WestWind Technologies Celebrates Grand Opening of New Hangar Facility

In an unprecedented public/private partnership, WestWind Technologies, Inc. (Huntsville, AL) recently celebrated the grand opening of its new Huntsville Aircraft Modification & Integration Center. This marks the first time the Huntsville International Airport has partnered with a small business to offer such sophisticated services to the aviation industry.

The new 62,000 sq ft facility provides engineering, manufacturing, electronics integration, and structural modifications ? all on site ? and can accommodate large fixed-wing (C-130s) and multiple rotary-wing aircraft simultaneously. The hangar has been designed to meet growing demands in both military and commercial aviation.

Huntsville mayor Tommy Battle and Madison County Commission chairman Mike Gillespie joined other elected officials, airport representatives, Chamber of Commerce leaders, project partners, Redstone Arsenal military customers, and numerous business leaders at the milestone event ? nearly 400 in all.

Since Redstone Arsenal is the center of aviation for the U.S. Army, WestWind designed the hangar to accommodate every type of helicopter in the Army?s inventory as well as a large number of fixed-wing aircraft with sizes up to the Air Force C-130s. The aircraft center also offers full Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) capabilities for a broad spectrum of military and commercial aircraft.

With the added benefit of extensive on-site engineering and manufacturing capabilities, WestWind provides a one-stop, seamless operation from disassembly, integration, repair, reassembly, test flight, and return to service. WestWind also operates manufacturing facilities adjacent to the airport for production of aircraft parts and modification kits as well as flight simulators for Army helicopters.

Congressional Medal of Honor recipient COL Leo K. Thorsness (U.S. Air Force, Retired), along with decorated veteran and best-selling author CW4 Michael J. Durant (U.S. Army, Retired), were on hand to dedicate the Alabama Wall of Honor ? a permanent perpetual memorial to commemorate fallen Alabama service men and women in the Global War on Terror.

WestWind Chief Operating Officer Roger Messick said, ?WestWind is extremely pleased to be the newest resident of Huntsville International Airport. We wanted to build a facility that will allow us to serve our customers with cutting-edge capabilities in the aviation industry.? He added, ?We also wanted to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the men and women of our Armed Forces with the Alabama Wall of Honor. They are the reason we come to work every day.?

Mark McDaniel, chairman of the Huntsville International Airport Board of Directors, added, ?We first welcomed WestWind Technologies to our Jetplex Industrial Park in 2000 followed by the production of its CH-47F Transportable Flight Proficiency Simulator facility in 2007. Today represents another milestone in our fruitful relationship with WestWind with the addition of its Huntsville Aircraft Modification & Integration Center. The opening of this new facility is a prime example of our community?s continued economic development despite the ailing economy and reinforces the strength of business and industry in the Tennessee Valley.?

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WestWind Technologies, Inc. , Huntsville, AL, www.westwindcorp.com.