Flying Colours, the North American MRO and completions business, has completed a 240-month inspection for a Bombardier Global Express aircraft. The intense check took place at Flying Colours' Peterborough, Ontario headquarters, where a technical team with extensive heavy maintenance experience completed the twenty-year inspection.

Completely stripped back to the airframe, a thorough check for corrosion, stress fractures and other issues that may affect the structural integrity of the aircraft was undertaken. This was followed by a number of service bulletin updates. In conjunction with the mandatory 240 month inspection tasks and landing gear restoration, additional hourly inspections were completed, as well as multiple service bulletins to inspect for and correct flap corrosion. In the new fully computerised and climate controlled state-of-the-art paint shop, which opened this March at the Canadian company's headquarters, paint work touch ups rejuvenated the fuselage.

The aircraft was already familiar to the Flying Colours team, having visited Peterborough two years ago for a complete cabin refurbishment and new fuselage paintwork under previous ownership. Minor touch-ups to the cabinetry and soft furnishings were also performed in parallel with the latest maintenance. Confirming the company's expertise on this platform a further two Bombardier Global Express heavy maintenance checks are in the pipeline, with a 120 and 240 month scheduled in the next six months.

“The 240-month inspection is extensive and requires extreme attention to detail to ensure the aircraft is structurally safe to enter back into service,” says Kevin Kliethermes, director of sales. With most early production Global aircraft still operating Kliethermes says the team is pleased to be supporting future inspections. “As a Bombardier authorised service facility, we are very well positioned to support owners of this airframe. We have a highly motivated and experienced maintenance workforce that understands the intricacies of these detailed checks; we have the infrastructure with eight spacious hangars in North America enabling easy fuselage access; and a dedicated Global tail-dock designed to support work on the Global platform. We also have our avionics, paint and interiors team standing by to support a variety of aircraft upgrades in parallel. Owners appreciate the ability to have all the work conducted in one location as it really minimises downtime,” he concludes.