A new manufacturer of composite aircraft hopes to tap the skilled labor pool of a former textile producing area to build aircraft and parts in Morganton, N.C. As AVweb reported from Sun ‘n Fun two weeks ago, VX Aerospace intends to produce a four-place, four-door high-wing aircraft called the FX-300 and help kitbuilders assemble a low-wing Commanche lookalike called the Ravin. The company will also make composite components used in the defense industry. The FX-300 will be sold in kit form initially, but the company intends to build a certified version in the future. The firm is moving from New Smyrna Beach, Fla., to an off-airport location in Morganton before becoming the anchor tenant at the 800-acre Foothills Regional Airport Industrial Park (formerly the Morganton-Lenoir Airport). VX Aerospace CEO Robert Skillen said the community rolled out the red carpet for the company. We had the full support of all the stakeholders in the airport location, Skillen said in a news release. “The level of support and cooperation from the municipalities was astonishing. There was no obstacle that deterred their efforts.”
VX Aerospace Moves To North Carolina
Key Takeaways:
- VX Aerospace is relocating its composite aircraft and defense component manufacturing operations to Morganton, NC.
- The company aims to leverage Morganton's skilled labor pool, previously employed in the textile industry, and received significant community and municipal support for the move.
- VX Aerospace plans to produce a four-place, high-wing FX-300 aircraft (initially kit, later certified), assist Ravin kitbuilders, and manufacture composite components for the defense industry.
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