AAR has completed a major expansion of its aircraft maintenance facility at Will Rogers World Airport, adding new capacity and jobs to one of Oklahoma City’s strongest and most established industries: aviation.
Detecting unauthorized drones in crowded or sensitive spaces is a growing challenge for airports, public venues and law enforcement agencies across the country. MyDefence, a Denmark-based defense technology company, is working to solve that problem, and Oklahoma City is now part of its U.S. expansion.
Oklahoma has positioned itself as one of the nation’s most active aerospace and defense hubs. The state blends long-standing capabilities with a climate that supports innovation, workforce development and business growth.
Business and civic leaders recently gathered for the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber’s State of the Region event, which offered a clear, data-focused look at where Central Oklahoma stands—and where it needs to improve. The event featured a regional economic overview presented by Chamber President and CEO Christy Gillenwater.
Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) and Metro Technology Centers marked the opening of the new Aviation Center at Southeast High School with a ribbon cutting earlier this month. The center is among the first “flex spaces” funded through the $1 billion OKCPS bond package approved by voters in 2022.
Improving Oklahoma City’s air service is the goal of a new task force formed by the Chamber. Chaired by Burns Hargis, former chair of the Chamber and former president of Oklahoma State University, the task force is comprised of airport representatives, Airport Trust members, and business leaders interested in working together to provide valuable information to airlines as they consider expansion in the market.
Travelers can enroll in Global Entry during a three-day event at Will Rogers International Airport on Aug. 19, 20 and 21.
The Greater Oklahoma City aerospace industry remains a cornerstone of the regional economy, generating $8.8 billion in goods and services and supporting more than 80,200 jobs, according to the latest Greater Oklahoma City Region Aerospace and Aviation Industry Survey and Economic Impact Assessment released by the Greater OKC Chamber and RegionTrack, Inc.
