New investment fuels aerospace job growth across Alabama
Momentum continues to build in Alabama’s aerospace industry, which is adding new investments and hundreds of jobs to produce innovative, in-demand products in communities across the state. In 2017 alone, there were announcements totaling nearly $690 million and 1,750 jobs. Those numbers increased the sector’s cumulative investment over the past seven years to almost $2.4 billion, along with 8,348 aerospace and defense jobs during the same time period. This year, there’s a hiring surge, as the plans become reality. And more jobs are on the way. At last week’s Farnborough International Airshow, defense contractor BAE Systems and Carpenter Technology Corp., a maker of premium metals and alloys used in the aerospace industry, announced expansions of their Alabama operations. Together, these projects will create more than 250 jobs in north Alabama. Meanwhile, growth plans are already in place for aerospace companies operating across the state. Airbus’ Alabama factory, for instance, is in linefor 600 new jobs, thanks to a planned second assembly line for the Bombardier C Series jetliner (renamed the A220), as well as a potential increase in the production of A320 Family aircraft. GE Aviation plans to double its 90-member Huntsville workforce in the coming year and increase to 300 when the new factory complex for silicon carbide materials reaches full production. The company is also adding workers at its Auburn facility, which mass produces a jet engine fuel nozzle using additive manufacturing, or 3-D printing technologies. Targeting growth Aerospace companies from around the world are seeing that Alabama offers plenty of advantages to help them expand their business, said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “From complex military weapons systems to innovative passenger aircraft, and many of the break-through technologies that power them all, Alabama is home to an impressive array of the industry’s leading products,” Canfield said. “How do we do it? In Alabama, we take partnerships very seriously. A company’s strategic vision and expertise, coupled with the skill and dedication of our highly trained workforce, is always a winning combination.” Canfield joined Gov. Kay Ivey and an Alabama team at Farnborough for appointments with executives of 16 aerospace companies, including Airbus, Boeing, Leonardo and GE Aviation. The talks were aimed at bringing home new investment and jobs in the aerospace sector. Aerojet Rocketdyne One of last year’s key announcements was Aerojet Rocketdyne’s $46.5 million, 800-job expansion project in Huntsville. The company is consolidating its Defense division headquarters and Rocket Shop advanced programs to the Rocket City, where it has had a presence for more than 50 years. It has also moved into a new office space at Cummings Research Park and is building a new Advanced Manufacturing Facility that will produce subassemblies and components for the AR1 rocket engine, composite cases for rocket motors, 3-D printed rocket engine components and other parts. James Ramseier, site leader for operations at the Huntsville Advanced Manufacturing Facility, said construction is about 60 percent complete and right on schedule. “We plan on opening that facility in December of 2018, and initially in 2019, we are going to go through product verification. In 2020, we will ramp up to full production,” he said. Ramseier said everyone in Huntsville, from major business groups to individual building inspectors, has been supportive and welcoming. “The culture here is, ‘Let’s all work together to help make you successful,’” he said. “It’s a pleasure working in an environment where people want you to succeed. “You don’t feel like a stranger. As soon as you move here, you’re part of the family.” Aerojet Rocketdyne’s hiring plans are moving forward as well, with support from Alabama’s top worker training agency. “AIDT is fantastic. We’re working with them every week on developing our training plans and material, and they have been outstanding to work with,” Ramseier said. Forging partnerships The company is also impressed with the ties between business and education in the community, said Bill Bigelow, chief of defense communications. “The partnerships here are very attractive to us,” he said. “We’re growing the future workforce, as we grow our presence here in Huntsville, partnering with Alabama A&M University, the University of Alabama in Huntsville and other area educational institutions, as well as the chamber of commerce and the mayor’s office.” Bigelow said the Tennessee Valley is clearly committed to bringing in the types of jobs and training programs that will grow a generational workforce. “The knowledge and the history in all things aerospace, missile-defense and industrial base operations is here, and Aerojet Rocketdyne wants to leverage that community expertise both now and well into the future,” he said. Republished with the permission of the Alabama Newscenter.
