ASHWAUBENON — The continued growth of Jet Air Signature Select at Austin Straubel International Airport is seen as a boon to economic development in the area.
State and local officials, along with the business owners, broke ground on new 34,000 square-foot hangar at the flight services provider Monday.
The hangar will provide aircraft storage,aircraft refurbishment, and avionics installation and repair. The expansion includes a shop specializing in aircraft interiors.
“We do a lot of mechanical and avionics work on aircraft and when we do that we have to completely disassemble the interior of the aircraft,” said Al Timmerman, Jet Air’s CEO. “Now we we’re taking the next step and we can put a brand new interior in an aircraft for someone that brings their aircraft in for service.”
The expansion is expected to add about six jobs, he said. The avionics division is also expected expand as owners update aircraft electronics mandated to fly in controlled airspace after a 2020 federal deadline.
Jet Air is one of two flight service providers at the airport. Executive Aviation also offers services at the airport.
Jet Air has been expanding since 2010.
“We found out in six months we were over capacity,” Timmerman said.
Brown County Executive Troy Streckenbach said the airport, and the private businesses associated with it, are a key tool for economic development in the region.
“It shows the great efforts our private sector is able to do to expand the role of the airport as an economic hub for this region,” he said. “It’s vitally important for our ability to attract and retain jobs in this area.”
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker also attended the groundbreaking.
“When employers look at growing in this state, or look at coming to the state, one of the key things is a good intermodal transportation system,” he said. “There are just about 1,000 jobs related to general aviation operations in Wisconsin and a good chunk of that is clustered in the northeast, so it’s very important for us.”
Story, Photo and Video: http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com
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