Aerospace
 

The aerospace industry in Mesa is strong and thriving. Mesa comprises nearly 20% of aerospace related jobs within the Phoenix-Mesa Metropolitan area. Additionally, Mesa has nationally recognized aerospace programs at the college and community college levels as well as special programs for K-12 students such as the Lowell and Salk Flight Centers and the Boeing Math Academy.

With two airports, and major aerospace firms such as Boeing, MD Helicopters, and Timken-Alcor, Mesa is a major player in Arizona's aerospace industry. As a whole, "Arizona's aerospace and defense companies and their suppliers command national and international recognition. The state ranks in the top five for federal defense contracts with more than $6.6 billion and in the top ten for aerospace exports with a dollar value in the $13 billion range." -- Arizona Department of Commerce

Williams Gateway Airport
Williams Gateway Airport offers the perfect climate for aerospace. In addition to being a reliever to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Williams Gateway serves a variety of aircraft including corporate, cargo, general aviation and military. The airport's three expansive runways (10,401 feet; 10,201 feet; and 9,301 feet) allow for excellent access for every type of aircraft operation from a single-engine Cessna to the Boeing 747-400.

Williams Gateway Airport has nearly 1,500 jobs on airport and over 5,300 jobs in the Williams Gateway Employment Center. The area is on its way to becoming a major employment hub for high paying jobs in the East Valley. The airport's current annual economic impact on the community is more than $251 million and continues to grow exponentially as development progresses.

Williams Gateway Airport is also a general use Foreign Trade Zone with an on-site U.S. Customs facility. Additionally, aviation-related business users may qualify for the Military Reuse Zone. Businesses qualified to operate in these zones may be eligible to receive substantial property tax savings as well as income tax credits for net increases in employment.

Falcon Field
Falcon Field is seven miles northeast of downtown Mesa and 18 miles east of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. It is ranked among the nation’s “top 10” general aviation airports in terms of based aircraft and handles more than 275,000 flight operations annually.  Falcon Field Airport is ranked “third” in terms of economic impact in the state of Arizona behind Phoenix Sky Harbor and Tucson International Airports. The economic impact of Falcon Field Airport exceeds $2 billion in sales with the multipliers applied by the Arizona Department of Transportation Study conducted in 2002.

The airport currently serves as home base for more than 900 aircraft and as an industrial park with more than 30 aviation-related businesses and more than 50 commercial enterprises.  More than 11 percent of Maricopa County’s aerospace employment is concentrated in and around Falcon Field, with Boeing employing more than 4,700 at its Apache Helicopter facility.  Falcon Field Airport is a catalyst for economic growth and development in Arizona. It supports the area's business centers and tourist attractions, which in turn provide local employment opportunities.

Aerospace-Focused Education
Arizona State University and the University of Arizona maintain highly regarded Departments of Aeronautical Management, Technology, Mechanical and Aerospace engineering that provide baccalaureate and graduate degree options. Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, a leading aviation and aerospace training institution has branches in Mesa, Phoenix, Prescott, and Tucson.

Maricopa Community Colleges offer Associate degrees in Applied Sciences in aerospace manufacturing, aircraft construction and maintenance technology, aviation maintenance, airway science, and machinist professions. Certificates of Completion are available in airframe maintenance, avionics, composite, and flight technology, machinist, sheet metal structures technology, and NIMS (National Institute for Metalworking Skills) Certification.

A partnership between Chandler-Gilbert Community College and the University of North Dakota's (UND) Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences provides a two-year degree and an option for a four-year at UND.

Mesa Community College recently received  FAA certification to train federal airport workers, making it one of thirty-eight certified programs in the nation and the only such program in Arizona.

Arizona's community colleges have a proven record of working with employers and industry groups to develop specifically tailored curriculum. These programs are developed and administered at no cost to the employer and in nearly all cases, qualify for reimbursement under the Arizona Job Training Program.

K-12 education in Mesa benefits the aerospace industry through collaboration between companies such as Boeing and Mesa Public Schools. Mesa Public Schools offers a unique flight program for its fifth grade students. Partnering with Boeing, Mesa Public Schools offers two child-sized, full motion airplane simulators and two helicopter trainers at the Lowell and Salk Flight Centers. The program gives over 7,000 students a year the chance to experience "flight" while learning about science. Boeing also partners with Mesa Public Schools to offer the Boeing Math Academy, which provides the math skills and confidence students need to be successful.