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New aviation program influences company’s decision to expand to West Virginia

HUNTINGTON — Thoroughbred Aviation, central Kentucky’s largest aviation maintenance and avionics provider, is expanding operations with the opening of a facility at Huntington Tri-State Airport, Joe Otte, the company’s vice president, announced on Thursday.

Thoroughbred officials said the soon-to-launch Marshall University and Mountwest Community & Technical College Aviation Maintenance Technology (AMT) program influenced the company’s decision to locate repair operations in West Virginia.

“Thoroughbred is excited to be opening a new aviation maintenance facility in Huntington beginning August 1,” Otte said in a prepared statement. “One of the primary reasons we selected Tri-State is Marshall University’s aviation programs for both future pilots and maintenance technicians. We look forward to partnering with these programs to mentor young aviation professionals and create future job opportunities in the region.”

“Our aviation academic programs are innovative catalysts for economic development, as is evidenced by the announcement by Thoroughbred Aviation,” Dr. Jerome A. Gilbert, president of Marshall University, said in the statement. “We are pleased to welcome them to the Tri-State and are eager to partner on new initiatives.”

Thoroughbred employs more than 35 technicians at facilities in Berea, Big Sandy and Lexington, Kentucky, where it services fixed-wing and rotor aircraft, including Beech, Cessna and Cirrus as well as Airbus and Bell.

The company’s avionics division supports all major brands of autopilot and mission equipment, including Garmin, Aspen, Avidyne, Churchill Navigation, Teledyne FLIR and Technisonic, officials said.

The new Huntington location will provide maintenance for general aviation and corporate aircraft as well as helicopter maintenance, structures, avionics and on-call maintenance for commercial airlines.

“We are excited to welcome Thoroughbred Aviation to Huntington Tri-State Airport,” said Dave Lieving, president and CEO of Huntington Area Development Council and president of Tri-State Airport Authority. “This is a natural fit because the AMT will be located adjacent to Thoroughbred’s operations, providing an excellent opportunity for collaboration that will ultimately complement both entities. This is just the beginning of a partnership that will help build the region’s aviation sector, bringing good jobs to the Huntington area.”

“With Thoroughbred next door to the school, students will have the opportunity to job shadow and experience a professional aviation environment firsthand,” said Jim Smith, interim director of the AMT program.

The Marshall/Mountwest AMT program’s inaugural class is scheduled to begin in January 2022.

Administered by Marshall’s Robert C. Byrd Institute, the program is a branch of the university’s Division of Aviation, which also includes the Bill Noe Flight School at Yeager Airport in Charleston, which will launch this August.

Source: Herald Dispatch

New Designation for Yeager Airport Region Means All Southern WV Counties are AEROready-Certified Communities

CHARLESTON, W.Va., February 11, 2020 – The seven-county region supporting Yeager Airport has received certification as an AEROready community. AEROready certification involves a deep analysis of property, labor, education and infrastructure to ensure a region has the capacity to support the aerospace industry. The Yeager Airport analysis includes Kanawha, Putnam, Boone, Mingo, Logan, Lincoln and Roane counties.

“We want the aviation industry to know that West Virginia can be a hub for their business,” said Yeager Airport Director Nick Keller at a meeting Monday to review the certification process findings. “This certification allows us to go out and recruit businesses to come here, so we can continue building the aviation industry in the mountain state.”

Consultants Tucson Atlantic Consulting and Common Sense Economic Development led the certification process, which was funded by Appalachian Power, according to John Smolak, Appalachian Power economic development director. The AEROready studies are part of the company’s West Virginia Advantage Plan, which is providing $1 million in funding to economic development projects across the company’s service area.

“Appalachian Power is dedicated to providing resources to assist our communities in attracting and retaining industry,” said Brad Hall, Appalachian Power’s external affairs vice president. “These aerospace programs have the potential to bring high-wage jobs to the region. We are appreciative of the collaboration with our local partners as we all work to create a better future for West Virginia.”

