LAKE CHARLES, LA (AP) — Chennault International Airport's new $21.5 million hangar is formally in service.
The American Press’s Lance Traweek reported the 112,000-square-foot facility can handle the largest cargo aircraft and also has 6,000 square feet of office space.
The hangar is being leased by AAR Aircraft Services, which provides aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul services.
Company senior vice president Donald Wetekam said the new hangar will allow AAR to perform wide-body aircraft work.
The company has more than 200 employees and is expect to expand its workforce by more than 500 jobs at Chennault by 2016.
AAR has occupied five hangars at Chennault since August 2013.
"This is big for Chennault," said Randy Robb, executive director at Chennault. "This is what allowed us to attract AAR to Lake Charles."
The project was jointly paid for by the state of Louisiana, which put up $17.5 million, and Chennault, which funded the remaining $4 million.
The general contractor for the hangar was Alfred Palma LLC, and Meyer and Associates was the engineering contractor.
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