As you are about to see, West
Virginia's Benedum Airport has undergone an amazing
metamorphosis this past decade. What served for
years as a quiet landing strip has blossomed into a
hub of aerospace activity, studded with vital
commercial, government and academic-sponsored
operations known collectively as the Mid-Atlantic
Aerospace Complex, or MAAC.
It wasn't happy coincidence that
brought them to this corner of north central West
Virginia. It was a deliberate strategy on our part
to match the needs of our people with the needs of
the marketplace; a strategy to diversify our economy
by targeting an industry with growth prospects.
Through careful study, we identified
niche market opportunities in the aerospace industry
- opportunities we were well-suited to seize given
our advantageous geographic location and abundance
of skilled workers left dislocated by downturns in
coal and other traditional industries. Today, our
West Virginia workers help MAAC serve a critical
need by providing first-rate maintenance, overhaul,
manufacturing and training services.
Thanks to Senator Robert C. Byrd's
highly successful efforts to secure the federal
resources needed to advance Benedum Airport, the
dream has become a reality. As with so many other
projects throughout West Virginia, Senator Byrd's
vision and support has been absolutely crucial to
MAAC's success. We all owe him a debt of gratitude.
It's been my pleasure to work in
close support of the Senator, and in concert with
stakeholders at the site to establish MAAC as an
engine for continued progress.
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