Last fall, the regions around Raleigh County Memorial Airport and Greenbrier Valley Airport both received AEROready certification. These certification efforts also were funded by Appalachian Power’s West Virginia Advantage Plan.

Previously, the four counties supporting Huntington’s Tri-State Airport were certified as AEROready, so a total of 21 counties in the state have the coveted certification, along with four commercial airports.

The certification process helps area economic developers determine whether to target aerospace industries and it provides those industries with a wealth of data they can use to make decisions about where to locate.

Appalachian Power has 1 million customers in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee (as AEP Appalachian Power). It is part of American Electric Power, which is focused on building a smarter energy infrastructure and delivering new technologies and custom energy solutions. AEP’s more than 17,000 employees operate and maintain the nation’s largest electricity transmission system and more than 219,000 miles of distribution lines to efficiently deliver safe, reliable power to nearly 5.4 million customers in 11 states. AEP is also one of the nation’s largest electricity producers with approximately 32,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including 4,300 megawatts of renewable energy.

Advanced Aero Services Announces Aviation Facility In Louisiana

Shreveport, LA, January 16, 2020 – Today, Gov. John Bel Edwards, Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins and Advanced Aero Services President Mike Anderson announced AAS will launch an aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul facility at the Shreveport Regional Airport. The MRO facility will serve commercial airline customers at an existing hangar on the airport property.

By 2021, AAS will create 60 new direct jobs with an average annual salary of $49,600, plus benefits. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project’s initial phase will result in 77 new indirect jobs, for a total of 137 new jobs in Northwest Louisiana. Future phases include plans to build a narrow-body MRO hangar that would boost employment substantially.

“Aerospace represents one of Louisiana’s key industries today, and an important sector for growing Louisiana’s economy in the future,” Gov. Edwards said. “In Shreveport, we have substantial assets that include the Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program and its assistance to AAS in finance and capacity building, and Southern University at Shreveport’s Airframe and Powerplant Maintenance Program to provide workforce talent. Here at the intersection of one of Louisiana’s greatest aerospace assets – Barksdale Air Force Base – and our emerging I-20 Cyber Corridor, we welcome AAS and its vision to create a center of excellence in aviation service.”

After establishing operations over the next two years, AAS plans to secure financing for a narrow-body MRO hangar that will open the path to further growth. With that facility in place and business objectives met, AAS would grow to as many as 500 jobs by 2024 and 1,000 jobs later in the decade. At 1,000 jobs, the Advanced Aero Services operations would support an additional 1,280 new indirect jobs, for a total of 2,280 new jobs in Northwest Louisiana.

“We look forward to building out the aviation services offered at Shreveport Regional and making this region our base of operations,” Anderson said. “Advanced Aero Services’ mission is to provide a strong foundation of safe, high-quality MRO services through solid process, innovation and motivated employees.”

Anderson formerly managed $150 million in annual MRO services for another aviation company. Initial services to be offered in Shreveport include aviation-parts manufacturing; airline maintenance and modifications that support major and regional airlines, original equipment manufacturers, and leasing companies; business and commercial aircraft supplemental-type certificate engineering development; and government program support. The future hangar will enable AAS to provide MRO services for larger transport aircraft.

“Shreveport Regional is in close proximity to six major airline hubs serving North America and international destinations,” Mayor Perkins said. “Thanks to Barksdale Air Force Base and Southern University at Shreveport Louisiana’s Aerospace Technology Center, Shreveport has a well-trained labor force that is ready to support the expansion of this key industry. Louisiana Economic Development’s suite of incentives and the low cost of doing business in Shreveport make our area an attractive location for this growing industry.”

LED began discussions with AAS about a potential MRO center in Shreveport two years ago. To secure the project, the State of Louisiana offered AAS the comprehensive workforce solutions of LED FastStart® – the nation’s No. 1 state workforce training program for the past 10 years in a row. In addition, the company is expected to utilize LED’s Quality Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemption programs.

