InterGlobe General Aviation Limited Opens Hawker Beechcraft Authorized Service Center
DELHI, India (Feb. 28, 2008) – Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (HBC), the world’s leading business, special-mission and trainer aircraft manufacturer, and its partner InterGlobe General Aviation (P) Limited (IGGA), a subsidiary of InterGlobe Enterprises, are pleased to announce the opening of IGGA’s new Hawker Beechcraft Authorized Service Center for Hawker aircraft at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, India. This is the first authorized service center for Hawker jets in India and demonstrates both companies’ commitment to growing general aviation in the region.
“We are delighted to expand our partnership with InterGlobe General Aviation and are excited about their investment in the Hawker brand in India,” said Jim Schuster, Hawker Beechcraft Corporation chairman and CEO. “HBC enjoys a 56 percent market share of all turbine aircraft in India and recently announced an order for 20 Hawker jets from a new operator in the region, BJETS, further solidifying our dominant presence in the region. India is a major market for our aircraft thanks to the unmatched efforts by our international sales and support team, our superior relationship with InterGlobe and products that meet the needs of customers throughout the region. The InterGlobe team has demonstrated their ability to sell the Hawker line of aircraft and is committed to delivering superior customer support. We could not have a better partner.”
In 2007, economic growth and increased interest in general aviation helped propel India to become the third largest market worldwide for Hawker Beechcraft products. New Delhi is rapidly emerging as a leading business and financial capital of the world with a growing number of high net worth individuals who have a need for private jet travel. During the fourth quarter of 2007, BJETS ordered 20 Hawker 850XP and Hawker 900XP aircraft to start their new fractional and block charter services in India next month. The BJETS aircraft will be maintained by InterGlobe General Aviation.
The opening ceremony was presided over by Indian government leaders Shri Kamal Nath, Honorable Minister for Commerce and Shri Praful Patel, Honorable Minister for Civil Aviation, with a large number of VIP’s also in attendance. They joined InterGlobe Enterprise Limited’s Managing Director, Rahul Bhatia, along with Jim Schuster, Chairman and CEO of Hawker Beechcraft and several other executives.
“This InterGlobe General Aviation facility will deliver superior customer support for Hawker owners in India and the surrounding countries,” said Nigel Harwood, CEO of InterGlobe General Aviation. “We have made a significant investment in hiring personnel, buying new equipment to create a state-of-the-art, world-class service center that is unmatched in India. This will allow us to deliver the very high level of service our customers desire and is important to sales growth in SAARC. We are proud to partner with Hawker Beechcraft and look forward to a long and prosperous relationship.”
The 1,700 square meter facility offers world class amenities including a VIP lounge, pilot offices, crew lounges, maintenance support offices and a large hangar that can perform maintenance on up to six aircraft at a time. Hawker owners in the region will now get superior maintenance and support from a facility that consists of 1,200 square meters of hangar and 500 square meters of administrative offices, maintenance support and storage space as well as a first-rate VIP lounge.
About InterGlobe Enterprises
Established in 1989, InterGlobe Enterprises is the foremost travel conglomerate in India and enjoys a significant presence in the fields of aviation management, travel related services, travel technology, travel distribution services and hotel development and management services.
Headquartered in Gurgaon, India, with a total employee base of nearly 4,000, InterGlobe has a network of 52 offices across 23 cities in India, the United States, the United Kingdom and South Africa.
InterGlobe General Aviation
InterGlobe General Aviation commenced business activity in June 2007. Now with its first operational base in Delhi, it has plans to open further servicing centers across India to support its sales activity on the Hawker Beechcraft aircraft. In June 2008 it becomes the sole sales and servicing representative for all Hawker Beechcraft products within SAARC.
About Hawker Beechcraft Corporation
Hawker Beechcraft Corporation is the world’s leading business, special-mission and trainer aircraft manufacturer – designing, marketing and supporting aviation products and services for businesses, governments and individuals worldwide. The company’s headquarters and major facilities are located in Wichita, Kan., with operations in Salina, Kan., Little Rock, Ark. and Chester, England, U.K. The company leads the industry with a global network of over 100 factory-owned and authorized service centers. For more information, visit www.hawkerbeechcraft.com.
