The view from my husband's plane. Somewhere over...somewhere.
I’ve written about this previously, but it’s time for an update on how Greensboro is fast becoming an aerotropolis.
Yes, it’s a word.
Aerotropolis list: Hong Kong, Chicago, Amsterdam…Greensboro. Why not?
And of all the predictions one could make about what would be a major industry for the Piedmont Triad area of North Carolina in general and Greensboro in particular, aviation might not have headed the list. Or made the top 20.
But here we are. A list of just a few of the reasons and companies that are adding up to Greensboro becoming a center for all things winged:
- FedEx Hub (slated to open in October 2009. One of only in the country)
- HondaJet
- TIMCO Aviation Services (Headquarters here as well as 600,000 sq ft maintenance facility)
- HondaJet engine facility (in Burlington, about 20 minutes east of Greensboro)
- Atlantic Aero (highly regarded Fixed Base Operator)
- Aerosphere Aviation Services (supplies parts for commercial & military aircraft)
- GTCC Aviation Maintenance Training (PDF)
- Greensboro Aviation (aircraft component repair & overhaul)
You can even see the plane that is known as Air Force One when the President is on board doing practice maneuvers at PTI as well as the occasional ginormous C5:
So, keep an eye on the skies – and this spot – to see what happens next.
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The thoughts & opinions are mine. The quips that fall flat are someone else’s. Please feel free to shoot me an email with a question or a good joke.
And remember, real estate agents aren’t bad. We’re just drawn that way.
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Since the beginNing of October there have been more Military touch and goes “sessions” than I have seen combined in my 26 years in the area. Nearly everyday there are 3-4 coherent sessions. Today… C5, C130, and what appears to be AF1 (right now actually. All making at least 5-7 rounds.
What in the world?
I know, right? I saw that huge plane over Greensboro today. It seems to just hang in the air. Looks like a giant, floating whale!
Yep…
It’s not the unusual plane sighting that has me asking the question ‘what are they doing?’ It’s the unusual planes (For PTI) that are conducting training excersices on such a frequent basis as of late… I found your blog while searching for an answer…
I may have found the answer: While meeting with a new client, I discovered he’s in the aviation industry. I asked him about all these flights. He explained that TIMCO industries has been doing more maintenance on the large cargo planes. The contracts used to be with Boeing but now are with Northrop, which is using TIMCO for some of the work. The flights are literally test drives after the maintenance, to make sure all is good.
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