| There is a paradox, business aviation is 30% down, | | | | upgrades, airborne Internet, adjustable LED lighting, |
| but completion centres have never been so busy. Of | | | | and executive suites make a regional jet marketable |
| course, heads-of-state, royal families, and even some | | | | as a corporate jet. |
| high rollers remain unaffected by the recession, but | | | | Lufthansa Technik (LHT) announced late last year |
| this is not the whole story. | | | | that its completion and refurbishment centre at Tulsa, |
| Swiss-based Jet Aviation has expanded in the USA. | | | | typically working on Falcons and Learjets, will deliver |
| Lufthansa Technik and Marshall Aerospace with their | | | | BBJs and its first A319. LHT is also repositioning |
| business aviation centre are promoting corporate | | | | narrow-body and RJ conversion support work to the |
| aircraft maintenance too. | | | | former Swissair maintenance complex in Basel. |
| Airlines who are suffering are deferring deliveries, so | | | | Similarly, Jet Aviation has been adding major hangar |
| airframes are becoming available for VIP clients ahead | | | | expansions on both continents. Fokker Services has |
| of schedule and at a discount. Completion centres are | | | | moved into ACJ series completions and has a |
| therefore being pressured to accept them early. | | | | two-year business jet backlog. Comlux Completions |
| Meanwhile, many previous generation business jets | | | | USA is a new player, having bought into Airbus's ACJ |
| are now due for refurbishment, and while airlines are | | | | Completions Centre in Toulouse, while its Zurich |
| looking to dump their regional jets, entrepreneurial | | | | based Creatives division designs, specs and manages |
| opportunities exist to refurbish them to executive | | | | completions projects. |
| configurations, then offer them to customers for less | | | | In the UK, Cambridge City Airport will now be known |
| than a new purchase. Part of the consolidation is also | | | | as Marshall Airport Cambridge with a new Marshall |
| defensive. As the market contracts, OEMs are | | | | Business Aviation Centre with integrated corporate |
| bringing more completion work in-house. Airlines slash | | | | maintenance facility. |
| capacity and offload and then refurbishment, interior | | | | |