Wisconsin airline looks to bring jobs to Dayton airport

Air Wisconsin Airlines proposes relocating and expanding its aircraft maintenance operations at the Dayton International Airport, which would bring new jobs and generate $3.4 million in new payroll.

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Air Wisconsin proposes spending about $1 million to renovate and equip a hangar at the airport to relocate a maintenance and training operations center from Virginia, according to city of Dayton documents.

“I understand the facility here will employ up to 70 people when fully staffed,” said Terry Slaybaugh, Dayton’s director of aviation. “This is important to Dayton because Air Wisconsin has signed a five-year deal to fly exclusively for United Airlines.”

Dayton city commissioners this week will decide whether to provide the company a $165,000 grant to help with the expansion project.

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The grant will help the company pay to upgrade the building and buy specialized aerospace equipment, the city said.

The company says the new facility will support $3.4 million in new annual payroll. The company will receive the grant funding over the course of four years, and the amount of the payments will depend on the payroll size.

Air Wisconsin said it offers up to $4,500 in sign-on and experience bonuses for front-line maintenance positions, with an additional $10,000 bonus in Milwaukee and Dayton.

Air Wisconsin leases a hangar at the airport from Wright Brothers Aero, where they perform daily maintenance on up to four CRJ-200 aircraft, Slaybaugh said.

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