JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Boeing will add about 400 more jobs at Cecil Airport in Jacksonville by moving into a new hangar that will be built by the Jacksonville Aviation Authority over the next three years, marking a major expansion for Boeing's presence at the Westside airfield.
Boeing, which currently employs about 350 people at Cecil Airport, entered into a 25-year building and land lease agreement with the aviation authority, which owns Cecil Airport.
“This announcement is one of the most significant in the JAA’s history and a testament to what an economic powerhouse Cecil Airport is for Northeast Florida.” Jacksonville Aviation Authority CEO Mark VanLoh said.
The average wage of the new jobs will be more than $65,000 plus benefits, JAX Chamber officials told the Jacksonville Aviation Authority board when it unanimously approved the agreement during a special meeting Thursday.
Boeing has had maintenance, repair and overhaul operations since 1999 at Cecil Airport.
The Jacksonville Aviation Authority will construct new buildings for lease to Boeing on about 30 acres on the northeast side of Cecil Airport near the company's current location at the airport.
The new construction will deliver almost 270,000 square feet of hangar space and more than 100,000 square feet of office and support shop space, according to Boeing. Construction will start in fall 2021 and Boeing plans to start operations in the new facilities in January 2024, the company said.
“This investment in facility improvements supports our ability to deliver on current and future defense services work at the Cecil Field site and aligns with Boeing’s infrastructure optimization efforts,” said Warren Helm, Boeing Cecil Field site leader, in the company's announcement.
Since 1999, Boeing has modified and upgraded about 1,000 aircraft for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, according to the company.
Boeing has worked on the F/A-18 A-D Hornet, F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler. Boeing has a flight control repair center that does structural repairs for F/A-18 A-F and EA-18G flight control surfaces. Cecil Airport also is where Boeing transforms F/A-18 Super Hornets into flight demonstration aircraft for the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angel squadron.
Boeing also uses Cecil Airport as base for turning retired F-16s into "the next generation of combat training and testing" for aerial targets, the company said.
