Gulfstream has opened a service centre at Palm Beach International Airport in Florida, as part of a new facility shared with fellow General Dynamics company Jet Aviation. The site features a hangar for each business, as well as shared office space.
The joint facility is nearly 161,000ft² (14,960m²), of which more than 104,000ft² (9,600m²) is dedicated to Gulfstream. The air-conditioned facility can accommodate up to seven G650ER or G650 aircraft. Jet Aviation occupies the remaining 56,700ft² (5,267m²).
Services available at the new Gulfstream service centre include major inspections, structural modifications and repairs, and major avionics installations and system upgrades. The site is a certified FAA and EASA repair station and has maintenance approvals from Argentina, Aruba, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Brazil, Burundi, Canada, the Cayman Islands, the Isle of Man, Mexico, Peru, San Marino and Venezuela.
“Gulfstream has had a presence in Palm Beach for almost 20 years with the capability to accommodate all Gulfstream models,” said Derek Zimmerman, president, Gulfstream Customer Support. “We are excited to open a state-of-the-art facility that will offer world-class service to a greater number of Gulfstream aircraft simultaneously. The Palm Beach service centre is well-positioned to support customers in domestic and international markets, including South America.”
For its part, Jet Aviation noted the facility extension included a new 11,270ft² (1,047m²) FBO terminal and a 42,000ft² (3,902m²) hangar. Designed to accommodate the newer generation, large-body aircraft currently entering the market, the hangar has a door clearance of 30ft (9m), a dedicated ramp area of 64,188ft² (5,963m²) and approximately 10,000ft² (929m²) of dedicated office and storage space.
More than 9,000ft² (836m²) of the passenger terminal on the first floor is shared with the Gulfstream maintenance facility. The site features low-flow water fixtures, a white roof and heat-reducing tarmac, as well as local drought-resistant plants. The complex further features 200,000ft² (18,581m²) of shared tarmac space.
“These facilities are designed and equipped to meet the business aviation needs of our global customer base,” said David Best, senior vice president, regional operations, America, Jet Aviation. “The additional space and hangarage can accommodate both larger aircraft and increasing demand. We continue to grow our facilities to match our customer needs and are pleased to have strong interest in the new hangar.”
“This investment is the fifth new hangar we’ve opened in recent years and underscores our commitment to exceeding customer expectations by further strengthening our global facility network,” said David Paddock, Jet Aviation president. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank our parent company, General Dynamics, for their ongoing support of our business, particularly during these uncertain times.”
Jet Aviation is also currently constructing a new FBO and hangar terminal in Scottsdale, Arizona, slated for completion in early 2021, while working to replace its storm-damaged hangar in Houston, Texas.
