Anna Goodwin, assistant product manager at Haskell, signs the beam.
Greg Akers, Haskell vice president and division leader of Aviation and Aerospace Manufacturing, speaks at the topping-off ceremony.
Boeing Global Services’ future aircraft hangar at Cecil Airport.
Nearly 200 workers and Boeing, Haskell and Jacksonville Aviation Authority officials gathered for the ceremony.
Workers sign the beam that will be lifted to the top of the structure.
Maiker Perez, a construction worker, adds his signature.
Some workers added some flair to their signatures.
Haskell General Superintendent Rick Craven said construction crews have erected 53 tons of steel to build the hangar.
Boeing Jacksonville Senior Operations Manager Michael Dottaviano said the facility potentially will need 300 positions when it opens.
The beam is prepared to be lifted skyward.
The beam is in position..
It begins its trip to the top of the structure.
The flag flies as the beam climbs.
The 365,623-square-foot hangar is at 5658 Approach Road in West Jacksonville.
The beam begins to be lowered into place.
A worker
Before workers hoisted and secured the steel Dec. 8 that marks the highest structural point of Boeing Global Services’ future aircraft hangar at Cecil Airport, officials with the aerospace company and The Haskell Co. gave a nod to construction crews and subcontractors.
“Construction workers go through a lot of sacrifices — sacrifices and long hours,” said Greg Akers, Haskell vice president and division leader of Aviation and Aerospace Manufacturing.
“Today is great weather. But when it’s raining, when it’s cold, those are the things that’s (tough on) these individuals that show up.”
Nearly 200 workers and Boeing, Haskell and Jacksonville Aviation Authority officials gathered at the construction site for the topping-off ceremony for the 365,623-square-foot hangar at 5658 Approach Road in West Jacksonville.
Haskell General Superintendent Rick Craven said construction crews have erected 53 tons of steel to build the hangar and laid 36,500 yards of concrete at the site in 240,000 working hours since breaking ground in October 2021.
“This is not a glamorous profession. It takes skill and it takes grit and every one of these workers has that to be able to accomplish the great feat that we have here today.”
According to Akers, 175 workers have worked on the hangar. He expects that to increase to 300 as construction begins on the interior.
Workers, contractors and project managers signed the steel beam with Sharpies before it was lifted into place to the sounds of “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC and “Top Gun” anthem “Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins.
Boeing and JAA announced the hangar project in December 2020. It was expected to cost $116 million.
JAA Director of External Affairs Michael Stewart said Dec. 8 the total project cost is $183.6 million and the hangar is on track for a ribbon-cutting in October 2023.
“This is truly going to be significant,” Stewart said. “When we look back in seven to 10 years, here on the east side of the main runway (at Cecil Airport) is going to be the catalyst for numerous other aerospace and defense development(s). And it all started, we think, with this project.”
Boeing Jacksonville Senior Operations Manager Michael Dottaviano said the facility potentially will need 300 positions when it opens.
That could increase to 400.
“With over 370K square feet of hangar space, office space and back dock support space, we’re going to be able to expand our capabilities to continue the support that we give to our warfighter,” he said.
Boeing will create 334 jobs for the facility at an average annual salary of $65,000, according to the city Office of Economic Development.
The new jobs will be in place by Dec. 31, 2026, at a $21.7 million payroll, excluding benefits.
The city is giving Boeing a $425,000 grant to assist with the estimated $3 million in infrastructure expenditures for the project over three years.
Boeing Global Services CEO Ted Colbert said at the October 2021 groundbreaking that the eight-hangar complex will be the aviation industry’s “first digitally enabled” maintenance repair and overhaul site.
Colbert told federal, state and city officials that the project will allow Boeing to understand the maintenance and repair needs of U.S. military aircraft before they land at Cecil.
The project is a partnership of Boeing, JAA and the city.
Boeing reached a 25-year lease agreement with JAA on Dec. 17, 2020, to expand the aerospace company’s 400,000-square-foot operation at Cecil.
JAA is paying for the project through debt financing.
The facility comprises about 270,000 square feet of hangar space and more than 100,000 square feet of office and support shop space on 57 acres, according to JAA.
Boeing has operated its existing MRO facilities at Cecil Airport since 1999. According to a news release, the company has modified and upgraded 1,030 aircraft for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps including the F/A-18 A-D Hornet; F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet; and EA-18G Growler.
The company also uses Cecil to convert F/A-18 Super Hornets into flight demonstration aircraft for the Blue Angels squadron and modified retired F-16s into autonomous aerial targets for the Air Force.
Boeing’s Flight Control Repair Center provides structural repairs to F/A-18 A-F; EA-18G and the Navy’s P-8 aircraft.
Boeing has been expanding its Jacksonville workforce. The aerospace company opened a 23,000-square-foot Boeing Jacksonville Training Systems Center of Excellence at 6225 Lake Gray Blvd. that will employ 100 people, Colbert said last year.
