a third
commercial aircraft service center to its growing customer support
network worldwide. The facility, located in Macon, Georgia and
operated by Bombardier Customer Services complements the two
Bombardier-owned commercial aircraft service centers in Bridgeport,
WV and Tucson, AZ.
The facility, which began operations on January 18, 2010, will
perform heavy maintenance, including C Check events, on Bombardier
CRJ100/200/700/900 aircraft. This new operation is expected to
create an additional 180 jobs within Bombardier over the next year,
and represents a $2 million investment in Georgia.
With the opening of the new facility, Bombardier has signed a
10-year exclusive agreement with Georgia-based Atlantic Southeast
Airlines (ASA), becoming the exclusive provider of heavy
maintenance services for ASA's fleet of 150 CRJ aircraft (including
108 CRJ200, 38 CRJ700 and 10 CRJ900 models). Macon is a strategic
location for businesses in the aerospace and aviation sector, and
the state of Georgia is home to more than 500 firms that perform
all facets of the aircraft maintenance industry.
The opening of the Macon facility coincides with the
announcement of Bombardier's first wholly owned European service
center for business aircraft, which will begin operations at
Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport in the first quarter of 2010. With the
addition of these two centers, Bombardier Aerospace now operates a
total of eight service centers around the world.
"Bombardier Customer Services has proven to be a reliable heavy
maintenance provider for ASA's Bombardier fleet and we are pleased
to be extending our well-established partnership with Bombardier
Customer Services in Macon," said Ken Ashworth, Vice President,
Maintenance, Atlantic Southeast Airlines.
"The investment in the Macon service center, as well as the new
one at Schiphol, is evidence of Bombardier's ongoing commitment to
improve the maintenance support we offer our customers," said James
Hoblyn, President, Customer Services and Specialized and Amphibious
Aircraft, "and the 10-year contract with ASA is a testament to the
quality we provide throughout our service centers."
The 91,808-square-foot Macon facility, previously operated by
ASA, will be managed by Bombardier Customer Services and will also
provide existing and new Bombardier CRJ operators with additional
repair, overhaul and maintenance capacity. The well-equipped,
well-stocked facility has a line capability for up to six aircraft
at a time.
CRJ 900
"We have worked hard to maintain and expand industry in the
Macon-Bibb County Community and are therefore very pleased to have
Bombardier conduct its operations here in conjunction with ASA,"
said Cliffard Whitby, Chairman of the Macon-Bibb County Industrial
Authority. "This success reflects the quality of our skilled
laborers and the cooperation and collaboration among community
leaders. We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial
relationship."
As one of Georgia's strategic industries, the aviation and
aerospace sector employs more than 80,000 people statewide. In
addition, Georgia's total aviation exports topped $3.2 billion in
2008, ranking the state as the ninth-highest U.S. state in this
sector.
"As Georgia continues to pursue excellence in the aerospace
sector, the relocation of companies like Bombardier to the state is
a great step in that direction," said Ken Stewart, commissioner of
the Georgia Department of Economic Development. "I join with the
Macon community and this vibrant Middle Georgia region in welcoming
yet another aerospace industry leader to the state."