Signs 10-year maintenance agreement with Atlantic Southeast Airlines

Bombardier Aerospace today announced that it has added a third commercial aircraft service centre 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 centres in Bridgeport, West Virginia and Tucson, Arizona. 

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 centre for business aircraft, which will begin operations at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport in the first quarter of 2010. With the addition of these two centres, Bombardier Aerospace now operates a total of eight service centres 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 centre, 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 centres.”

The 91,808-square-foot (8,529 sq m) 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.

“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.”

Through its service centre network, Bombardier has been offering the highest quality of support to its customers for over 28 years.The legendary CRJ100/200 aircraft, first of the CRJ Series family of regional airliners, was launched in March 1989. As of January 31, 2010, Bombardier had delivered 1,587 CRJ Series aircraft. CRJ Series aircraft are in service with more than 60 operators in 38 countries.

Source: Bombardier