American Opens New Hanger

[Renaissance]

More good economic news, as reported by the AP in the Houston Chronicle:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/business/5882852.html

quote:

Ground broken for American Airlines hangar

© 2008 The Associated Press

TULSA, Okla. — Construction will begin next month on the first new aircraft maintenance hangar to be built at Tulsa International Airport in 20 years.

The American Airlines hangar will cost $10 million.

Fifty government officials and representatives of Fort Worth, Texas-based American Airlines held a ceremonial groundbreaking Thursday.

"This takes a team, an incredible group of volunteer citizens at the Tulsa airport board, the Tulsa Industrial Authority, Tulsa Technology Center, Tulsa Public Schools system and, of course, a great aerospace work force and great aerospace executives in this community," Mayor Kathy Taylor said.

"There's an industry in this state and the city of Tulsa that's going to lead us into the future."

Concerned a year ago that American could transfer maintenance work elsewhere if suitable facilities weren't available in Tulsa, Gov. Brad Henry approved the tapping of $10 million from the state's Opportunity Fund, which contains surplus money that is used to create jobs.

Spirit AeroSystems Inc., the former Boeing Co. unit that builds wing components for every Boeing commercial plane except the 717 model, received $4.3 million of the $10 million to overhaul one of its facilities.

The city is pairing $5.7 million of the state money with $4.3 million in local funds to build American's new 80,000-square-foot hangar.

Carmine Romano, American's senior vice president of maintenance and engineering, thanked the mayor, governor and other city and state officials who made the new facility possible.

"American Airlines is the largest private employer in the state," Romano said. "American Airlines is the only U.S. airline that remains committed to keeping aircraft maintenance in house from engines, landing gears, aircraft overhauls and avionics components, as well as aircraft maintenance for companies around the world."

American employs 7,000 people in Tulsa, most of them at its Maintenance & Engineering Center, the largest aircraft maintenance base in the world.

American executives said the new hangar will expand capacity for maintenance of the airline's 600-aircraft fleet as well as that of other U.S. and foreign airlines, many of which are outsourcing heavy maintenance.  

[MDepr2007]

Wow! No thanks to the citizens who voted yes to the $3.7 million in the 3rd penny.... Figures
Where did the other .6 million come from within our broke budget?

I still remember Carmine pleading for the council to add the 3rd penny proposal, with billy boy next to him.