A new jet repair and maintenance facility means 500 full-time jobs for Rockford.
Senator Dick Durbin and Governor Pat Quinn were among the masses of elected officials who attended this morning's announcement at the Chicago Rockford International Airport.
The massive $40-million facility will be run by AAR, an aviation services company based near O’Hare airport. It’s the largest aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) company in North America, and the third largest in the world.
Rockford’s airport will build the facility and it will be leased by AAR. Most of the 500 full-time jobs will be high-paying aircraft mechanics. At least 600 construction jobs are expected to be created during the building of the facility at the airport. It will be built with a combination of local, state, and federal funds. It’s expected to open two years from now.
Recent expansions of aviation technology programs at Rock Valley College were cited in the companies decision to build in Rockford.
