Story ID: 
Sierra Nevada Expands Huntsville Mx Facility
By: Chad Trautvetter
Caption: this will be its second modifications facility in the area, adding 60,794 sq ft of hangar space—enough to house up to seven Beechcraft King Airs.
Word Count: 200
Sierra Nevada Corp. (SNC) broke ground this week on an aircraft modification and logistics support facility at Alabama’s Huntsville International Airport, further expanding its aircraft service capacity there. According to Sierra Nevada, this will be its second modifications facility in the area, adding 60,794 sq ft of hangar space—enough to house up to seven Beechcraft King Airs simultaneously.

“SNC has a longstanding foothold in Huntsville’s aerospace and defense industry, and we are excited to continue expanding our strategic partnerships in the area,” said Tim Owings, executive vice president for the company’s integrated mission systems business. “This additional aircraft modification and upgrade facility represents SNC’s commitment to our key customers, including U.S. Army aviation.”

The U.S. Army operates a fleet of more than 120 King Airs, the majority of which are C-12 models (King Air 200s) and the remainder being MC-12Ws (King Air 350s).

Sierra Nevada’s new facility is expected to open next year, in preparation for future fixed- and rotary-wing program support. The location will offer services such as aircraft systems design, modification, upgrade, and logistics support, as well as on-site certification, inspection, and maintenance.