Intrepid Aerospace has entered into a lease agreement with the Lee County Port Authority for Intrepid Aircraft Maintenance, a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility and paint hangar encompassing more than 340,000 square feet in a new building to be constructed at Skyplex.

The Intrepid Aircraft Maintenance MRO would be one of the largest in the state – with capacity for up to 11 commercial jets the size of Boeing’s 737 series – and the paint hangar will be the state’s only facility able to accommodate large, wide-body aircraft, including Boeing’s 747 and 787.

The addition of a large-scale MRO at Southwest Florida International Airport will provide expanded services to all airlines, with 24-7 availability of certified technicians for troubleshooting, repairs, maintenance, aircraft and engine washing, heavy-maintenance service, and more.

The dedicated paint hangar will allow airlines to have their large-body aircraft painted within the state of Florida rather than traveling to other states or countries, as is the current practice.

“This MRO will be a game changer for Southwest Florida International Airport,” said Lee County Commission Chairman Brian Hamman, who also serves as chairman of the Board of Port Commissioners. “Once these services become available, both domestic and international airlines will have access to on-site maintenance professionals, and that changes how they schedule flights into our market.”

Hamman added that the MRO is expected to generate several hundred high-wage jobs in the first phase of operations. “Intrepid said they will need hundreds of heavy-maintenance professionals to work in Southwest Florida, along with aerospace engineers and a variety of other related professionals,” he said, “with even more jobs in the future for additional phases. Our region is poised to become a magnet for the booming aerospace sector and all the ancillary services and businesses that support the industry.”

With the MRO’s projected capital investment of more than $100 million and job generation of more than 500 high-paying jobs, Lee County Economic Development Office staff anticipate the economic impact of the Intrepid Aircraft Maintenance MRO will be game-changing for Lee County and Southwest Florida.

Intrepid Aerospace was formed in 2010 and provides FAA-certified repair and overhaul services at its current facility in Fort Myers, including structural and advanced composite components, hydraulic, pneumatic, electromechanical, engine mounts, windows, and cabin modules.

An application for the Intrepid Aircraft Maintenance MRO has been submitted to the FAA, according to President and CEO Juan M. Mendez. “Southwest Florida International Airport is ready for its own MRO facility, and being near the Skyplex is the perfect location,” said Mendez. “We have been envisioning this project for many years, understanding what the market demand is for MRO services and the potential for this airport to be a destination for airlines around the country and the world.

“We have been reaching out to educational providers throughout Southwest Florida to begin the work of establishing the training and curricula needed to ensure the workforce is ready to go when the facility opens in 2023,” Mendez said.