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Runway for Growth

When your business takes off, literally in more ways than one, you’ll need a runway for expansion. Our 11-state footprint is prime for your aerospace and aviation growth, booming with existing and emerging locations where you can thrive. Robust talent pools. Low-cost land. Efficient supply chain networks. Our experts can help select top aviation sites for your business. Let us show you the way.

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A Region Built for Aerospace Real Estate

Between 2019-2026, aerospace and aviation employment is expected to increase by over 26 percent in AEP-served counties, almost four times the national rate of 6.6.

4,500+ aerospace and aviation entities call AEP states home, that’s over 25 percent of all industry entities in the U.S.

24 percent of the nation’s aerospace exports come from AEP states, totaling $34B annually.

279,000+ employees work in aerospace and aviation industries in our states, with average labor costs typically 15 percent less than the national average.

More than 52,000 engineers and engineering technicians graduate from campuses in AEP states every year.

We serve 9 air and naval bases, including Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, home to the B-52 Stratofortress Aircraft and assigned to Air Force Global Strike Command.

Featured Aviation Site

Tri-State Aeroplex

This 95-acre AEP Quality Site is located southwest of the City of Huntington, on the southern portion of West Virginia's second busiest airport.

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Take Flight with AEP

Our experience serving the aerospace and aviation industry gives us a unique understanding of the diverse needs and challenges that come with site selection. We can support your location decisions and industrial power needs for new and existing aerospace companies.

AEROREADY CERTIFICATION

Dozens of AEP-served counties have been independently validated as AEROready™, which certifies they have the necessary labor and infrastructure to support the aerospace industry, resulting in reduced risk for potential aerospace companies.

Regional Aviation Industry Spotlights

  • AEP's service territory is home to world leading hubs for Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO) facilities. The Corpus Christi region is home to the largest helicopter repair facility in the world, while nearby naval aviation bases employ a large civilian workforce in high tech aircraft. Tulsa's American Airlines Maintenance & Engineering Center is the world's largest commercial MRO with other major industry players like Lufthansa Technik, Spirit AeroSystems, and The NORDAM Group located nearby.
  • The rapidly growing Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) ecosystem has found a home in AEP's service territory. Oklahoma ranked number 1 nationally in 'readiness' for the commercial drone industry in 2022. The state is home to over 7,000 sq. miles of crucial flight testing sites including Oklahoma's Air & Space Port, the only FAA-approved space flight corridor not in restricted or military airspace. Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi is one of six sites selected by the Federal Aviation Administration as a test site to incorporate drones into the national airspace.
  • Our Appalachian Sky region in Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia is bursting with potential. 150 aerospace industries and service providers already call the region home, and with eight-times the national average of available metal fabrication workforce, a strong higher education system, multiple available buildings and sites, strong market access and low operating costs, it is primed for growth.
  • Northwest Louisiana has seen a recent aerospace boom. Western Global Airlines announced a new 170-job aircraft maintenance facility and Shreveport-based Metro Aviation Inc. continues to expand its global completion services for helicopters.
  • AEP’s territory offers several specialized training programs for the aviation industry such as LeTourneau University’s College of Aviation & Aeronautical Science in Longview, Texas. In 2023, LeTourneau’s aviation program announced the largest traditional student enrollment in the program in over 30 years.