Tulsa Celebrates New Hangar
FLYING COLORS: Area leaders gathered for the celebration of the newly completed American Airlines hangar. From left are Tulsa Metro Chamber’s Jim Fram, Secretary of Commerce Natalie Shirley, Lieutenant Governor Jari Askins, Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor and CEO of Tulsa Metro Chamber Mike Neal.
KELSY LORIN TAYLOR for GTR Newspapers
Area leaders gathered recently to celebrate the completion of construction for Tulsa’s newest aviation maintenance hangar. The dedication took place inside the nearly 80,000 square foot hangar.
Speakers during the event included: Mayor Kathy Taylor, Lieutenant Governor Jari Askins, Secretary of Commerce Natalie Shirley, Senior Vice President Maintenance and Engineering of American Airlines Carmine Romano, President of Transport Workers Union Local 514 Steve Luis and of Tulsa Metro Chamber Mike Neal.
The new hangar is located at N. 77th E. Ave. and Port Road. This is an ideal location and it is just east of the Tulsa Air and Space Museum.
An airplane was on display inside the hangar. Both parents and children enjoyed having the airplane as the backdrop for the speakers.
The hangar is the first to be constructed on the airport’s North Development Area, which encompasses 250 acres of land that is generally intended for aviation use tied to the need for airfield access and related support facilities. It is located adjacent to the airport’s newest taxiway that was completed in 2007 to accommodate the expansion of that area.
The hangar is owned by the Tulsa Industrial Authority, who leases the land from the Tulsa Airport Authority, however American Airlines will be the long-term tenant. American plans on using the facility for a variety of maintenance, repair, and overhaul activities and aircraft modification work. It is large enough to accommodate wide body aircraft such as Boeing 767, 787 and Airbus A-300 and A-310 series.
The hangar’s footprint is a total of 79,600 square feet. The door opening to the hangar is 190 feet. The hangar sits on a lot that is approximately 8.47 acres. The total project cost an estimated $10,962,430 with an overall budget of $11, 568,000. Funding for the hangar came from the following sources. $4.3 million was funded through the third penny city sales tax. $5.7 million in state opportunity grant funding was used. $1,568,000 was provided by the City of Tulsa. This was funding from the sale of Air Force Plant and to the airport for extension of Taxiway “C”.
Updated 10-19-2009
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