Babcock Mission Critical Services Onshore has acquired a 20,000 sq ft hangar at Gloucestershire Airport as a base for its growing helicopter maintenance, repair, overhaul and installations operations.

The new facility – located very close to the company’s existing  Staverton headquarters – will become a major new engineering base for the company.

Tim Shattock, Managing Director of Babcock MCS Onshore said: “The new facility will become operational in the next few weeks and will deliver a significant increase in our helicopter engineering capability, both in terms of maintaining our fleet, but also in providing bespoke design and installations for our customers.”

The hangar will initially feature three aircraft bays but future developments will see it become capable of accommodating up to six aircraft, reducing the pressure on existing hangar spaces and improving the ability to schedule and turn around critical work on behalf of Babcock’s UK and international customers.

“Bringing this hangar on-line will signal a new chapter in our development as the UK’s leading provider of air ambulance support,” said Tim Shattock. ”

Darren Lewington, Operations Director at Gloucestershire Airport said:  “We welcome the Babcock acquisition, which consolidates our position as the UK’s leading general aviation airport.  The emergency service and special task helicopter activity here is a vital and vibrant part of our business.  Further hangar development will take place at the Airport his year and further job creation is expected as a result.”