Ardmore Development Authority

Join the ADA team as we dedicate the new hangar at the Ardmore Industrial Airpark on Tuesday, October 15!

The Ardmore Development Authority is in Washington D.C. to advocate for our projects and priorities. We appreciate the support from our state of Oklahoma delegation!

The latest edition of Site Selection Magazine is out and Ardmore is front and center! Take a minute to read about just two of the great things happening in South Central Oklahoma and why Ardmore should be on your list. https://lnkd.in/ghHGGrbP

If you are an Oklahoma manufacturer looking for ways to automate part of your business, you will not want to miss this free webinar from the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance. The state of Oklahoma provides numerous incentives for manufacturers of all sizes.

It's the final day of National Aviation Week! Ardmore is home to two airports. Operated by the City of Ardmore, Ardmore Downtown Executive Airport is located on the south side of Ardmore and is home to over general aviation 30 aircraft. Since 2019, over $12.5 million has been invested in airport modernization projects including runway rehabilitation and taxiway reconstruction, just to name two. Of that $12.5 million, $4 million came directly from the City of Ardmore. Northeast of Ardmore sits the Ardmore Industrial Airpark. Originally a World War II Army Airbase, the Airpark is home to Ardmore Municipal Airport . Operated by the Ardmore Development Authority, the Airpark and Ardmore Municipal are undergoing a transformation into an intermodal hub that will include the addition of air cargo operations. By the end of 2025, the ADA and City of Ardmore will have invested over $35.5 million toward infrastructure and airport asset projects to make this transformation possible.

For Day 5 of National Aviation Week we want to highlight other Ardmore area high schools who have added the AOPA "You Can Fly!" curriculum for their students. Wilson High School has just begun their "You Can Fly!" journey with close to 20 students. At the end of week 1 students are already learning engineering principles and will employ them to design a balloon system to carry paperclips from the floor to the ceiling. Marietta High School is starting their third year with "You Can Fly!" and has a total of 82 students enrolled. Second year students are beginning to learn about electrical systems. MHS is using the UAS (drones) focused curriculum, so third year students are beginning to learn about weather and navigation, two critical pieces of the aviation puzzle.

Day 4 of National Aviation Week has been fantastic so far! Huge thank you to King Aerospace, Inc. for hosting the Ardmore High School aviation class for a tour and a look into the multiple careers available right here in Ardmore. Students got to see everything from the interior shop to the inner workings of an engine. Another huge thank you goes out the Army Reserve flight team out of Fort Cavasos, Texas for an impromptu tour of their Blackhawk. This flight team made a stop to refuel on their way to this weekend's air show at Fort McConnell and were kind enough to talk to the students before taking off.

Thriving industry doesn't happen without a team dedicated to developing a pipeline of employees. Ardmore's aviation industry is fortunate to have Southern Tech working to inspire students of all ages. During the summer, Southern Tech joins forces with Sooner Flight Academy to host a week long aviation camp for 6th and 7th graders. Throughout the week, campers learn about everything from flight mechanics to engineering design. For high school Juniors and Seniors, the Aviation Foundations program focuses on areas common to both the aircraft airframe and powerplant rating including FAA regulations governing the certification and work of maintenance technicians. In addition, students will learn the standards and prepare for the Drone Pilot exam (FAA Remote Pilot).

On this day 2 of National Aviation Week, we want to talk about two groups we couldn't promote Ardmore aviation and aerospace without! The Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics oversees the funding, planning, and long-term development for airports in Ardmore and the 107 other public airports across the state of Oklahoma. The ODAA team has been instrumental in the modernization of Ardmore's two airports and has rolled out the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association's (AOPA) "You Can Fly" curriculum to high schools across the state. The Oklahoma ACES is the Oklahoma Department of Commerce team dedicated to growing the aviation and aerospace industry across the state. Over the years, the ADA has partnered with ACES on numerous aviation and aerospace-related tradeshows in effort to bring more companies to Ardmore. Thank you to both teams for your work to promote Oklahoma aviation!

Today is Oklahoma Aviation Day and the start of National Aviation Week! Stay tuned all week as we highlight Oklahoma's #2 industry and its impact in Ardmore.