New Hangars Open at Stennis International

Five hangars with over 66,000 square feet of space are now available at Stennis International Airport.

Two new hangars were recently constructed, and three existing hangars were purchased by Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission, the owners of Stennis International (KHSA).

“The Port and Harbor Commission continues to invest for the future of Hancock County,” said CEO Bill Cotter. “Our portfolio of hangar space allows existing tenants to expand and attracts new businesses to the area.”

Adjacent to the terminal, a 24,000-square-foot hangar was completed in September. Opening directly to the main ramp, it features a hangar door that is 154 feet wide and 28 feet high. The premier location includes utility rooms, restrooms and a foam fire suppression system.

Known as the RESTORE Hangar, the $5 million project was awarded Drace Construction Corp., of Long Beach, in November 2019. It was funded in part by a federal RESTORE grant.

South of the RESTORE Hangar, a new 10,000-square-foot hangar with an additional 2,500-square-foot office space was also completed in September. A new concrete apron was built between the hangars and connects to the main ramp.

Known as the Corporate Hangar, the building is ideal for aerospace companies with aircraft storage and office needs. The hangar door is 80 feet wide and 26 feet high. The office space is unfinished and ready to be customized to fit any tenant’s needs.

The $1.5 million project was awarded to Mike Rozier Construction, Inc., of Hattiesburg, in July 2020. It was funded in part by a Mississippi Department of Transportation multimodal grant.

“Port and Harbor Commission is committed to being the cornerstone of Mississippi’s aviation industry,” Cotter said. “Thanks to the support of federal and state partners, we invested over $7 million to support business operations.”

North of the terminal, three existing hangars were recently purchased. The smallest hangar measures 7,000 square feet, and the larger hangars are 12,000 square feet and 13,125 square feet.

“Business interest and hangar demand at Stennis International Airport remains high. Three of the five hangars are already under contract,” said airport director Chanse Watson. “We receive calls every week from companies looking to locate or expand here at Stennis International.”

In fiscal year 2022, Stennis International has budgeted over $32 million in capital projects, including new hangars, apron extensions and lifecycle maintenance projects. Another 24,000 square feet of hangar space is expected by the end of next fiscal year.

In recent years, Hancock County has grown 230 new jobs and seen nearly $100 million in capital investment in aerospace development. Additionally, the next generation of aerospace workforce will be trained locally at Pearl River Community College’s planned $10 million workforce development center at the airport.

Located in Kiln, Stennis International is Hancock County’s community airport. It features an 8,500-foot runway rated to carry the world’s largest cargo planes. It is home to 15 aerospace companies serving both general aviation and military aircraft. The airport is covered by an onsite firefighting unit, and the FAA Air Traffic Control Tower is open daily. Million Air FBO provides amenities including a comfortable lounge, café, aircraft refueling and more.