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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Advanced Aero Services Plans MRO Hub at Shreveport, Louisiana, Regional Airport

01/17/2020
Advanced Aero Services will launch an aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul hub in Shreveport, Louisiana. The MRO facility will serve commercial airline customers at an existing hangar on the airport property. By 2021, AAS is expected to hire 60 associates.

AAS will begin MRO operations in the existing 30,000-square-foot Hangar 5, located in the Shreveport Regional Airport’s Aeropark, near industrial property along the shorter of the airport’s two runways where the future building will likely be constructed.

According to Louisiana Economic Development, after establishing operations over the next two years, AAS plans to secure financing for a narrow-body MRO hangar that will open the path to further growth. With that facility in place and business objectives met, AAS would grow to as many as 500 jobs by 2024 and 1,000 jobs later in the decade.

“We look forward to building out the aviation services offered at Shreveport Regional and making this region our base of operations,” Aero Services President Mike Anderson said. “Advanced Aero Services’ mission is to provide a strong foundation of safe, high-quality MRO services through solid process, innovation and motivated employees.”

The company is expected to utilize LED’s Quality Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemption programs. LED began discussions with AAS about a potential MRO center in Shreveport two years ago. To secure the project, the State of Louisiana offered AAS the comprehensive workforce solutions of LED FastStart – the nation’s No. 1 state workforce training program.

“Aerospace represents one of Louisiana’s key industries today, and an important sector for growing Louisiana’s economy in the future,” Governor John Bel Edwards said. “In Shreveport, we have substantial assets that include the Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program and its assistance to AAS in finance and capacity building, and Southern University at Shreveport’s Airframe and Powerplant Maintenance Program to provide workforce talent. Here at the intersection of one of Louisiana’s greatest aerospace assets – Barksdale Air Force Base, and our emerging I-20 Cyber Corridor, we welcome AAS and its vision to create a center of excellence in aviation service.”

“Shreveport Regional is in close proximity to six major airline hubs serving North America and international destinations,” Mayor Perkins said. “Thanks to Barksdale Air Force Base and Southern University at Shreveport Louisiana’s Aerospace Technology Center, Shreveport has a well-trained labor force that is ready to support the expansion of this key industry. Louisiana Economic Development’s suite of incentives and the low cost of doing business in Shreveport make our area an attractive location for this growing industry.”

“This exciting project has been in development for about two years. We thank the former and current city administrations for their help and recognize our Shreveport Regional Airport leadership for their support,” said EAP Executive Director Dave Smith. “AAS is a great example of industry, city and federal government and university collaboration for economic development. This successful EAP model is launching and growing companies in North Louisiana.”

“North Louisiana Economic Partnership congratulates AAS on locating its new maintenance and repair operation at the Shreveport Regional Airport,” NLEP President Scott Martinez said.

AAS is a portfolio company of the Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program, a public-private partnership between local government and BRF, formerly the Biomedical Research Foundation. EAP provides services to innovative startups possessing high-growth potential.

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