Story ID: 
Bombardier Tucson celebrates 30 years
By: David A. Lombardo
Caption: Bombardier marked three decades of service and maintenance support in Tucson by signing a 22-year lease agreement with the Tucson Airport Authority, ensuri
Word Count: 143
Bombardier marked three decades of service and maintenance support in Tucson by signing a 22-year lease agreement with the Tucson Airport Authority, ensuring continued service at its Tucson Service Center until 2028.Originally opened in 1978 as a Learjet aircraft production and services facility, the Tucson site employed 150 specialists and engineers. Bombardier acquired the facility in 1990 and soon expanded its mandate to include aircraft completions. Today, the Tucson service center continues to service Learjets, Challengers and Globals as well as Bombardier regional jets. Some 650 technicians work at the Tucson facility, which is authorized by nearly 30 leading aviation component manufacturers for equipment installation, repairs and overhaul.The Tucson service center recently expanded its aircraft interior shop area by more than 30,000 sq ft to increase its total capacity to 847,800 sq ft. The center features a state-of-the-art paint facility and a team of technicians averaging 15 years of experience.