Development is underway on two new wide-body hangars at Jet Aviation's site in Basel, Switzerland. The combined structures will bring the total hangar capacity of the site to some 40,000 sqm, with 18,000 sqm of production and shops.

Basel is the company's largest facility and global headquarters, with six hangars, currently totalling some 36,000 sqm, and 52,000 sqm of ramp space. The current Hangars 1 and 2 will be rebuilt and extended to create two new, wide-body facilities, totalling 16,000 sqm, with 5,500 sqm 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,” says Cyril Martiniere, vice president maintenance operations Europe and general manager, Basel. “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 14,000 square metres to ensure that we continue to provide an effortless experience, no matter the aircraft type or service required.”

Building on existing sustainability practices at the site, including a building energy management system that optimises and reduces energy consumption, and the introduction of on-site sustainable aviation fuel 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, a state-of-the-art exterior construction 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 to provide an efficient working environment, including integrated GSE storage areas, tank ventilation systems, lifts for 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. 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,” reveals Sylvain von Hof, vice president SCM and real estate. “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 10,000 sqm wide-body hangar in Basel. A new 8,740 sqm wide-body hangar was opened in 2018, with a 10,000 sqm logistics centre opening in 2020 and an 8,000 sqm production centre following in 2021.