Major renovation brings WWII aircraft hangar back to life at Nelson Airport

The nine-month renovation of a World War II-era aircraft hangar at Nelson Airport is complete, bringing the heritage building back into commercial use. 

Hangar 2 is a 3,400 square metre building located to the right as you enter Nelson Airport along Trent Drive. In early 2023, Nelson-based aircraft interior production and repair company Generation Global purchased the hangar and began renovations to turn it into a base of operations for the fitout and refurbishment of aircraft.

While much of Generation Global’s commercial production takes place out of its Malaysian facility and is exported globally, Nelson is an important base for the refurbishment of private aircraft. The renovations to Hangar 2 will allow the company to grow its local activities by providing a suitable covered storage facility.

Before 

After 

The building had not been occupied since mid-2022. Nelson Airport chief executive Mark Thompson said the redevelopment work was extensive, requiring the complete removal of the building’s original cladding.

“It’s fantastic to see the building come to life again, with a new owner providing high-value aviation-related services here at the airport. My congratulations to Generation Global for an outstanding job on what was a challenging renovation in many respects.” Generation Global CEO John Hill said they were looking forward to filling the hanger up with aircraft in the near future as the custom and VIP aircraft side of the business continues to grow.