Air Force airplanes could begin driving across Douglas Boulevard outside of Oklahoma City by November if progress on the Oklahoma Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Technology Center continues.
Developers of the aerospace park adjacent to Tinker Air Force Base expect Boeing Co. to begin work on upgrading the E-3 AWACS airplanes by November. The planes would land on Tinker's runway and taxi from the base to the repair center.
Police cars would block traffic on Douglas and at SW 59 Street to allow planes to cross. The planes would be moved during the early morning hours, similar to how planes are moved at Boeing Field in Seattle.
Boeing has two contracts to update the airplanes and the electronics used in the cockpit. The company plans to invest about $100 million at the park and hire up to 325 people in the next few years.
"This is an enterprise that has legs," said Chip Carter, vice president of Trammell Crow Co. "Since we've started construction on this, we've had interested companies calling."
The development company has a management agreement with the Oklahoma Industries Authority, which owns the property. The maintenance center sits on 260 acres. When fully developed, it will have 1.3 million square feet of hangar space, Carter said.
Boeing has the option to expand its operations at the center from three hangars to four. By August 2008, officials expect two more hangars will be built, said Carter, who spoke Tuesday at a meeting of the Oklahoma City Rotary Club.
Copyright (c) 2006, The Daily Oklahoman
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