Bombardier has opened a North American Learning Center at its Wichita, Kansas, site, using an actual Global 5000 fuselage for hands-on maintenance training. The facility forms part of an approximately $50 million investment in Wichita that also includes an expanded Wheel and Tire Shop, strengthening the company’s technician pipeline and component-repair capacity across its American service network.
Inaugurated on 15 October, the learning centre is Bombardier’s first dedicated in-house skills-development facility for newly hired aircraft technicians and mechanics from across the Americas. Its specialised programme is intended to provide practical experience and help develop the workforce required to support the company’s growing maintenance, repair and overhaul operations.
The opening was attended by Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, Lieutenant Governor David Toland and Paul Sislian, Bombardier’s executive vice-president of aircraft sales and aftermarket services. The training facility is designed to support continuous skills development and improve the consistency of technical support available to customers.
The investment also covers the recently expanded Wheel and Tire Shop. New equipment and employee training will increase the Wichita site’s Component Repair and Overhaul capabilities, with Bombardier targeting improvements in quality, efficiency and safety. The company has not detailed how the approximately $50 million will be divided among the learning centre, wheel-and-tire operations and planned future capabilities.