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West Star Aviation Celebrates the Opening of New Hangar at East Alton Facility

hangar 67
hangar 67

EAST ALTON, IL (August 27, 2024) – West Star Aviation is proud to announce the completion of its new hangar at the East Alton facility, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for Tuesday, August 27, 2024. This milestone follows the groundbreaking in June of 2023 and marks a significant investment in West Star Aviation’s commitment to growth and excellence.

The new hangar, officially named Hangar 67, adds 75,700 square feet of space, including 40,000 square feet of dedicated hangar space and 35,700 square feet of support space for the company’s advanced modification capabilities. In addition to providing a significant increase in available hangar space, the expansion enhances West Star’s capacity for interior, avionics, and sheet metal services, while enabling the implementation of cutting-edge production technologies, including a new state-of-the-art design center.

“The completion of Hangar 67 represents another significant moment in West Star Aviation’s vision for the future,” said Stephen Maiden, CEO of West Star Aviation. “This new facility not only enhances our service capabilities but also exemplifies our ongoing commitment to growth and innovation to ensure we are prepared to meet the needs of our valued customers.”

The $20 million investment in the facility in East Alton includes state-of-the-art equipment and tooling, further enhancing West Star Aviation’s capabilities. The expansion is expected to create 60-80 new jobs, contributing to the economic development of the local community.

“This expansion is a testament to the incredible growth we’ve experienced at our East Alton facility,” said Brian Bauwens, General Manager of the East Alton facility. “The added capacity and advanced resources will have a tremendous impact on our operations and our ability to serve our customers more efficiently.”

West Star Aviation worked closely with Contegra Construction and the St. Louis Regional Airport throughout the project. Danny Adams, Airport Director for ALN, highlighted the importance of the partnership between West Star Aviation and the airport. “Our longstanding partnership with West Star Aviation has been a driving force in the continued development of the St. Louis Regional Airport,” said Adams. “We share in West Star Aviation’s commitment toward excellence, and are privileged that they have chosen this location to grow their legacy of providing industry-leading service,” Adams continued. 

In conjunction with West Star’s hangar expansion, the St. Louis Regional Airport also completed a 56,000 square foot apron expansion. With support from the Illinois Department of Transportation – Division of Aeronautics, this apron expansion further enhances the airport’s capabilities and aligns with West Star’s growth, ensuring continued excellence in service and operations.

Established in 1947 as a small aviation company, West Star Aviation has evolved over the past 77 years into the largest MRO in the country, with more than 3,000 employees and locations nationwide. The opening of the new hangar is a testament to our strategic growth, which has strengthened the company’s position as a leader in maintenance, repair, and overhaul. This growth is powered by a dedicated team whose extensive experience and specialized skills continue to drive success, ensuring that West Star remains at the forefront of the industry. With the completion of the new hangar, West Star’s network encompasses 1.5 million square feet of hangar space across the US.

 

About West Star Aviation
With more than 77 years of industry experience, West Star Aviation stands as a leading independent Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) provider. Employing over 3,000 professionals, West Star offers comprehensive services from our strategically located full-service facilities in East Alton, IL; Grand Junction, CO; Chattanooga, TN; Millville, NJ; Perryville, MO; and Statesville, NC, as well as satellite locations in Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Chicago, and West Palm Beach. The company’s extensive capabilities encompass maintenance, paint, interior, and avionics services, supported by the largest Aircraft On Ground (AOG) network in the country, ensuring prompt and reliable mobile repair services nationwide.

 

For more information, please visit www.weststaraviation.com or contact:
Dana Seese, Vice President, Marketing
(216) 571.1690
dana.seese@wsa.aero

Mark White

RSM, California

Dave Godo

RSM, Ohio Valley

Mark Daniels
Tim Cane
Robbie Johnson

RSM, Mid Atlantic

Santiago Carol

RSM, Latin America

Steve Fleeman

RSM, Landing Gear

Contact Us

WSAA will be piloted at the East Alton, IL facility with the first round of apprentices anticipated to start in August 2024. For more information on West Star Aviation employment or WSAA apprentice selection criteria, please visit www.weststaraviation.com/wsaa-academy or contact Katie Johnson (katiejohnson@wsa.aero) or Dave Lagermann (dlagermann@wsa.aero).

Application & Selection Process

Before applying, please be aware of the standards of conduct for employment with West Star along with the strict requirements below while attending WSAA.

  • Working in Aviation requires a commit to being drug-free.  Pre-employment drug testing along with random and reasonable suspicion testing is required for all companies employing people working in safety sensitive positions. The position you are considering applying for is safety sensitive.  If hired, you must pass a DOT drug test to start working, if you fail the job offer is rescinded.  If you pass, you must remain drug-free during employment, failing a random or reasonable suspicion test may result in termination of employment.  Please note: marijuana is legal in certain states however the FAA follows Federal law where marijuana is illegal.  This means testing positive for marijuana, or any other illegal drug, will prevent you from working in Aviation. 
  • The first 7.5 months will follow a strict schedule: Monday – Friday 7:00am – 3:30pm (breaks and meal periods provided). 
  • The expectation is to arrive inside the learning center and clocked in at 7:00am.
  • While attending WSAA, no more than 4 hours a week can be missed.  Extenuating medical circumstances will be given full consideration with supporting documentation.
  • WSAA follows an FAA approved curriculum which has certain requirements including attendance. 
  • Testing for the FAA license at the conclusion of WSAA is required, along with passing.  Two opportunities to test will be provided, if needed.  Employment may terminate if the FAA license is not obtained.
  • Candidates will be contacted to complete pre-screening assessments and questionnaires. 
  • Qualified candidates will be contacted in late November and scheduled for a tour and interview with Hiring Managers at West Star Aviation in East Alton, IL.
  • To be qualified, candidates must pass the pre-screening process along with submitting a negative DOT drug test result.
  • Finalists will be selected after onsite interviews. Job offers will be extended in mid-December with a start date of January 9, 2024.
  • Pay while learning in the Academy will be $20 per hour.  Upon successfully graduating and obtaining your FAA license, pay will increase to $27 per hour.