Rectrix to spend $5M on new hangar, office space at Worcester Regional
A Bedford-based aviation company will invest $5 million to build new facilities at Worcester Regional Airport, a move public officials say will boost business at the airport and economic activity in the city.
The Massachusetts Port Authority yesterday
chose Rectrix Aviation Inc. to build a hangar and office space at the airport. Rectrix will serve as a fixed-base operator, providing support services, parking, fueling and maintenance for general aviation aircraft.
Richard Cawley, president and chief executive of Rectrix, said the company decided to invest in Worcester because the city and surrounding region are expected to grow over the next decade. "It's a perfect match," he said.
The firm's investment in Worcester will bring at least two dozen new jobs to the airport, but it could mean as many as 50 new jobs, Mr. Cawley said.
Massport, which owns and operates the airport, will lease up to 5.5 acres to Rectrix. The company will develop 27,000 square feet of new hangar and office space on the parcel, which is
on the north side of the airport. If Rectrix sees enough demand, it could build a second hangar. The buildings will be constructed to national energy-efficiency standards.
Rectrix will share the airport with an existing fixed-base operator, Swissport International Ltd. Airport Director Andrew B. Davis said the competition will be good for the airport. "I see it as a choice for customers," he said.
Worcester's airport has struggled to attract commercial business. It is served by
one charter airline, Direct Air, which carries passengers to vacation hotspots in Florida and South Carolina.
In the three years Direct Air has operated in Worcester, flights and passenger loads have increased. Mr. Davis said passenger loads have grown 50 percent since 2010.
Direct Air's service has not been without problems: Last year, passengers were angered when they learned the airline abruptly canceled flights to Puerto Rico and the Bahamas.
Mr. Davis said Rectrix's arrival in Worcester will help prepare the airport for
growth, as more crowded New England airports reach capacity.
"We're not going to see a very, very active airport right now," he said. "Aviation continues to grow be a preferred mode of transportation.... In the coming years, (Worcester) is going to be able to support the region's growth in demand for aviation."
Rectrix plans to provide services to large corporate aircraft such as the Gulfstream 650 and Global 7000. The company also will focus on aircraft maintenance.
Massport selected Rectrix through a bidding process that started last fall.
When the city owned Worcester Regional Airport, it tried twice to find a new fixed-base operator, according to City Manager Michael V. O'Brien.
"We put two bids out for a new FBO, but fell short of our ability to award," he said in an email. "Developer financing, etc. were always hurdles we could not overcome.
"It is expected that these services would be available at a regional airport, but they have been lacking at (Worcester Regional Airport)," he said.
The city sold the airport to Massport in 2010. Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Murray said Rectrix's decision to invest in the airport shows why Massport's purchase of the airport was so important. "Them owning it allows them to take a more active role," he said.
The state Department of Transportation released a study last month that said the Worcester airport supports more than 400 jobs and has an annual economic benefit of more than $51 million.
"When you've got corporate jets and executives flying in and out of Worcester and driving through Worcester, and maybe stopping for a bite to eat, or needing a hotel, that is good for the economy, and it's going to expose them to the city," Mr. Murray said.
Together, the state's 39 airports generate $11.9 billion in annual economic output, the study found. Most of the activity is generated by Boston's Logan International Airport.
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