Story ID: 
Appalachian Aero Group Secures Part 145 Approval
By: Gregory Polek
Caption: AAG reaps benefits of perseverance following a two-year certification process  
Word Count: 181
Hickory, North Carolina-based Appalachian Aero Group (AAG) has become an FAA Part 145 repair station following two years of working with the agency to obtain the certification. The milestone makes AAG one of 45 FAA-certified repair stations with an airframe-limited rating in North Carolina. Now concentrating on serving Beechcraft King Airs and Cessna Citations, AAG plans to add more capabilities to further address customers’ needs.
Appalachian Aero Group’s services include scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, line maintenance, aircraft-on-ground (AOG) support, parts sales, and aircraft maintenance management. Its Part 145 repair station approval marks the first time since 2012 that such capability is available at Hickory Regional Airport (KHKY).
The company expects the designation to attract operators to base their aircraft at KHKY, increasing the tax base for the city of Hickory and both Burke and Catawba Counties, thereby helping fuel AAG’s growth and providing new jobs to the area. Established in 2018, AAG has grown from one employee supporting a private aircraft management company of three aircraft to more than 10 employees serving a wide range of customers and airframes.