Located about 10 minutes away, on the other side of the runway of Will Rogers World Airport (just east of the Aeronautical Center) is the AAR Corporation. AAR is a leader in aviation services to commercial and government operations, maintenance repair & overhaul (MRO) operations, and original equipment manufacturer (OEM). On Friday, April 5th, ground was broken to make way for the expansion of a new MRO facility.
Over 150 representatives from AAR, Alaska Airlines, state, and local government, and partnering organizations supported the efforts. The groups gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking of AAR’s new three-bay facility, which will be constructed adjacent to the company’s existing facility at Will Rogers World Airport.
The new facility will provide AAR with an additional 80,000+ square feet of hangar and warehouse space, accommodating all 737 variants, including the 737-10. AAR’s growth in Oklahoma City supports a recently expanded maintenance commitment from Alaska Airlines, a valued customer of AAR for more than 20 years. The new airframe MRO facility is expected to be operational in January 2026.
Considerable funding for the project was made possible by a grant secured by Oklahoma legislators, with the balance expected to be funded through rent concessions from the airport.
John M. Holmes, AAR Chairman, President and CEO, shared, "Today’s groundbreaking has been made possible thanks to collaborative efforts across AAR and Alaska Airlines, partnerships with Oklahoma City Airport Trust, and state and local representatives who are passionate about expanding aviation in Oklahoma. We are especially excited about creating 200 additional full-time careers with AAR, which we expect to fill through local technical schools and workforce development partners who create opportunities through aviation-centric programming, such as Choose Aerospace."
"The Oklahoma City Airport Trust is excited to partner with AAR to expand its Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul operation at Will Rogers World Airport. This expansion of AAR’s MRO operation provides more hangar capacity at OKC, along with more aviation jobs for our community," said Jeff Mulder, Oklahoma City’s Director of Airports.
"This groundbreaking isn’t just about constructing a hangar. It’s about cultivating an excellent experience for all involved. JE Dunn is honored to bring our construction expertise and leadership and partner with the Oklahoma City Airport Trust (OCAT) to support the business growth happening in our city," said Jason Bishop, JE Dunn’s Vice President – Oklahoma City, who is leading the construction effort.
AAR is a vital partner with the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in supporting the Center’s annual Aviation Career Education (ACE) summer camp for youth who are interested in learning more about aviation.
More information about AAR.
