A dedication ceremony was held for a major expansion to a legacy business at Augusta Regional Airport (AGS), just a year after construction began.
The expansion includes a new hangar at StandardAero, an aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul services business that has been at the airport for over 50 years.
Russell Ford, Chairman and CEO of StandardAero, said the team in Augusta is part of an industry he believes is one of the most impactful in recent history.
“Without the aerospace industry, there wouldn’t be a lot of materials and the science that finds its way into other parts of the world in which we live,” he said. “Without the aerospace industry, we wouldn’t have the materials that are necessary to build artificial joints for the medical industry, we wouldn’t have global positioning system satellites that can carry communications now around the world instantly. The aerospace industry advanced semiconductor technology in the 1960’s as part of the Apollo space program.”
The new hangar adds more than 80,000 square feet of space and an engine shop to the company’s existing buildings. That is a 60% increase in space and will allow the company to work on larger aircraft, with bigger doors and higher ceilings to accommodate the taller tail assemblies.
Kim Ernzen, Chief Operating Officer of the company, said the facility will also support an engine partnership it has with Honeywell.
“StandardAero is the exclusive independent, worldwide heavy overhaul provider on the HTF 7000 that powers many of these larger aircraft, and it’s important that we can have the ability to continue to grow with the growing fleet,” she told the crowd. “Our expanded footprint here in Augusta will allow us to accommodate this future growth and provide additional value, not only to our customers, which is for whom we do all of our work, but it also allows us to support the men and women in the local community with more jobs.”
Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson told ABD StandardAero’s expansion and commitment to Augusta help support future growth at the airport.
“What a lot of the public doesn’t realize is that there are a lot of folks who either own a business or own a private plane. They’re coming to have their jet serviced here in Augusta, which is huge,” he explained. “It adds a great opportunity for those to see some of the great work we’re doing, whether it’s through economic developments or growing our community, whether it comes to play or watch golf, it’s just a great opportunity.”
Ga. Gov. Brian Kemp sent a videotaped greeting and said this is an example of a key investment being made in infrastructure and workforce development.
“Fortunately, we are seeing incredible growth in our aviation and aerospace sectors. This expansion is the latest evidence of that success,” he said. “I want to thank the entire StandardAero team, as well as all those in Augusta and across the state who work and make this happen.”
The ribbon-cutting ceremony is just two months after AGS and StandardAero approved an amendment to their lease agreement. It calls for the airport to commit two million dollars to improvements on the company’s existing hangar. It will address height restrictions with the size of the current door, so larger planes can also be serviced there.
The expansion adds between 90 and 100 jobs to the current 200 employees.
The company’s employment opportunities are on its website https://standardaero.com/
