AOG/MRT

WEST STAR AVIATION TO EXPAND CURRENT FULL SERVICE MRO FACILITIES

West Star Aviation recently announced their plans to consolidate and expand the service capabilities at East Alton, Illinois (ALN), Grand Junction, Colorado (GJT) and Columbia, South Carolina (CAE).

This consolidation includes the sale of West Star’s Dallas, Texas (DAL) facility to Waypoint Holding, LLC. The DAL facility is the only location included in the sale.

“We are always planning for the future of West Star, our employees, and our customers,” says Samuel Haycraft, Executive V.P. Maintenance Operations, West Star Aviation. “With this goal in mind, we are focusing on the growth of CAE and strengthening our full service MROs at ALN and GJT. We know that these locations are the best avenues to give our customers the wide variety of services they need while positioning ourselves for the future success of the West Star organization.”

In order to further strengthen the service capabilities at East Alton, Grand Junction and Columbia, West Star Aviation recently announced expansion plans at these three locations. In the central region, West Star will construct a brand new MRO hangar, plus an additional 15,000-square-foot interior and hydraulic department at their ALN location. In the western region, West Star plans to expand the existing hangar at GJT, which will be utilized for maintenance and storage. In Grand Junction, storage during the winter months is extremely important to support heavy aircraft traffic into the ski resort areas. In Columbia, SC, West Star has secured an additional 10,000-square-foot MRO facility to support the growth in the southeast region.

“As the aviation industry, and the nation as a whole, begins to recover, we continue to see an increase in demand from customers who are looking for quality and full service capabilities at one location,” says Samuel Haycraft, Executive V.P. Maintenance Operations, West Star Aviation. “West Star meets those demands for our customers and we have experienced continued growth at ALN because of it.”

WSA Consolidatation – Expansion FINAL

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
SIGN UP
TO RECEIVE THE LATEST NEWS WITH WEST STAR AVIATION
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 January 2024. For more information on West Star Aviation employment or WSAA apprentice selection criteria, please visit www.weststaraviation.com/careers 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.