Jul. 21—West Star Aviation has christened its newest air maintenance hangar at Chattanooga Airport in a project that includes adding jobs at its fifth facility in the city.
"The industry right now is strong and we think it will continue," said Jim Rankin, the company's CEO, in an interview this week inside West Star's new 44,000-square-foot hangar. The company now has nearly 300,000 square feet where it works on private aircraft.
Rankin said West Star invested about $20 million in the new hangar and some renovations. He said repair and maintenance work at its newest hanger is dedicated to mostly Gulfstream aircraft.
The CEO said officials are looking at creating a training academy for hiring future workers and joining with a local educational institution, with it possibly opening next year.
Debi Cunningham, vice president of marketing for Illinois-based West Star, said in an interview the company would like to add 50 to 70 new workers to the approximately 350 already on board.
"The last three years we had record sales," she said about West Star, which employs about 1,800 people companywide.
Terry Hart, the airport's chief executive, told a group at the ribbon-cutting of the new facility that one of Lovell Field's existing hangars came open about a decade ago, West Star renovated that site and now has built others.
"It changed the dynamics of the airfield," he said, quipping that "hangar six would sit nicely next door."
State Rep. Greg Vital, R- Georgetown, said to the group that at any one time there may be 50 to 60 aircraft on the ground at West Star's operations.
"I thought it was Jackson Hole," he said, citing the tiny Wyoming community that draws people in private aircraft from around the country.
Steve Hiatt, the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce's director of existing business development, said in an email that West Star's expansion diversifies the economy and continues to grow a niche within a prominent market and attracts new clientele to the city.
"They're also bringing new jobs to the region in high-paying industries like mechanics, painters, upholstery technicians and woodworking artisans," Hiatt said. "These new job prospects empower our skilled trade workers and advance our local economy."
Hiatt said a West Star training academy would put it among other businesses in the region that offer educational partnerships such as Volkswagen, Wacker and Novonix.
Rankin said the company is trying to take care of its customers.
West Star specializes in the repair and maintenance of air frames, windows and engines, as well as major modifications, avionics installation and repair, interior refurbishment, surplus avionics sales and accessory services, according to the company.
To prepare for West Star's newest expansion, the airport redeveloped property for future aeronautical use. Hart said West Star put the new hangar in space that held the Air National Guard for decades.
Contact Mike Pare at [email protected] or 423-757-6318.
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