Story ID: 1090512mx
Constant Aviation Opens New Facility
By: David A. Lombardo
Caption: 
Word Count: 430
Cleveland, Ohio-based Constant Aviation has opened a new facility in Las Vegas. “This is a huge accomplishment for our company and employees but most of all for our customers. Expanding to a third location has been a long-term goal for quite some time. It made sense that the growth was on the West Coast,” Stephen Maiden, the MRO provider’s president, told AIN.

In addition to the company’s Cleveland Hopkins International Airport headquarters and maintenance facility, it has a facility on Birmingham International Airport, and now the new 30,000-sq-ft. facility on McCarran International Airport it is leasing from Atlantic Aviation.

“We did extensive research looking at different cities and airports. Las Vegas made the most sense as it is a short flight from most of the West Coast and is such a popular destination for both corporate and commercial travel. Expansion in locations and services will continue to be a goal for us,” he said.

The Las Vegas facility is staffed by 30 technicians, all of whom have been factory trained in at least two of the following: the Embraer Legacy 600, Embraer Phenom 100/300, Citation X, Challenger 300, Hawker 800XP, Beechjet 400A/XP and Piaggio Avanti.

Constant Aviation also continues to expand its supplemental type certificate development program. Maiden announced the completion of an STC for the complete Wi-Fi system along with Aircell’s Gogo Biz in-flight Internet system for the Hawker 125 series. It marks the fourth Wi-Fi STC completed this year.

An installed baseline price for the Aircell high-speed Internet and worldwide Iridium phone system is approximately $140,000 and requires about two weeks downtime. It supports the use of any Wi-Fi enabled device such as an iPad, iPhone, laptop or BlackBerry. The system does not allow for calls placed on cellphones but users are able to make calls via the Internet using Skype or Facetime.

“With close to 600 Hawker 800A/XPs, 850XPs and 900XPs based in the U.S. it made sense for us to make this STC a priority. We understand our customers’ needs and know that in-flight Internet is an upgrade that continues to be important for corporate aviation. To provide the Hawker community a variety of options, we decided to STC the Gogo Biz system to work with both the ATG 4000 or 5000 systems,” Maiden said.

Constant Aviation has also completed similar STCs for the Gulfstream IV, Legacy 600, Citation X, Phenom 300, EMB-135 Shuttle and the EMB-135LR. STCs for the Beechjet 400A/XP and the 737 BBJ are in the final stages of FAA approval.