Airbus Helicopters will be adding a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) complex adjacent to its existing facility in the Kobe Airport Facility in Japan. Construction will commence in June 2019, with the new facility expected to be operational in November 2019.
The company’s existing facility is capable of accommodating up to 25 medium-sized helicopters simultaneously. It also houses its regional engineering hub and the country’s first and only helicopter full motion full-flight simulator, which has trained over 500 pilots and engineers in Japan and across the region.
With this expansion, Airbus Helicopters will have the largest footprint in the aviation business sector of the Kobe Airport Facility, occupying a total space of 19,685 m². Its overall capacity will increase by 60% to handle about 40 medium-sized helicopters at one time. The new building will feature a state-of-the-art hangar, an administration office, and a purpose-built warehouse.