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At Chennault International Airport, standing still has never been an option.
In an era when aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations are essential and competitive, Chennault has an aggressive, nonstop strategy to transform itself into a national go-to center for MRO excellence. The airport’s leadership has made it clear: growth is not accidental. It is engineered.
Bigger And Bigger
Built on the legacy of the former Chennault Air Force Base, today’s Chennault International is leveraging its expansive runways, uncongested airspace and business-friendly environment to attract world-class aviation partners. But infrastructure alone does not create momentum. Over the past several years, the airport has worked relentlessly to secure funding, recruit tenants and invest its own capital to create facilities capable of supporting next-generation maintenance and painting operations for large commercial aircraft.
Airport officials have pursued state and federal funding streams with persistence, aligning economic development priorities with Louisiana’s broader workforce and industrial strategies.
This coordinated approach has positioned Chennault as more than a regional asset. It is increasingly appreciated nationally and internationally for the high-quality work done by its on-site businesses—Northrop Grumman, LandLocked Aviation Service, Citadel Aviation and other businesses which collectively employ more than 1,000 people.
Major Construction
The latest example of growth underscores that momentum. Chennault is building a new aircraft painting hangar to promote more aviation jobs for the community and state. The effort is the culmination of over five years of aggressive and dedicated efforts on the airport’s part to acquire state and federal dollars to augment its own insertion of funding to make this complex hangar build a reality.
“The reason Chennault is here is to grow jobs, and that’s exactly what we are doing,” said Kevin Melton, executive director. “Local contractor Alfred Palma won the bid for the new paint hangar, and that’s a win for our community and Chennault.”
The $18.6 million project is anticipated to produce more than 100 construction jobs across the 14- to 16-month build.
Once the hangar is built, it will provide “a significant increase in long-term capability and increased capacity” for the airport and the anticipated tenant, Landlocked Aviation Services, which will produce 104 jobs within the first three years of occupancy, Melton said.
All Part Of A Big Plan
The paint hangar project is more than a construction milestone. It’s a signal to the aviation industry that Chennault is aggressive about its MRO ambitions. Widebody-capable facilities, modern environmental controls and expanded apron space will enable the airport to compete for high-value contracts that demand precision, speed and reliability.
“The expansion also reinforces a virtuous cycle,” Melton said. “New facilities attract tenants. Tenants create jobs. Jobs strengthen the regional workforce and economic base, which in turn makes the airport even more attractive to additional aviation businesses. It’s a strategy rooted in boldness and follow-through.”
As airlines and leasing companies look for efficient, cost-effective alternatives to congested coastal hubs, Chennault’s strategy is to present a compelling value proposition:
• Room to grow.
• Leadership willing to invest.
• A community aligned behind aviation.
Through its pursuit of opportunity and commitment to expansion, Chennault is not just participating in the national MRO conversation—it’s working tirelessly to lead it.
Learn more about Chennault’s economic impact and military heritage—and get information about the Thunder Over Louisiana Airshow, which Chennault is hosting this summer—at chennault.org and Chennault’s social media platforms.
