Aircraft Center Provides Seamless Aviation Operations All On Site

Huntsville, AL – In an unprecedented public/private partnership, WestWind Technologies, Inc. celebrated the grand opening of its new Huntsville Aircraft Modification & Integration Center on September 29, 2009. It 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.
With Redstone Arsenal as 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.