albuquerque air transportation company wants to renovate big airport hangar

A nearly 37,000 square-foot hangar located at the Albuquerque International Airport may soon see extensive renovations if the project can secure State of New Mexico funding.

CSI Aviation, a global air transportation and air services company, has turned to the New Mexico Economic Development Department to ask for $250,000 in Local Economic Development Act funding to help renovate the facility off of Access Road B.

Because the hangar is located on property owned by the City of Albuquerque, CSI is also seeking the approval of the Albuquerque City Council.

The project has already won the backing of the Albuquerque Development Commission.

The hangar in question once served as the headquarters for Eclipse Aviation, the manufacturer of the Eclipse 500 light jet. That company declared bankruptcy in 2009 before becoming One Aviation.

CSI Aviation was founded in 1979 as an air charter broker. The Albuquerque-based company, with offices at 3700 Rio Grande Boulevard NW, also specializes in air ambulance and executive charter services.

Last year, one of the company’s planes, equipped with cameras and sensors, was used to assess damage in Texas in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

Two months later, CSI announced it was expanding its medical service capabilities, allowing the company to transport two patients at a time using its King Air 350 aircraft.

By Garry Boulard

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