Able Engineering broke ground Wednesday on a new aircraft maintenance facility at the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, starting work on what will be the airport's largest structure and biggest private employer. In the 191,000-square-foot building, Able will repair and overhaul private and military aircraft. The facility will be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration and will allow the airport to attract additional commercial, cargo, general and business aviation companies as well as defense contractors.
The facility is scheduled to open in early 2013. Able has an agreement with Mesa to employ more than 320 workers within one year of beginning operation. The goal is to double the workforce by 2015, which will make it the largest private employer in the Gateway area. The average salary of Able employees is $100,000.
Able is an international business that performs more than 8,000 aircraft repairs a year.
