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Aerospace & Aviation

With one of the world’s busiest airports partially located in our city, it follows that the aviation and aerospace industry would have a significant local presence. With global air carriers American Airlines and Southwest Airlines, along with aircraft manufacturers Lockheed Martin and Bell Flight, opportunities abound for manufacturers, technology designers, parts suppliers and aviation-related services firms.

In Texas, the aviation, aerospace and defense sector employs 150,000 workers. In terms of air transportation jobs, Texas ranks number one among all U.S. states. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are more aircraft mechanics and airfield operations specialists working in Texas than any other state. Texas is also one of the top states for aerospace manufacturing jobs.

Among the many Irving-Las Colinas-based companies in this sector are The Boeing Company, one of the leading providers of aerospace parts and integrated supply chain solutions; and GKN Aerospace, which designs innovative engine systems and is the leading multi-technology aerospace supplier, serving 90 percent of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers.

Aviation innovation is a hallmark of the North Texas region, which has been identified by Uber as a planned pilot site for the 2023 launch of on-demand air transportation, Uber Air, using electric vertical takeoff and landing (e-VTOL) aircraft, known as air taxis. And with manufacturing processes becoming increasingly automated and technology becoming more integrated and advanced at every step from production to operation, we are more engaged than ever in developing a robust workforce pipeline that connects the demands of a growing industry with the interests and skills of local students, as with the partnership between Envoy Air and Irving ISD’s School of Aviation Science.