AAS will begin MRO operations in the existing 30,000-square-foot Hangar 5, located in the Shreveport Regional Airport’s Aeropark and near industrial property along the shorter of the airport’s two runways, where the future building will likely be constructed. AAS is a portfolio company of the Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program, a public-private partnership between local government and BRF, formerly the Biomedical Research Foundation. EAP provides services to innovative startups possessing high-growth potential.

“This exciting project has been in development for about two years. We thank the former and current city administrations for their help and recognize our Shreveport Regional Airport leadership for their support,” said EAP Executive Director Dave Smith. “AAS is a great example of industry, city and federal government and university collaboration for economic development. This successful EAP model is launching and growing companies in North Louisiana.”

Hiring for the project, supported by LED FastStart, is expected to begin by late February or early March, with MRO operations beginning later in the spring. The North Louisiana Economic Partnership is supporting AAS and its integration into the Shreveport community and the regional business landscape.

“North Louisiana Economic Partnership congratulates AAS on locating its new maintenance and repair operation at the Shreveport Regional Airport,” NLEP President Scott Martinez said. “The opening of an aviation MRO in Shreveport proves why we are AEROready. Our community has all the assets, training programs and skilled workforce to ensure aviation and aerospace companies succeed globally.”

Advanced Aero Services
Advanced Aero Services is a division of Advanced Aero Concepts. AAS stands to address growing needs for maintenance, repair and overhaul services in locations that are prime for commercial and passenger hubs. For more information, visit aaccorp.biz.

Original Article on opportunitylouisiana.com
Advanced Aero Services Announces Aviation Facility In Louisiana

Marshall and Mountwest pen historic pact creating two-year degree in aviation maintenance

HUNTINGTON, W.Va., November 22, 2019 – Marshall University and Mountwest Community & Technical College, in cooperation with the Robert C. Byrd Institute (RCBI), have signed an agreement to offer a joint Associate in Applied Sciences (A.A.S.) degree for the education of aviation maintenance technicians.

The cross-institutional degree, believed to be the first of its kind in West Virginia, has been discussed for several months and was finalized Thursday by Marshall President Dr. Jerome A. Gilbert and Mountwest President Dr. Keith J. Cotroneo.

Marshall, Mountwest and RCBI have been working with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to develop an FAA airframe and powerplant maintenance program in Huntington. Pending final approval by the FAA, this collaboration will allow students to earn the joint degree in addition to their FAA certifications in airframe and powerplant maintenance.

The concept for the degree program has been approved by the institutions’ accrediting bodies, including the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.

Gilbert, in a message to the Marshall Board of Governors, said the degree is a true symbol of collaboration. “The creation of this associate degree, between a four-year institution and a two-year institution, will serve as a model for collaboration across the country,” Gilbert said. “I want to thank President Cotroneo for his vision and I applaud his willingness to work with us in creating this historic degree.”

In signing the agreement, Cotroneo described the program as a catalyst for future economic development. “We anticipate that our joint effort to establish an aviation maintenance degree program at the Huntington Tri-State Airport will provide a substantial economic boost to the region,” Cotroneo said. “We greatly appreciate President Gilbert’s leadership in proposing this degree program and look forward to a very productive partnership.”

Gilbert said the two-year program will have the capacity to enroll up to 75 students the first year. “As we have witnessed our economy change over the past few years, I believe this program has the opportunity to attract new aviation industry to the state,” Gilbert said. “In addition, we believe that West Virginians who may be unemployed, underemployed or have had to leave the state to find work may now have a reason to return for training and possible new employment.”

The associate degree in aviation maintenance is just one of Marshall’s newest programs in aviation. A four-year degree, educating and training pilots for fixed-wing aircraft is moving forward in cooperation with Yeager Airport in Charleston.