Schweizer Aircraft, a subsidiary of Sikorsky Aircraft, recently announced they will establish a new aerospace component manufacturing facility in Somerset, Ky., to produce aircraft components for Schweizer.

The company has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Summit Aviation, an industry leader in aircraft modification and maintenance technology, to open and operate the facility, which will create up to 100 new jobs and represents a $1.9 million investment.

Summit Aviation plans to lease a 15,000 square-foot hangar at the Somerset-Pulaski County Airport and possibly expand the hangar by an additional 30,000 square feet. The operation will provide aviation modification, fabrication, and repair operations.

"Schweizer Aircraft's business is expanding at an exponential rate," said Paul Schweizer, president of Schweizer Aircraft. "We see the Somerset operation as critical to our needs for increased production capacity. After more than three years of planning and hard work, it is very satisfying to make this announcement today and to look forward to production starting in Somerset early in 2007."

In 2005, Belcan Engineering opened a new engineering design center in Lexington also to fulfill a contract with Sikorsky Aircraft. Today that center works on programs vital to the nation’s defense. The new facility will produce components for Schweizer products including helicopters, special mission surveillance aircraft, and unmanned air vehicles as well as the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters.

Based in Middletown, Delaware, Summit Aviation, Inc. is a full service FAA certificated repair station supplying private and corporate aircraft owners with quality repair and maintenance since 1960. The company is also an authorized Cessna Single Engine/Multi Engine/Propjet Service Station and a Bell 206, 407 Service Facility.

The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) preliminarily approved Summit Aviation for tax benefits up to $1.9 million under the Kentucky Industrial Development Act (KIDA), an incentive program designed to attract and expand industrial investment to the state.

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