Following a completion period that lasted more than two years, Lufthansa Technik’s Completions Centre in Hamburg has returned the first of three Boeing 747-8s currently being converted by the company back to an undisclosed customer. 

This project was one of the most complex undertaken by Lufthansa Technik in its long history of completions owing to a cabin size of some 440 sq m and the wide-ranging requirements on the part of the customer in terms of equipment and quality. 

The company is the only centre in the world to convert three Boeing 747-8 in parallel into VVIP aircraft.

"The completion of this 747-8 allowed us to demonstrate all of our skills and competencies," comments Walter Heerdt, who heads the VIP and Executive Jet Solutions division. "It is the most extraordinary aircraft that we have completed to date, featuring an unprecedented high level of elegance. It is only thanks to the many years' experience, professionalism and passion of our employees that we are able to deliver such unique products to our customers."

The entire cabin is individually designed and equipped with the highest quality furniture, fabrics and more than 300 different finishing materials. Every part installed in the aircraft is custom-made and manufactured by hand. The cabin includes a large conference room, a large lounge, bedroom and several bathrooms with showers. The integrated and highly complex cabin management and on-board entertainment system offers the latest standard in entertainment facilities, including broadband Internet, GSM, WLAN, Live TV and satellite communication for example. 

Lufthansa Technik's product division VIP & Executive Jet Solutions has approximately 1,600 employees at various locations in Europe and the US. The company's headquarters and its largest site are located in Hamburg, where approximately 600 employees work in the Completions Centre and another 550 in VIP Maintenance. 

Lufthansa Technik cares for Lufthansa Passage Airlines' entire 747 fleet and therefore has in-depth experience in the maintenance and repair of these aircraft types. These services are also specially adapted by the company for VIP customers. Overall, Lufthansa Technik has already performed more than 80 completions of medium and long-haul aircraft.

With more than 30 subsidiaries and about 26,000 employees worldwide, the Lufthansa Technik Group is one of the leading providers of services for the aviation industry. Lufthansa Technik is licensed internationally as a repair, production and development enterprise. 

The group's portfolio encompasses the entire spectrum of services in the areas of maintenance, repair, overhaul, modification and conversion, engines and components.