Kalitta Air is a growing Michigan based airline that provides worldwide air carrier services.  In addition to offering air cargo, Kalitta Air also operates a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) licensed and inspected aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services facility at the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base, now Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport, in Oscoda Michigan (FAA cert number KO0R718X).  Kalitta is fully capable of performing all scheduled and non-routine aircraft maintenance in their Oscoda facilities. They are also prepared to send personnel wherever needed in order to get customers back up and flying again. Kalitta’s business operations employ 1,342 Michigan workers with 789 of those employees working in Oscoda.

Kalitta’s MRO operations in Oscoda occupy approximately 400,000 square feet of former military aircraft maintenance facilities. A win-win for the company and the community. The Oscoda facilities include seven (7) heavy aircraft capable maintenance hangars, two jet engine repair shops and a 10-Meter jet engine test cell. All of Kalitta’s facilities in Oscoda are fully occupied with aircraft maintenance operations being scheduled into the foreseeable future.

To assist Kalitta Air’s growth, the company turned to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and the Michigan Business Development Program (MBDP) for assistance in funding an expansion. In addition to $1.5 million in Community Block Grant funds used in an earlier hangar expansion and airport infrastructure improvements, The Michigan Strategic Fund Board of Directors has committed an investment of $2 million in MBDP funds to assist Kalitta Air with building a new 80,000 square foot heavy aircraft maintenance hangar. This $9.7 million total project investment will be complete during October of 2014 and it will create 150 – 200 new jobs.

“We have found the Michigan Strategic Fund Board and especially the MEDC staff to be very responsive and helpful. We would not be able to experience the same kind of growth and job creation without MEDC assistance,” said the President of Kalitta Air. “We are very pleased to be part of the Oscoda community, and they are happy that we have found success in the shuttered Wurtsmith Air Force Base. Kalitta Air has forged a great partnership with Oscoda and our home state of Michigan.”

Michiganbusiness.org for more information on MEDC programs, grants and funds.