A New Lease on Life at KMRB

Aero-Smith, Inc. has recently expanded its FBO services at the Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport (KMRB) by occupying the former Tiger Aircraft manufacturing facility that had remained vacant and unused since 2007 when Tiger Aircraft ceased operation.

Aero-Smith, Inc. has recently expanded its FBO services at the Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport (KMRB) by occupying the former Tiger Aircraft manufacturing facility that had remained vacant and unused since 2007 when Tiger Aircraft ceased operation.

The main structure of the re-opened 60,000 s.f. facility will be used as a community hangar to accommodate single engine and light twin aircraft. While Aero-Smith will continue to provide aircraft maintenance from its original location, the new space will yield modern, improved facilities for transient pilots and aircraft as well as the flight school and administrative offices. In addition, space will be available for other aviation businesses to provide avionics, engine repair, interior renovation and related services

Construction of the Tiger Aircraft manufacturing facility was completed in 2001 and aircraft assembly began in 2003. At nearly the same time, Sino-Swearingen Aircraft began operation building the SJ-30 small business jet in a nearby facility. Both were vital to increasing activity at KMRB and general aviation looked bright for the area economy, work force and associated businesses. A shortage of aviation skilled trades such as sheet metal, avionics, interior, paint and engine was overcome.

The location of these industries at Martinsburg was due to the effort of U.S. Senator John D. Rockefeller in forming a coalition of investors from Taiwan. The result was the creation of the John D. Rockefeller IV Science and Technology Park, a 220 acre industrial park with all amenities that became home to Tiger Aircraft and Sino-Swearingen Aircraft.

Manufacturing activity was strong until 2007 when the national economy in general and aviation in particular suffered a serious recession. During the ensuing seven years both Tiger and Sino-Swearingen ceased operation and the buildings were unoccupied for several years.

The Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport (KMRB) has a long history of economic development activities. The West Virginia Air National Guard has been located at KMRB for nearly 60 years. The 167th ANG is currently transitioning from the C-5 Globemaster to a fleet of eight modern C-17s. Air Photographics, Howard Aircraft, and Air Methods are located at KMRB and DC Corp, a new data center, occupies the former Polo Ralph Lauren facility. Aerosmith is the full service FBO for the airport.

Continued KMRB is located in Martinsburg, WV, just outside the restricted Washington DC Special Flight Rules Area and has a control tower, 8800 feet grooved asphalt runway and designated practice area with many approaches for IFR training. The Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport is the largest airport in West Virginia dominating the region with the exception of Dulles and BWI. The airport industrial park is located just one mile from I-81 and a half mile from an active rail line with high speed digital broadband service, natural gas, ample electric utility and good roadways.

The abandoned Tiger Aircraft facility now operated by Aero-Smith has a new lease on life with new energy for the airport community and will be an economic driver for the area providing employment opportunities for years to come.