Story ID: 
Midcoast seeks narrowbody bizliner work
By: AIN Staff
Caption: Midcoast Aviation (Booth No.
Word Count: 249
Midcoast Aviation (Booth No. 3408), a long-time specialist in aircraft maintenance, modification and completion of midsize and large business aircraft, is moving into the narrowbody bizliner market.As part of the expansion, the Cahokia, Ill.-based center is breaking ground this month on a 145,000-sq-ft hangar, a move that will add another 200 employees within the first two years of operation. The hangar will consist of two 48,000-sq-ft bays, connected by a 36,000-sq-ft center core, as well as an attached 14,000 sq ft of shop space.The narrowbody bizliner market has grown 15 percent annually. The popularity of this type of aircraft as a business tool will result in 18 to 20 green airplanes entering the market annually, said Midcoast president Kurt Sutterer. “Along with our recently completed 119,000-square-foot hangar, the new building will allow Midcoast to centralize completions activities in two hangars,” he explained. “Midcoast will then have five hangars dedicated to supporting our maintenance business, which is growing at twelve percent annually, twice the industry rate.”Construction of the new facility will take approximately a year and will be followed by an expansion of the paint shop to accommodate the larger bizliners. The total expansion project, which includes associated ramp improvements, will cost Midcoast approximately $17.5 million. The state of Illinois is providing an additional $4 million investment package as part of its Opportunity Returns program.Midcoast employs more than 1,100 people at its southern Illinois facilities. The company is an affiliate of the Jet Aviation Group of companies and based at St. Louis Downtown Airport.