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St. Louis, MO  —  Jet Aviation St. Louis will induct its first BBJ, owned by Ty Warner, in April 2013 for scheduled maintenance and upgrades. The project includes the first installation of Boeing's Enhanced Vision System service bulletins for an aircraft in private use.

Jet Aviation St Louis has prepared extensively to accommodate the Boeing aircraft, expanding the facility over recent years and training its technicians at Boeing. The most significant knowledge, though, has happened by sending St. Louis technicians to work at Jet Aviation's sister facility in Basel, Switzerland. This cooperative work program began in early 2010 and continues today.

"Teams of technicians have been sent to Basel to work side-by-side with their colleagues there," notes Chuck Krugh, senior vice president and general manager, Jet Aviation St. Louis. "This hands-on knowledge means we have an experienced team to satisfy Ty Air's high expectations. We also will utilize Basel technicians to augment our already capable maintenance, interior and avionics groups to provide the professional care and expertise our BBJ customers deserve."

Ty Air's BBJ 700 will undergo its 12-year inspection and gear overhaul. Additionally, the main cabin interior will be removed to facilitate the inspections and be reinstalled. An Enhanced Vision System (EVS) will be installed per a series of Boeing and Rockwell service bulletins. This is the first time EVS has ever been applied to a BBJ aircraft in private service. The aircraft will input around April 2013.

"This project is a significant first for us. Ty Air was impressed by our partnership with Basel and by our one-stop shop capabilities in St. Louis," added Chuck. "Now that we have the first aircraft signed, we expect this business to really take off."

Ty Warner is an American toy manufacturer and owner of luxury hotels worldwide. He is Chairman, CEO, sole owner and founder of Ty Inc., the largest manufacturer of plush in the world. Warner a philanthropist, donated over one million Beanie Babies® for children in Iraq and more than $200 million worth of plush toys to a variety of charities including the Children’s Hunger Fund, World Vision, International Toy Bank, Operation No Child Left Behind, Operation Christmas Child, Children’s Miracle Network, and Toys For Tots. Additionally, Warner has donated over $50 million dollars for specific causes and has designed and produced Beanie Babies® for charities including The American Red Cross, The Princess of Wales Foundation, and the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. In 2006, Warner received the Children's Champion Award from Children's Hunger Fund for his philanthropic efforts.