Leonardo is pushing deeper into the UK commercial helicopter market, opening a new maintenance and support facility at Elstree following a months-long search during the pandemic.
The Italian aerospace company secured a £1bn Ministry of Defence contract earlier this year to build military helicopters, having previously warned it could shut its UK manufacturing facility without government investment.
With that deal secured, Leonardo is now turning its focus toward its commercial arm, which supplies helicopters to private clients including many household name British billionaires.
The company has committed around £15m to building the new Elstree helicopter support hub, with an initial stock investment in components and parts estimated at over £10m.
Ten employees are currently based at the facility on a permanent basis, with that figure expected to grow to around 25 during periods of high intensity demand, supporting up to four aircraft at a time.
The Elstree site is located close to Elstree Studios, a collection of film production facilities in the area, one of which is owned by the BBC, with Sky set to open a major new facility there soon.
Given that proximity to the entertainment industry, the nearby Elstree airfield is widely expected to become a popular travel hub for big-name actors and entertainment figures.
The facility will also support the creation of new highly skilled engineering roles for local talent, with the company emphasising the importance of drawing from the surrounding area.
A journey from the London Heliport in Battersea to Elstree by helicopter takes just six minutes, compared to around 90 minutes by car, highlighting the significant time advantage the service offers wealthy clients.
Much like purchasing a Bentley or a Rolls Royce, Leonardo helicopters can be completely tailored to individual buyer preferences, with interior options ranging from blue leather seats to mahogany panelled finishes.
The commercial helicopter market remains firmly the preserve of celebrities, billionaires, and high-profile City executives, with Leonardo’s expanded UK presence positioning it to capture more of that affluent client base.
With both its defence and commercial operations now on firm ground in the UK, Leonardo appears intent on cementing itself as a significant long-term player in the British aerospace sector.