Formation flying.

• Position: First in Flight: sponsored section

North Carolina's airports and aviation and aerospace industry are working together to help the economy soar.

Aircraft need lift and thrust to fly. The Wright brothers proved that more than a century ago on the Outer Banks. It's no different for the aviation industry, which finds enough of both in North Carolina to make an annual economic impact of more than $40 billion, according to the N.C. Department of Transportation Aviation Division. The lift is generated by the many airports--including one of the nation's busiest--and military bases, and thrust is provided by maintenance, repair and overhaul services, military contracts and a skilled workforce. Explore that relationship inside these pages.

Businesses fly high at airports

Charlotte Douglas International Airport was the fifth-busiest U.S. airport, measured by takeoffs and landings, in 2015. Many of its 740 daily departures in November 2016 were flown by Fort Worth, Texas-based American Airlines Group Inc., which has made the airport its second-largest hub. Its annual economic output is more than $13.5 billion, and it supports almost 62,000 jobs.

Those stats make Charlotte Douglas the largest of North Carolina's 72 airports, which combine for a $31 billion annual economic impact and 123,400 jobs, according to a 2016 N.C. Department of Transportation Division of Aviation study. That's $5 billion more than in 2012. "Airports mean jobs--on the airport, supporting the airport and supporting the businesses that utilize and rely on them," says Bobby Walston, director of the division.

But they aren't the only ones helping North Carolina fly higher. The state's aviation and aerospace manufacturing industry has an annual economic impact of $10.5 billion and employs almost 43,000. North Carolina is becoming the preferred destination for businesses whose territory is the sky. Away from commercial takeoffs and landings, office suites and hangar crews provide support and maintenance for customers worldwide. "With companies needing to move around as their corporations expand, you're only going to see airports and aviation grow to meet that demand," Walston says. "North Carolina has fared better than many states in our country, and that continues to play out in that we have a system of airports that greatly benefits with the recruiting of companies. There is definitely a continuous, bright future for aviation in our state."

Greensboro-based HAECO Americas provides maintenance, repair and overhaul services to and manufactures aerospace products for military and civilian customers. It acquired TIMCO Aviation Services Inc. in 2014 and has made a home at Piedmont Triad International Airport, where it's building a fifth hangar. About 500 people will work in the 250,000-square-foot $60 million structure when its complete at year's end. HAECO currently employs about 1,600 at PTI. "We also opened a newly renovated facility dedicated to cabin interiors in the Triad, and we expanded our military subcontract to provide depot maintenance, drop-in repair and deployable contract field teams for 100% of the [U.S. Air Force] KC-10 fleet," CEO Richard Kendall says. "We are adding to our employees, capabilities and tools every day to provide a turnkey service for our customers tip to tail, for the life of their aircraft."

Aviation and aerospace companies at PTI need skilled workers. Lucky for them, they are trained on-site. Guilford Technical...