Aircraft repair provider StandardAero hosted the grand opening of its expanded business maintenance repair and operations facility, Thursday morning. Staff of both the repair facility and the Augusta Regional Airport (AGS) joined business leaders and dignitaries, including Mayor Garnett Johnson and Rep. Rick Allen — who gave the event’s invocation — to celebrate the opening of the new hangar.
StandardAero broke ground on 80,500 square foot engine repair shop last year. The new space will make way for servicing the larger business aviation aircraft.
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“This facility opened its doors in 1974 with about a dozen people and 30,000 square feet,” said StandardAero CEO Russell Ford during his remarks, in which he highlighted the company’s history, beginning as Standard Machine Works, an engine repair shop in Winnipeg, Canada, in 1911. “Today we are seven times that here in Augusta. That’s the kind of growth that is explosive and really makes a difference in the world around us and in the local economy.”
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp sent his congratulations via remarks on video played during the ceremony, in which he emphasized the new facility as an example of Georgia’s pro-business initiatives, and investments in infrastructure workforce development.
“Part of that approach means continuing to work with industry partners like StandardAero so that they can continue to grow right here in Georgia,” said the governor. “Fortunately, we are seeing incredible growth in our aviation and aerospace sectors with this expansion, the latest evidence of that success.”
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Dennis Trotter of Jordan Trotter Commercial Real Estate, highlighted the frequent challenges encountered over the course of the building’s development, including negotiating a 50-year ground lease with AGS, and designing the building to accommodate large tail wings amid FAA height restrictions.
StandardAero Chief Operating Officer Kim Ernzen, in her remarks closing the ceremony, mentioned the company’s partnership with industrial conglomerate Honeywell, producer of the HTF 7000 turbofan engine.
“StandardAero is the exclusive independent worldwide heavy overhaul provider on the HTF 7000 that powers many of these larger aircraft, and it’s important that we can have the ability to continue to grow with the growing fleet,” said Ernzen, going on to note how StandardAero’s expanded footprint in the garden city will help “accommodate this future growth” and provide more jobs.
StandardAero is located on the AGS campus at 1550 Hangar Road.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
