Alabama has a rich and colorful history in aerospace, aviation and defense. From the year 1910 when Orville and Wilbur Wright established the first civilian flying school in Montgomery to the 1950s when Werner von Braun's German Rocket Team moved to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama has played an important role in the development of the aerospace industry.
The state is home to hundreds of aerospace companies doing work in space and defense, aviation, and maintenance, refurbishment and overhaul (MRO). These companies have created more than 73,000 direct jobs for Alabamians with an annual payroll of more than $3 billion.
The aerospace industry in Alabama is comprised of four primary business sectors: manufacturers of aerospace, aviation and defense hardware, software and equipment, MRO of existing assets, parts manufacture and supply for the aerospace industry, and companies providing a variety of business and technical services and support to the industry.
EADS North America has constructed an aircraft engineering center in Mobile which employs more than 100 people. Another recent announcement is Regent Aerospace, which specializes in maintenance and repair of aircraft seats and interiors. The company will open a new facility in Mobile's Brookley Field Industrial Complex and hire up to 90 people within two years. Aerospace giant Boeing is also a prominent corporate citizen of Alabama, with expanded facilities in Decatur and Huntsville. The Decatur operation consolidated all of the companies Delta IV production to Alabama. Lockheed Martin has also undergone several expansions in Troy.
From a highly skilled workforce, to infrastructure and available suppliers for the industry, Alabama is positioned to support the aerospace industry today and in the future.
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