7/12/2011
By TIM UNRUH Salina Journal

Salina is in the running for an aircraft maintenance facility that would bring a number of "good-paying" jobs to town that could give Salina and the area a significant economic jolt.

"We're a growing company. We are trying to continue that growth and are looking at areas where the company could potentially expand its operation," said Chris Mason, a spokesman for AAR Corp., the Chicago-area based company that's looking at Salina. "We're very early in the process of considering Salina."

"The positions at our other facilities are highly skilled positions. They're good-paying jobs," he said.

The company also has aircraft maintenance operations in Oklahoma City, Indianapolis, Miami and Hot Springs, Ark. AAR employs 6,400 people worldwide. The nearly $1.8 billion company grew 35 percent in the past year, Mason said.

To help gauge worker availability in the Salina area, AAR next Monday and July 19 will have a job fair from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., at Hangar 600, 2720 Arnold Court. Local public entities, the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce and the Kansas Department of Commerce are assisting.

The goal is to meet workers' skilled in areas such as avionics, interiors, inspections, aircraft mechanics and sheet metal workers, spokesman Mason said.

"We're absolutely wanting to meet as many aviation professionals as we can when we come to Salina," Mason said.

"The workforce is an important consideration for us," he said. He mentioned no set number of jobs or potential worker pay.

"What we're looking to do is build our momentum and explore options to grow our commercial aviation support businesses," he said.

Salina goes a'courtin'

No appointments are necessary. Just show up with a resume. If you don't have a resume, help is available in developing one, according to a release from the Kansas Department of Commerce.

Salina recruiters have been courting AAR for most of this year, said Tim Rogers, executive director of the Salina Airport Authority.

"The process has taken awhile for AAR to make the decision to make this step to meet firsthand with potential employees," he said. "It's a significant step."

Due some good news

Hawker Beechcraft sheet metal assembler Joe Komlofske, of Salina, expects up to 500 at the event.

"I'll be first in line," he said. "A lot of people are excited about the possibility of manufacturing jobs coming in, to replace what we're losing here."

Wichita airplane maker Hawker announced in late 2009 that it was closing its Salina operation, eliminating 238 good-paying jobs and an estimated $12 million in annual payroll from the local economy. The last of Hawker's leases expires at the end of February.

Nowhere else to go

At one time, Hawker employed up to 750, Komlofske said.

"There are guys out here with 30 and 40 years (of) experience. They're talking about ending production here at the end of August," he said. "These guys have got nowhere else to go."

Word at work is that AAR will employ 200 or more workers, and that the pay will range from $15 to $20 an hour, Komlofske said. Hawker workers currently make from $20 to $27 an hour, he said.

"It kind of gives us hope that there will be something coming in other than hotel, retail and restaurant jobs," he said. "It's hard to live on eight bucks an hour. They've gotta get something that's gonna replace (Hawker jobs)."

Komlofske estimated 100 or more people are still working at the Hawker plant in Salina. In the past year or two, many have accepted severance packages and moved on to places such as Georgia, Texas and Oklahoma.

"They're going where the aviation jobs are," he said.

Great workforce here

Among those who left are Mark Brin, 46. A sheet metal assembler at Hawker for 17 years, he left in January 2010 and took a nonunion job at Hospira in McPherson. He commutes from Salina.

"I really enjoy it. It's very clean and climate-controlled work," Brin said.

While he won't be attending the career fair, Brin said the AAR prospect "sounds good for Salina. There's a great workforce in place that's not being utilized, that's for sure."

What Salina offers

A number of attributes attracted AAR, Rogers said, including an airport with a 12,000-foot runway, the airplane hangars, workforce education and training opportunities at Kansas State University at Salina and other institutions.

"The July 18 and 19 event will provide AAR an opportunity to meet potential employees, and, I believe, determine that the Salina, Saline County and area workers are highly skilled and capable," he said.

Salina has boasted its ability to provide prospects with the "quantity and quality of workforce they need," said Dennis Lauver, president and CEO of the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce.

"We have a chance to walk that talk and prove that," he said.

Anyone may attend, including people who are in the military.

"AAR is a top-ranked military friendly employer," Rogers said. "Veterans and members of the Kansas National Guard are certainly encouraged to meet with AAR and provide their resumes and qualifications."

Other plants nonunion

Because AAR isn't yet bringing any specific jobs to Salina, Mason wouldn't say whether a labor union would have any involvement in the possible expansion.

But he did say that AAR's other aircraft maintenance sites are nonunion.

Half of AAR's sales are in support of commercial aviation customers, Mason said, including "supply chain programs, the sale of aircraft parts and aircraft maintenance for leading commercial airlines."

The other half of sales are to government and defense customers.

n Reporter Tim Unruh can be reached at 822-1419 or by email at tunruh@salina.com.

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