Archien Aerospace, LLC, enters 10-year lease for former Conoco hangar

In a special  meeting on Wednesday, the Ponca  City Development Authority approved a 10-year lease of the PCDA-owned hangar at the Ponca City Municipal Airport at 2501 North Waverly.

The hangar formerly housed the Conoco Aviation Fleet for many years.

David Myers, Executive Director of PCDA, said the new tenant will be Archien Aerospace, LLC. PCDA approved economic development incentives for job creation and to establish an aircraft avionics, installation and maintenance station.

The lease begins on Nov. 15, and the company stated it plans  to employ 50 full-time aviation professionals within two years, growing to 95 employees in the third year.

The lease will include the hangar as well as office space. There is a graduated lease rate depending on the number of company employees, which could result in the company saving as much as $420,000 over 10 years.

Archein Aerospace, LLC has operated a repair station at Alliance Airport in Fort Worth. They specialize in rapid turnaround projects and the installation of leading edge avionics including “heads up displays” which enhances the ability of pilots to operate in a safe and efficient manner. The company holds a Federal Aviation Administration part 145 certificate which allows them to work on aircraft of different sizes.

Company Chief Executive Officer Michael Kaufhold said he was excited to begin operations in Ponca City.

“Archein Aerospace, LLC is very pleased and proud to have the opportunity to become part of the greater Ponca City community,” Kaufhold said. “Archein’s lease of airport hangar and office facilities at the Ponca City Airport is an outstanding opening to partner with Ponca City for a collaborative future in which Archein will globally engage with its advanced avionics Hyper-Maintenance^TM concept of operations for air transport category aircraft of all types.”

Kaufhold also said “Archein’s development strategy also focuses on all manner of engagement with local suppliers – with a core objective of actively promoting their long-term shared growth with us as Archein expands operations globally. Archein’s presence in Ponca City was by deliberate choice.

“We see and believe in the city as a unique opportunity with an emerging designer future – made real through exceptionally clear vision and leadership – as engaged by concerted and unflagging effort – all in harness with the hard-working people and businesses of the community.”

PCDA Board Chair Steve Hermann also expressed excitement about having Archein join the Ponca City community.

“We have long sought to find a company for the hangar that brought not just vision but the ability to execute that vision. We talked to a lot of people about Archein Aerospace and the feedback we have received has been very overwhelmingly positive. This is what we wanted for the airport and I’m pleased it fit so nicely into Archein’s plans as well,” Hermann said.

Hermann also expressed his thanks to people and organizations instrumental in the agreement.

“Chris Greenwood of the Greenwood Group helped make the introduction between us, and it is no exaggeration to say that without their help, we would not be welcoming Archein Aerospace to our community today,” Hermann said. “Our best leads come from local companies and this is a great example.

“In addition, the airport is a city-operated facility and we could not have had better partners in working through all of the details of this agreement than the City of Ponca City and the management of the airport. Finally, the State of Oklahoma through the Oklahoma Department of Commerce was wonderful in bringing their resources to the table to help encourage the company to select Ponca City,” Hermann said.

For more information about Archein Aerospace, visit www.archeinaero.com. For more information about PCDA, visit www.goponca.com.