Alabama 2015 scorecard: Project investment tops $7 billion
Alabama attracted more than $7 billion in capital investment in 2015, along with nearly 20,000 new and future jobs, as the state’s economic development team secured high-caliber projects in key growth sectors such as technology, aerospace and automotive. At a press conference at the Mercedes-Benz manufacturing facility in Vance today, Governor Robert Bentley released the…
Images: Airbus A321 completes test flight in Mobile
MOBILE, Alabama — The maiden flight of the first Alabama-made Airbus A321 lasted for less than four hours, but the dramatic images capturing the test mission will linger as a reminder of a pivotal moment in the future of the state’s aerospace sector. Monday’s test flight from Mobile Aeroplex was designed to test the aircraft’s…
First Alabama-made Airbus A321 makes initial test flight
MOBILE, Alabama – Airbus test pilots this morning completed the maiden flight of the company’s first Alabama-made A321 passenger jet, carrying out on a three-hour mission designed to evaluate the plane’s performance and systems. The flight began shortly after 9:30 this morning from the airstrip at the Mobile Aeroplex, the site of Airbus’ new $600…
Huntsville high-tech startup RadioBro opens Germany office
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – RadioBro Corp., a start-up firm that makes miniature electronics systems for airplanes and spacecraft, has opened an office in Bremen, Germany, as it targets connections in the European aerospace industry. Brothers Mark, Eric and Daniel Becnel founded RadioBro in Huntsville in March 2014. The firm’s products include MiniSatCom, a lightweight spacecraft radio,…
First Alabama-made Airbus aircraft shows off JetBlue colors
MOBILE, Alabama — The first Alabama-made Airbus A321 is sporting JetBlue colors. Airbus said today that painting of its maiden U.S.-built passenger jet has been completed in its paintshop at the company’s new, $600 million facility at Mobile Aeroplex. The aircraft emerged wearing JetBlue livery. “This latest milestone shows that the first aircraft to be…
First Alabama-made Airbus moves from production to paint
MOBILE, Alabama – The Airbus assembly facility at Mobile Aeroplex reached another milestone this week when the first Alabama-made jetliner left the production floor at the new $600 million plant and entered the paint shop. Airbus announced the development at the Alabama facility on Wednesday with a message on Twitter: “1st aircraft now out of…
Alabama mayors share 2016 growth priorities
Made In Alabama checked in with the mayors of the state’s four largest cities to get an idea of their 2016 economic development priorities and how their growth strategies paid off last year. Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange believes Alabama’s capital is primed for growth in the technology and automotive sectors in 2016. For Huntsville Mayor…
Airbus Chairman: Alabama A320 factory shows commitment to U.S.
Allan McArtor, the chairman and CEO of Airbus Group, says the company’s new manufacturing facility in Alabama shows Airbus’ strong commitment to producing aircraft in the United States. McArtor outlined how the facility at Mobile Aeroplex fits into the company’s global operating strategy in a guest column published today on the AL.com web site. “Every…
Blockbuster 2015 sets stage for Alabama growth (video)
From Airbus launching aircraft assembly in Mobile to Google selecting Jackson County for a major data center project, it’s been a massive year for Alabama and its economic development team. In fact, 2015 looks like a year for Alabama’s record books, with game-changing developments in important industry sectors, including aerospace, technology, automotive and advanced manufacturing.…
NASA’s Alabama hub moves closer to 3-D printed rocket engine
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama — A team at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama test fired a demonstrator engine made mostly with 3-D printed parts, moving them a step closer to building a high-performance rocket engine using additive manufacturing. Over the past three years, Marshall has worked with several companies to produce and test complex 3-D…
