Jet Aviation Basel First to Sign B747-8 Completions Contract

Dec. 7, 2010
Jet Aviation Basel is the first completions center to sign a contract for the VVIP completion of a Boeing 747-8 cabin interior.

Basel / Switzerland, December 7, 2010 – Jet Aviation Basel is the first completions center to sign a contract for the VVIP completion of a Boeing 747-8 cabin interior; the contract is with an undisclosed client from the Middle East. The company’s in-house interior design studio was also awarded with the design of the cabin interior. Following its expected arrival in Basel in early 2012, the aircraft will be completed within 24 months.

Jet Aviation Basel is the first completions center to be contracted for the outfitting of a VVIP cabin interior of one of the eight VIP B747-8 aircraft sold to date. An agreement was recently signed with an undisclosed client from the Middle East, and the aircraft is expected to arrive in Basel in early 2012 with a completion cycle time of 24 months. Jet Aviation Basel’s in-house interior design studio has also been selected to design the contemporary VVIP cabin interior of the B747-8.

“Jet Aviation Basel’s selection as the first-ever completions center to be contracted to complete the cabin interior of a VVIP B747-8 aircraft is a validation of the investments we have made in technology and training to build the in-depth know-how of the Boeing 747-8 aircraft,” says Peter G. Edwards, president of the Jet Aviation group. “We are honored to be selected as the first completions center to outfit this new generation of aircraft and we are excited to take on this challenge,” he adds.

This B747-8 will be the first wide-body aircraft where CATIA and Smarteam, a 3-D design software for mechanical engineering, will be used for the engineering, production and data management requirements for the entire completion process. The software was introduced at Jet Aviation Basel earlier this year. The Basel completions center will also build a full-size mock-up model of the aircraft so the client can experience a 1:1 view of the cabin interior for the final decision making process.

Jet Aviation Basel is a world-renowned completions and maintenance center employing more than 1,600 professionals. The facility has in-house design and engineering departments, along with on-site cabinetry, upholstery, fiberglass and paint shops. The organization is capable of outfitting jets as large as an Airbus A380 or the Boeing 747-8 series and has already completed numerous Airbus 319ACJ, A320, A330, A340 and Boeing B737, B757, B767 and B747-400 aircraft. Jet Aviation Basel also provides aircraft maintenance and repair services to a wide variety of business jets. It is a factory approved service center by Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Dassault and Gulfstream. The location also holds a jet aircraft repair station rating by the FAA #QV1Y440K, and the EASA #CH.145.0232 in addition to approval certificates of 21 other national aviation authorities.

Jet Aviation, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), was founded in Switzerland in 1967 and is one of the leading business aviation services companies in the world. Close to 5,000 employees cater to client needs from 24 airport facilities throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North and South America. The company provides maintenance, completions and refurbishment, engineering, fixed base operations, along with aircraft management, charter services, aircraft sales and personnel services. Jet Aviation's European and U.S. aircraft management and charter divisions jointly operate a fleet of more than 200 aircraft. For more information, please visit www.jetaviation.com.General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, employs approximately 90,000 people worldwide. The company is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies. More information about the company is available on the Internet at www.generaldynamics.com.