Story ID: 1052114mx
West Star Aviation ALN Opens Mx Facility
By: David A. Lombardo
Caption: MRO seeks more technicians.
Word Count: 178
West Star Aviation held an official opening last week for the latest expansion at its East Alton, Ill. facility. The expansion adds a new 47,000-sq-ft maintenance facility, a 14,000-sq-ft wood shop and a 6,000-sq-ft accessory repair shop, taking the ALN operation to 317,300 sq ft.

Rodger Renaud, COO of West Star Aviation, told AIN, “A few years ago we added Challenger and Gulfstream capability. At that time we located the work in our existing Falcon hangar. Our workload for those two lines has increased so much it required that we increase our floor space to accommodate it.”

Renaud said the $5 million expansion will require adding personnel at the site, which already employs 300. “We are actively looking for another 36 technicians and inspectors,” he said. There are openings for avionics technicians and maintenance personnel in the Gulfstream and Falcon lines.

West Star Aviation provides repair and maintenance of airframes, windows and engines, as well as major modifications, avionics installation and repair, interior refurbishment, surplus avionics sales, accessory services, paint and parts.