North Alabama aviation firm upgrading Austrian Air Force helicopters
An aviation company that upgrades Black Hawk helicopters is deepening its roots in North Alabama while expanding its customer base around the world, starting with an order for the Austrian Air Force. Huntsville-based Ace Aeronautics, which does business as Global Aviation Solutions (GAS), has about 50 employees and plans to add 25 to 50 positions at its Alabama location over the next two years. Most of the jobs will be at a hangar the company is building at the airport in Guntersville. The positions will include mechanical and electrical engineers, aviation mechanics, electricians, technicians, inspectors and other highly skilled professionals. As it ramps up in Guntersville, GAS has landed a major piece of new business. The company was awarded a contract worth more than $40 million by the Republic of Austria Ministry of Defense to upgrade its fleet of Black Hawk helicopters. The contract covers the design, manufacture, installation and testing of new avionic systems for nine Austrian S-70A-42 Black Hawk helicopters, said Darrell Kindley, the company’s president and CEO. “GAS is pleased to provide the Austrian Air Force with our Garmin 5000H-based avionics upgrade kit called the ACEHAWK,” he said. “We’re happy to be selected by the Austrian Air Force to solve the parts obsolescence problems with their Black Hawk helicopters.” The company will perform the work at its headquarters in Huntsville and its new hangar in Guntersville. The project is expected to be complete by fall 2020. The cockpit of a Black Hawk helicopter. The aircraft’s worldwide popularity has been a boon for Alabama’s Global Aviation Solutions, which specializes in upgrading the copters. (GAS) Cockpit upgrades GAS was established in 2015 specifically to develop cockpit upgrades for the Black Hawk family of helicopters, Kindley said. “The overarching objective of GAS is to minimize technological upgrade and obsolescence challenges facing Black Hawk operators around the world through forward-thinking and intelligent architectural design,” he said. Products include upgrade kits for customers that already own UH-60A/L and S-70 Blackhawks. The company also supplies complete helicopters, UH-60As, with varying levels of structural, mechanical and avionics upgrades, purchased from the U.S. Army’s UH-60 divestiture program. GAS’ primary customers are foreign governments, but it also markets to the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of State and other government agencies. Aviation tradition For Marshall County, GAS is the latest in a long tradition of great aviation and aerospace companies, said Matt Arnold, president and CEO of the Marshall County Economic Development Council. “Back during the Space Shuttle program, we had two or three companies that made specialized parts for NASA. Most of those have transitioned into supplying components for Boeing, Lockheed and others. Other aviation related companies are located in Marshall County, such as RainAir, BAE Systems and Metal Research,” he said. Arnold said the county offers valuable assets for firms in the industry. “In 2008, we opened the Aviation Training Center at the Albertville Airport. That program teaches students the airframe component of the FAA Part 147 A&P certification program for aviation mechanics,” he said. “Recently, Snead State Community College took over that program and is going to add the power plant component, making it a true A&P program. Students will be able to become fully certified as an aviation mechanic right here in Marshall County. “That is a tremendous resource for potential companies like GAS to locate here.” Alabama’s Fort Rucker is the training center for the U.S. Army’s helicopter pilots. (Contributed) Guntersville expansion Kindley said GAS was drawn to the Guntersville airport for three key reasons: a new 5,000-foot runway, room to grow as the first business to move to the airport, and proximity to Huntsville. “Of course, the most important … it’s Guntersville. Who doesn’t like Lake Guntersville? I live there,” he said. GAS is constructing 42,000 square feet of hangar space at the airport, and there are plans for an expansion if needed. The facility, once complete this summer, will be capable of completing about 12 helicopters per year. Kindley said the market for Black Hawk upgrades is very large. “The UH-60/S-70 Black Hawk is a wonderful air vehicle that has been in use for over 30 years,” he said. “Many of the foreign customers have older Black Hawks and are ready for an avionics upgrade.” GAS sees this as the greatest demand and the largest business opportunity, compared to selling new or recapitalized UH-60As purchased from the U.S. Army, Kindley added. “The upgrade market is in the thousands; the new or recapitalized market is in the hundreds,” he said. “Good thing GAS does both.” Rotorcraft expertise GAS is part of a robust rotorcraft presence in Alabama. Helicopter MRO operations include Arista Aviation in Enterprise and Vector in Andalusia. Also, Science and Engineering Services (SES) has been growing its Huntsville manufacturing operation, with a recent $70 million, 450-job expansion. In addition, Fort Rucker near Ozark has been the training center for U.S. Army helicopter pilots since 1955, and the U.S. Army’s helicopter command is at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville. Republished with permission of Alabama NewsCenter.
