West Star Aviation, Inc. Announces Facility Upgrades

Continuing with an aggressive strategic growth plan, West Star Aviation, Inc., formerly Premier Air Center, has recently completed several renovations and improvement projects to their East Alton, Illinois facility. The multi-million dollar expansion and improvement project includes a new state of the art paint facility, new mixed-use shop space and a main FBO lobby makeover.

The construction of a new 15,000 square foot paint shop, which is in addition to the existing 20,000 square foot paint facility, will be able to accommodate aircraft as large as a Dassault Falcon 900EX, Dassault Falcon 7X, Global Express or G-550, and utilizes state of the art technology with regard to materials, ventilation and lighting. The $3 million project was completed September 15. The first aircraft to be painted in the new paint shop was a Falcon 900B operated by a prominent, long-standing, multi-Falcon owner/operator.

As West Star Aviation, Inc. continues to grow; the need to increase paint capacity has grown as well. “We needed to increase paint capacity by 100 percent,” says Jim Swehla, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, West Star Aviation, Inc. “With the new paint facility complex we will be able to paint more aircraft, larger aircraft and maintain high quality standards for which West Star Aviation, Inc. has become known.”

Several of the latest technologies have been incorporated into the new hangar. The hangar is climate controlled for both temperature and humidity, and is equipped with a four-stage inlet filtration system, as well as a three-stage exhaust filter system.

In addition to the new paint hangar, West Star Aviation, Inc. is also in the process of completing 16,000 square feet of new shop complex that will be used for upholstery, wood, avionics, and sheet metal. It will include a spray booth, climate control, and a cleaning area for the wood finishing area. Five hundred square feet of the space will be used for office space.

The project bumps up total square footage of the East Alton facility to approximately 200,000 square feet. The $1.3 million project is also expected to be completed September 15th.

The new shop space, a result of expanded business in the avionics and interior departments, now consolidates all the shops into one area. “Having all the shops in one area will greatly increase the efficiency and capacity of our East Alton facility,” says Swehla.

Additionally, West Star Aviation, Inc. in East Alton, Illinois has recently completed a renovation of their FBO lobby area. The renovations included new flooring, walls, counters, cabinetry, and ceilings and a new fireplace. Also included was new LCD flat-screen monitors, aircraft tracking monitors, a new coffee area, a completely new pilots lounge, a new pilot filing area, as well as all new furniture. The remodeled lobby area totals 1,200 square feet and better accommodates customers, pilots, ands passengers, giving them a more comfortable and relaxed experience.