Out with the old, in with the new

Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), May 25, 2003 by WAYNE HEILMAN

A Maryland-based company is expanding its aircraft maintenance operations at the Colorado Springs Airport just as a longtime maintenance shop there is closing.

ARINC Direct opened a 14,400-square-foot aircraft servicing center last month in a used

Colorado Interstate Gas Co. ARINC's center specializes in maintaining and upgrading business aircraft, including equipment changes required by federal rules.

ARINC has operated a small servicing facility in the Colorado Jet Center for the past three years but subleased the hangar to support its growth, said Tom Robeson, director of aircraft services at the company's local center.

The ARINC center specializes in installing and testing navigational equipment required by January 2005 by the Federal Aviation Administration for all aircraft flying at 29,000 feet or higher.

The company charges $100,000 to $250,000 for the work, which includes creating new operating manuals for pilots.

Robeson said ARINC's Springs center is the only U.S. facility that can create the manuals and install and test the equipment. The center also sells maintenance service for private, business, regional and commercial aircraft as large as a Boeing MD-80 jet, Robeson said.

The center employs a staff of 12, which will grow to 18 this fall, Robeson said.

ARINC employs another 150 in the Springs working on software development and systems engineering on military contracts.

The airport will lose one of its three other maintenance operations Friday, when Air West LLC shuts down. Air West had provided maintenance, flight training and other services at the airport for more than 15 years.

Wayne Turnquist, an Air West partner, said the company couldn't afford to continue operating after losing a flight training contract last year with the Air Force Academy.

The Springs Stein Mart store is one of only two stores the chain will operate in the state after it shuts down three stores this year.

The Jacksonville, Fla.-based company is shutting down stores in Fort Collins, Littleton and Westminster as part of a plan to close 16 stores that lost $5.2 million last year, but will keep stores open at 7710 N. Academy Blvd., near Chapel Hills Mall, and in Englewood.

The 270-store chain sells clothing, accessories, gifts, linens and shoes. Stein Mart reported this month that its first-quarter sales were down 7.1 percent from a year ago and warned that investors' profits would be down sharply.

Wayne Heilman is a business reporter. Reach him at 636-0234 or at wayneh@gazette.com.