SAVANNAH, GA -- Gulfstream Aerospace, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics, today broke ground for the second phase of its new Savannah Service Center. When completed by the third quarter of 2009, the overall service center will be the largest maintenance facility in the world built specifically for business jets.
The second phase of the new service center, which covers 348,248 square feet, will include a hangar building that can accommodate 18 large-cabin aircraft; offices; an engine run-up area for customers and additional repair shops; and 1,170 parking spaces for employees.
The 330,951-square-foot first phase, which opened in August 2007, also has a hangar that can house 18 large-cabin aircraft, along with offices, repair shops, a fuel farm, an engine run-up area, and a cafeteria.
The 679,199-square-foot service center is part of a seven-year, $400 million long-range expansion plan that Gulfstream announced on March 6, 2006. The completed service center will occupy a total of 76.6 acres at the southwest corner of the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport. The site is being leased from the Savannah-Hilton Head Airport Commission.
“Gulfstream is committed to providing the highest standard of service to its customers,” says Mark Burns, president, Product Support, Gulfstream. “This service center reflects that commitment and enhances our ability to meet customer demand for aircraft refurbishment and maintenance.”
When the new service center is completed, the existing 209,000-square-foot service center in Savannah will become a completions facility for the new Gulfstream flagship aircraft – the Gulfstream G650.
In addition to Savannah, Gulfstream operates service centers in Long Beach, Calif.; Dallas; Appleton, Wis.; Brunswick, Ga.; and London, England. The service centers provide maintenance, overhaul, testing, inspections, equipment installations and refurbishment of Gulfstream business jets.
Gulfstream also manages six service centers under the General Dynamics Aviation Services banner. These are located in Las Vegas; Dallas; Minneapolis; Appleton, Wis.; Westfield, Mass.; and West Palm Beach, Fla., and service Gulfstream, Challenger, Learjet, Hawker and Falcon business jets.
