Adding to its existing New Century, Kansas, and Salem, Oregon, flight operations centers, Garmin said its new facility at Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona will accommodate more employees for aircraft airworthiness projects, engineering work, and flight testing. The addition (to us, it hints that more products and technology might be on the way) includes two hangars that total 75,000 square feet and buildings that can house 75-plus employees. Garmin’s Phil Straub said the move is part of the company’s investment to further grow its aviation business.
Mesa Gateway seems to be the right field for flight testing with its two 10,000-foot parallel runways and decent weather, and it puts Garmin closer to several aircraft manufacturer support facilities also based on the field. Arizona is no stranger to Garmin ops—both Tempe and Chandler have been home to the company’s engineering department over the last 25 years.
