Having undergone interior completions work at Flying Colours Corp. Peterborough headquarters in Ontario a fifth Saab GlobalEye platform was delivered from Bombardier’s Toronto manufacturing site in August. As a Bombardier Special Mission completion partner for Saab’s GlobalEye program, a dedicated Flying Colours Corp. team is responsible for the design, manufacturing, installation, and completion of the highly specified interior, which is based on the Bombardier Global 6000/6500 type. Each monument shipset is individually produced to leverage the Global airframe as Flying Colours Corp. supports Saab through the introduction of a practical, functional interior for the mission system operators.
“We have had extensive experience working on the Global family in both VIP and special mission formats and are proud to have delivered these aircraft in partnership with Bombardier to Saab. Saab’s GlobalEye project specifically showcases the high levels of technical expertise delivered by our experience, knowledge, and the exceptional talent within our team,” says Sean Gillespie, Executive VP for Flying Colours Corp.
In addition the fourth in a series of six Q400MR multi-purpose aircraft has been re-delivered to aerial firefighting specialist partner Conair. Flying Colours is responsible for the engineering, fabrication, installation, certification, and completion of four different cabin interiors to support passenger, cargo, combi-transport, and medevac special missions. On completion of the interiors, a fifth firefighting capability is equipped by Conair. The ability to easily change the aircraft purpose within a quick time frame, maximises operational efficiency and costs, in a diverse range of operating environments. The final two aircraft are anticipated to be completed in 2022.
“Medevac, VIP/combi configurations, and surveillance, are just some of the special missions’ mods we’ve undertaken for governments, military, border forces and private clients over the years. Creating a practical, functional area for a very precise task requires an intelligent approach, technical expertise and engineering talent, all of which we have in abundance,” adds Gillespie. “For all our special mission work, from small medevac reconfigurations, through to the large aircraft modifications, the original airframe is leveraged to perform above and beyond the original spec and is adapted for an unambiguous role. We effectively alter the aircraft DNA, so it becomes perfectly designed to execute a particular task”.
Flying Colours Corp. has noted an increased interest in special missions requests in the last six months for multi-purpose interiors, and the modification of regional jets into corporate shuttle interiors. In addition, it is expanding its capabilities to further support aerial firefighting in response to the growing crisis related to the spread of wildfires, and their presence globally. Gillespie confirmed Flying Colours Corp. is attending the Aerial Firefighting Conference to be held in Abbotsford, BC, 26 October 2021, in support of its partners, and other specialists, in this high demand field.
Flying Colours Corp. will be talking up its special missions capabilities during NBAA-BACE 2021 Booth 923.
Photo Caption: Saab’s GlobalEye platform benefits from Flying Colours’ special mission expertise.
Running parallel with the maintenance tasks was a Collins Venue™ Cabin Management System installation, which was blended with Alto Aviation switches. The controls are specifically designed to fit into previous switch panel location holes resulting in a solution that maximises client budget and reduces installation time significantly. Flying Colours Corp.’ experience with the Venue back bone supported by Alto Switch sets was a factor in the customer selection of the MRO.
To support the existing Ka-band connectivity upgraded routers were repositioned to support cabin and flight deck connectivity. To optimise rest, relaxation, and productivity the AIMSKYLAB sound proofing system was integrated, considerably reducing noise in the cabin. Externally the aircraft fuselage was stripped and repainted to deliver an as new look to the airframe.
“Our experience installing the blended Venue and Alto Switch offering and our capacity to fulfill maintenance, interior, paint and avionics tasks makes Flying Colours Corp. an attractive choice for aircraft owners. Undertaking all the work at a single venue reduces down time and maximises budget which is also very appealing. For this customer the result was an improved ownership experience with improved connectivity, reduced noise levels and a new-look fuselage,” explains Eric Gillespie, Executive VP, Flying Colours Corp. “We have a consistent pipeline of Global heavy checks coming through the facility and our experience just keeps strengthening. This makes us a great option for owners looking for a provider that can meet all their maintenance, interiors, repairs and overhaul needs.”
The 240-month inspection involves completely stripping the aircraft down to the frame, enabling an in depth look at the aircraft fuselage to check for signs of everything from stress fractures to corrosion, as well as other issues that may have affected the structural integrity of the aircraft. The cabin was also laid bare, with panels, carpets, insulating surfaces floorboards, monuments, fairings, and side ledges removed for assessments and overhauls.