KCI Aviation to Build $16 Million Aircraft Hangar and Support Facility

KCI Aviation (KCI) has announced that a $16 million aircraft and engine maintenance facility is to be constructed in Bridgeport, WV. KCI has secured a long-term land lease with the North Central Regional Airport (KCKB) to construct the facility adjacent to the new CKB passenger terminal.

The hangar complex will have tarmac access to the 7,800-foot runway at KCKB. KCI is a Title 14, Part 145 FAA Certificated Repair Station with authorization by the European Aviation Safety Administration and Civil Aviation Authority for the United Kingdom. The company also holds ISO 9001:2015 and AS9110C Certifications.

The first phase of development will be a 30,000 square foot aircraft maintenance hangar that will accommodate two large-cabin aircraft simultaneously for engine work and airframe service. Construction for phase one will begin in August of 2025 to achieve a completion date in the first quarter of 2026.

KCI anticipates hiring an additional twenty-five to thirty aircraft mechanics and support personnel from 2025 through 2026 to staff the new hangar operations. This hangar portion of the new complex will be home to KCI’s Pratt & Whitney Preferred Service Provider contract.

This authorizes KCI to provide services on behalf of Pratt & Whitney as one of their designated global Centers of Excellence. Pratt & Whitney’s Bridgeport facility is tasked with supporting the PW800 series turbo fan engines, which power large-cabin Gulfstream Aerospace aircraft.

Only Pratt & Whitney and KCI Aviation have been exclusively authorized by Gulfstream to provide these engine maintenance support services on Gulfstream aircraft. The new KCI hangar will provide on-aircraft engine support as well as engine removal and installation – allowing removed engines to be transported by KCI to the neighboring Pratt & Whitney (P&W) plant for maintenance and overhaul service.

KCI will install rental engines, thereby returning the aircraft to service until the core engines are ready to be re-installed. The aircraft will return to KCI to complete this cycle when P&W’s comprehensive maintenance process is completed.

This quick turn of aircraft maximizes service time for P&W customers and will save considerable aircraft downtime and shipping costs throughout the aviation value chain.

A second phase of construction will add an additional 50,000 square feet of workspace to accommodate KCI’s on-going engine work for Pratt & Whitney Engine Services, Pratt & Whitney’s Leaseco Division, Pratt & Whitney’s Component Solutions and Boeing’s Aviall group, among others. This includes post-rental inspection and maintenance of P&W PT6, PW300, PW500, PW600 and PW800 engine series for Fly-in work and Mobile Repair Team support.

This aviation complex will be of importance to Pratt & Whitney and Gulfstream’s global support of the Gulstream fleet. This facility will also increase the scope of maintenance support available to aircraft using KCKB.

An independent third-party feasibility study estimated the economic impact of this project to exceed $350 million to the local community as a result of increased employment, increased travel, required crew lodging and meals, sales and use taxes and purchases of supplies and materials needed to support this increased level of high-dollar precision aircraft service in Bridgeport, West Virginia.