OKLAHOMA CITY (OBV) – One of the top providers of aviation services to commercial and government operators recently broke ground on its maintenance, repair and overhaul facility expansion in Oklahoma City, the latest development in the ongoing growth of Oklahoma’s aerospace industry.
AAR CORP. held the MRO expansion groundbreaking earlier this month.
An MRO is a location, workshop or hangar that conducts aircraft maintenance professionally.
“Today’s groundbreaking has been made possible thanks to collaborative efforts across AAR and Alaska Airlines, partnerships with Oklahoma City Airport Trust, and state and local representatives who are passionate about expanding aviation in Oklahoma,” said John M. Holmes, AAR’s chairman, president and CEO. “We are especially excited about creating 200 additional full-time careers with AAR, which we expect to fill through local technical schools and workforce development partners who create opportunities through aviation-centric programming, such as Choose Aerospace.”
The groundbreaking was attended by more than 150 representatives from AAR, Alaska Airlines, state and local government and partner organizations, according to an Oklahoma Department of Commerce news release.
“The Oklahoma City Airport Trust is excited to partner with AAR to expand its Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul operation at Will Rogers World Airport. This expansion of AAR’s MRO operation provides more hangar capacity at OKC, along with more aviation jobs for our community,” said Jeff Mulder, Oklahoma City’s Director of Airports.
The expansion involves construction of a new three-bay facility adjacent to AAR’s existing facility at Will Rogers World Airport.
The new airframe MRO facility will give AAR more than 80,000 square feet of hangar and warehouse space.
“This groundbreaking isn’t just about constructing a hangar. It’s about cultivating an excellent experience for all involved. JE Dunn is honored to bring our construction expertise and leadership and partner with The Oklahoma City Airport Trust (OCAT) to support the business growth happening in our city,” said Jason Bishop, JE Dunn’s Vice President – Oklahoma City, who is leading the construction effort.
AAR’s growth in OKC supports Alaska Airlines’ expanded maintenance commitment to the company. The airline has been a customer of AAR for over 20 years.
Company representatives expect the new facility to be operational in January 2026.
A grant secured by Oklahoma legislators funds a large portion of the project, but the balance is expected to be funded by airport rent concessions.
