Leonardo Helicopters has officially opened a new £15 million maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO)/customer support facility in the U.K. on the outskirts of London.
The London Elstree Support Hub has room for up to four AW189s to sit side by side in its large hangar, as well as three workshops, two parts stores, substantial office space, meeting rooms and an Agusta lounge to showcase Leonardo’s VIP line of trim and finishes. The company has also invested £10 million in inventory to store at and distribute from the site.
“This facility . . . brings us closer to our partners, our friends, our customers, and the community,” said Clive Higgins, chief executive officer of Leonardo U.K., during an official opening ceremony May 27. “It shows how close we are to community. We operate across the length and breadth of the U.K., and what we will bring to Elstree and the local area is a passion for the people, jobs, and skills for the future, a chance to grow.”
The site currently has 10 full-time employees, but this will rise to 25 when at full capacity. Higgins said Leonardo will also be working with local universities to develop talent with apprenticeship opportunities.
“We’re cultivating partnerships and we will undoubtedly see lots of potential students of the future coming through here,” he said. “This is a long-term commitment to this area, it’s a long-term commitment from Leonardo, and it demonstrates Leonardo’s commitment to the U.K. . . . This is the start of many significant investments that we’re going to see over the next year and beyond.”
Oliver Dowden, the local MP representing Hertsmere said the connectivity provided by the aerodrome helps businesses in the area to succeed and thrive.
“A facility like this is not only creating high-quality jobs, but it is also providing the opportunity for partnerships with local institutions . . . to create those sustainable jobs for the future — so I think it’s an enormously exciting time.”
The site is the 10th for the wider Leonardo group in the U.K., and will provide manufacturer-approved maintenance, logistics, and technical support for the country’s fleet.
“We’re not just here to deliver helicopters, we’re here to deliver solutions,” said Andrea Mirteto, SVP of sales for the EMEA region. “It shows our confidence in the U.K. as a center of aerospace excellence.”
According to Leonardo, its aircraft represent more than 50 percent of the corporate/business aviation helicopter fleet in the U.K., and the Elstree hub clearly plans to target that market — both through the provision of maintenance, and as a strategic stepping stone into central London.
The company also hopes to attract air ambulance operators, with 40 percent of the U.K. air medical helicopter fleet being Leonardo aircraft.
The total Leonardo fleet in the U.K. is about 200 aircraft, with 50 of those arriving in just the last two years.
“The market [in the U.K.] is growing, and we have strong demand for our helicopters in several applications, especially with the AW139 — it’s a multi-role aircraft that can serve the VIP market, the air ambulance, offshore services, and paramilitary,” said Riccardo Del Duca, MD of Leonardo Belgium.
“So the market is growing, the customer base is enlarging. We produce these helicopters in Italy, and then through this network of companies within the group, we support them worldwide.”
The opening of the hub is part of a long-term strategic plan to expand Leonardo’s presence in the U.K., said Francesco Bellardi, VP customer support and services, with customers now expecting proximity from OEMs in terms of support.
Del Duca said the manufacturer — whose U.K. headquarters are in Yeovil in the country’s southwest — initiated discussion about a strategic London support hub in 2018, with the search for a site starting in 2021. Elstree, about 11 miles northwest of central London, was selected, with Leonardo’s board approving the project in 2022.
“When we decided to have this London base, it’s really to accommodate customer demand — to be closer to that,” he said. “Our customer base, especially the VIP [customers], are all around South East England. So London was really the best strategic hub to place ourselves.”
The area is perhaps most famous for Elstree Studios — a film and television production center — but London Elstree Aerodrome sits on a site that has been used for aviation for almost a century.
Leonardo established a temporary first hangar on the southern side of the runway in October 2024. Meanwhile, construction work began for the base on the northern side, which took about 12 months to complete. The company began to transfer to the new site in March, but will keep hold of its warehouse across the airport to store parts for shipping to customers.
Del Duca said the site “is sufficient for today,” but said there is room to expand if needed.
