Famed Oklahoma aviator, Wiley Post dreamed of flight from the moment he saw his first airplane soar through the skies above Lawton nearly a century ago. With determination, smarts and hard work, Post’s boyhood dreams became a reality and took him on the first-ever, solo flight around the world. That same spirit drives Oklahoma’s aerospace industry today. More than 300 aerospace-related companies generating an industrial output of more than billion each year operate in Oklahoma, and more are coming all the time. Why? Because Oklahoma offers a range of advantages and incentives to aerospace companies that are difficult to match anywhere else in the world.
Use the links below to learn more about Oklahoma's soaring aerospace industry. Then give us a call to tell us about your next aerospace project. Contact Charles Kimbrough today!
Tulsa-Built VIP Cabin Part of Bizjet Airbus Delivery
January 27, 2010 – The Tulsa World reports Bizjet International, the Tulsa-based aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul company, has delivered its first Airbus A318 Elite equipped with a business VIP cabin to the European aircraft manufacturer.
Bizjet, a unit of the German aircraft company Lufthansa Technik, has begun work on the second of eight A318 Elites with VIP cabins it will deliver to Airbus in Hamburg, Germany, through 2013, according to the World.
Oklahoma Aerospace Alliance Launches MRO University
January 20, 2010 -- The Oklahoma Aerospace Alliance (OAA) has launched the MRO University program which is designed to benefit the state's aerospace industry by increasing the competitiveness of Oklahoma's existing aerospace companies, attracting new aerospace companies, suppliers and workers to the state, and by enhancing Oklahoma's reputation as a leader in Aerospace workforce training and opportunities.
Future courses in Management, Leadership and Technical offerings will culminate in an industry recognized certification or lead to further study (with possible credit). MRO University is a statewide effort that is supported by industry at all levels.
Career Tech in El Reno Forms Partnership to Train Workers for Aerospace Industry
December 30, 2009 - The Journal Record reports the Canadian Valley Career Technology Center of El Reno has joined forces with the state's Workforce Investment Board and the Oklahoma Aerospace Institute to help dislocated workers become Federal Aviation Administration-certified aircraft mechanics
"This is an ideal opportunity to increase the capacity for training workers needed in the aerospace industry in central Oklahoma," Eddie Foreman, the investment board's CEO, tells the Journal Record. "Not only has Tinker continued to hire, but several of the private companies have seen an increase in their business and need additional workers, as well. It also gives us the additional retraining dollars for those customers who have lost their jobs because of closures and layoffs and are considering a career change."
NORDAM Delivers Jet Parts to Gulfstream
November 5, 2009 – The Tulsa World reports aerospace manufacturer NORDAM Group has delivered the first two wing-to-body fairings and main landing gear door shipsets to Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. for its new G650 business jet.
NORDAM's $100 million contract with Gulfstream calls on the company to design, certify and manufacture the wing fairings and main landing gear doors of the long-range, twin-engine G650.
Spirit AeroSystems Honored for Supplier Diversity
August 31, 2009 – The Tulsa World reports Spirit AeroSystems Inc. was recently honored with the regional "Distinguished Supplier Diversity Award" by the U.S. Department of Commerce.
The company was also recently honored as the state winner of the same award.
Spirit AeroSystems Inc., with operations in Tulsa and McAlester, purchased nearly $54 million in goods and services from minority-owned businesses in support of its major manufacturing programs, according to the World.
Updated State Aerospace Directory Available for Download
You may know American Airlines, Pratt & Whitney, and Honeywell LORI have a presence in Oklahoma, but what about Delta Airlines, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and Raytheon? These are among the 300-plus aviation industry companies that have found Oklahoma a great place to do business. Download your copy of the Oklahoma Aerospace Directory today.
Five Reasons Aerospace Firms Choose to Locate in Oklahoma
1. Our workforce has a national reputation for an extraordinary level of proficiency, productivity and reliability with attractive labor costs.
2. Outstanding incentives that include cash back for jobs created and free, customized training for qualifying companies.
3. Top-ranked, state-of-the-art university and career-skills training, specifically for the aerospace industry.
4. Recognized as a U.S. leader in advanced resesarch and technology resources.
5. More than 80 million people and some of America's fastest-growing markets can be found within 500 miles of Oklahoma's Borders.
Aerospace Industry Study
Oklahoma will likely experience shortages of approximately 200 Aerospace Engineers and 400 Electrical Engineers by 2014, with shortages of additional engineering specialties possible in that same time frame. The Aerospace Industry Report, the second of a series of selected sectors, assesses supply and demand and provides a gap analysis of the current and future workforce needs of Oklahoma's aerospace industry.
Through a survey conducted in 2006 Oklahoma's aerospace employers and industry representatives identified current and future skill needs as well as workforce supply and demand.
Video Spotlight
Low cost of doing business. Nationally recognized vocational education system. Great quality of life. Pro-business environment. These are just some of the reasons Battelle, the NORDAM Group, Enviro Systems, Jet Service Enterprises, and Boeing choose Oklahoma as their headquarters or as one of their primary locations. Watch these videos to see why these companies chose the Oklahoma Advantage for their business.
Famed Oklahoma aviator, Wiley Post dreamed of flight from the moment he saw his first airplane soar through the skies above Lawton nearly a century ago. With determination, smarts and hard work, Post’s boyhood dreams became a reality and took him on the first-ever, solo flight around the world. That same spirit drives Oklahoma’s aerospace industry today. More than 300 aerospace-related companies generating an industrial output of more than billion each year operate in Oklahoma, and more are coming all the time. Why? Because Oklahoma offers a range of advantages and incentives to aerospace companies that are difficult to match anywhere else in the world.
