Farnborough unveils

Speaking on last Tuesday (8 February), Farnborough Airport’s CEO Simon Geere revealed the dedicated business aviation hub’s plans to build a third hangar, which will almost double the existing hangar space reports Chloe Greenbank of Emerald Media.

At an estimated cost of £35m, work on the four-bay, temperature-controlled, 175,000sq ft facility is due to start later this year and be complete in 2024.

According to Geere the new facility underpins the commitment of the airport’s owner, Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets (MIRA). “It really starts that cycle of investment again under new ownership”.

The airport also has its sights set on being a sustainability showcase for other airports. It was declared the first business aviation hub to achieve carbon neutrality in 2018 and since then has continued to make environmental investments. It is currently in the process of renewing its fleet of ground power units and fleet vehicles with electric units, while investments are also being made in HVO (hydro-treated vegetable oil) renewable diesel for ground vehicles and a staff leasing scheme for electric vehicles.

In summer 2021, Farnborough introduced sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and has been actively encouraging customers to refuel with SAF despite prices being around 50% more than Jet A-1.  

Geere also announced that the airport has signed an MoU with Vertical Aerospace to explore opportunities for eVTOL operations and infrastructure. He underlined the “clear environmental benefits and improved connectivity” that this technology could offer.

Concluding that the airport remains “100% dedicated and tailored to serving the needs of the business aviation community”, Geere underlined his optimism for 2022 and beyond saying the focus is to build on Farnborough’s “pioneering legacy, invest in its product and be a sustainability showcase for airports as well as an employer of choice”.

In 2021 Farnborough recorded 26,003 aircraft movements with 2022 levels expected to mirror, if not exceed the pre-Covid record total in 2019 of 32,366 movements.

www.farnboroughairport.com

www.mirafunds.com

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