Local, state and congressional officials joined together Tuesday to cut the ribbon at Chennault International Airport’s new $21.5 million hangar.

The 112,000-square-foot facility can fit up to C-5-size aircraft and features an unobstructed interior, LED lighting and large-diameter fans. Hangar H also has an additional 6,000 square feet of office space.

It’s being leased by AAR Aircraft Services, the largest maintenance, repair and overhaul provider in the United States. The new hangar will allow AAR to perform wide-body aircraft work, said Donald Wetekam, senior vice president of AAR.

The company, which employs more than 200 people, is expected to grow to create 500 more jobs at Chennault by 2016, officials have predicted. AAR has occupied five hangars at Chennault since August 2013.

“We view this as a partnership with the community,” Wetekam said.

A United airplane was the backdrop for the ceremony — the only confirmed customer at AAR’s Lake Charles facility. Wetekam said there are new contracts “with some major customers” that have yet to be announced.

Plans for Hangar H started in 2012 with construction beginning the following year.

“This is big for Chennault,” said Randy Robb, executive director at Chennault. “This is what allowed us to attract AAR to Lake Charles.”

The project was jointly funded by the state of Louisiana, which put up $17.5 million, and Chennault, which funded the remaining $4 million.

“The state had a vision, and we had a vision,” Robb said.

U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany, R-Lafayette, said Lake Charles has been “put on the map internationally” because of its focus on economic development.

The general contractor for the hangar was Alfred Palma LLC, and Meyer and Associates was the engineering contractor.(Special to the American Press)

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