Lufthansa Bombardier Aviation Services GmbH (LBAS), a Berlin based leading specialist in the maintenance, repair and overhaul of Bombardier Business Aircraft, has opened a line maintenance station in Riga, Latvia. After a two-day audit by the German Airworthiness Authority acting on behalf of the European Air Safety Agency (EASA), the station is now officially approved and ready to serve customer aircraft.
Together with its local partner Baltic Business Aviation Center Ltd. (BBAC) / FBO Riga Ltd. LBAS now offers comprehensive line maintenance support for corporate aircraft, including the Bombardier Learjet 40, Learjet 45 and Learjet 60, Challenger 601, Challenger 604 and Challenger 605, as well as Global 5000 and Global Express XRS business jets.
While LBAS provides manpower, tools and material support, FBO Riga offers hangar space right next to its Fixed Base Operation (FBO) at Riga International Airport. FBO Riga offers the full complex of services for operators and passengers in Riga, such as aircraft fuelling, aircraft de/anti-icing, overnight aircraft hangarage, passenger and crew handling, including customs and immigration services, and much more.
Andreas Kaden, LBAS' Managing Director stated: "Since a lot of our customers operate in Eastern Europe and the former CIS regions, we bring our services directly to their doorstep providing an extremely competitive alternative to services offered directly within Russia. In addition to cost advantages we can assure timely parts deliveries and logistics literally without any customs issues due to Latvia's membership in the European Union. We are confident to convince many of Bombardier's business aircraft customers to take advantage of the seamless service offering in Riga to operate and home base their aircraft there."
Immediately after the approval for the line station was given, a first contract was signed by the Austrian company International Jet Management (IJM) to support a Global Express jet home based at Riga.
Felix Feller, CEO of International Jet Management, said: "We are happy to extend our long-lasting co-operation with LBAS by new maintenance services at such an attractive location like Riga. This contract helps us to offer top service on site for our clients in this important regional market."
The swift addition of the Challenger 850 jet capability to the existing services offered at the line maintenance station in Riga is scheduled for later this year. Warranty work on the approved aircraft type is also scheduled to be offered at a later date.
Services for Boeing Business Jets and Airbus Corporate Jets will also be provided in collaboration with Lufthansa Technik. Lufthansa Technik VIP & Executive Jet Solutions provides a broad portfolio of completion, interior and maintenance services for a wide range of VIP aircraft. In addition to locations in Germany, Switzerland and the USA the Lufthansa Technik VIP Network offers mobile maintenance, repair and overhaul support for many VIP and head-of-state customers worldwide.
Lufthansa Bombardier Aviation Services GmbH:
LBAS, based at Berlin-Schoenefeld airport in Germany, was formed in 1997 as a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Technik Group and of the Bombardier Aerospace Group. LBAS specializes in the maintenance, repair and overhaul of Bombardier Learjet, Challenger and Global business jets. The joint venture also includes the global business aircraft operator and service provider ExecuJet Aviation Group, headquartered in Switzerland, which joined LBAS in 2005.
Baltic Business Aviation Center Ltd.:
BBAC, based at Riga International Airport in Latvia, was formed in 2005. The Company specializes in Charter Sales, Aircraft Sales and Acquisition, Aviation Consulting, FBO development. In December 2009 BBAC has established FBO Riga Ltd. Company to provide ground handling at Riga international Airport.
Bombardier Challenger, Challenger 601, Challenger 604, Challenger 605, Challenger 850, Global, Global 5000, Global Express, Learjet, Learjet40, Learjet 45, Learjet 60 and XRS are registered trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.
