TKDA Recognized for Aviation Project

TKDA won a top award at the Minnesota Airports Conference for retrofitting an airline hangar into a training space for pilots and airplane maintenance technicians.

The Non-Aeronautical Business Development Award was given to TKDA at the Brainerd conference on April 21. TKDA worked in collaboration with the Duluth International Airport, the City of Duluth and Lake Superior College on the project which converted a hangar bay at the airport into the new state-of-the-art home for the College’s Center for Advanced Aviation. The Center trains students to become professional pilots and airplane maintenance technicians to serve the region’s growing aviation market.

A hangar bay was transformed into the Center’s maintenance training area and the remaining spaces were transformed into academic offices, general classrooms and shop facilities, all while meeting a very aggressive schedule. The new spaces combined LSC’s aviation programs that formerly ran out of two locations. The Center for Advanced Aviation now offers increased efficiencies for both staff, faculty and about 100 students who go on to work for the regions’ aircraft manufacturing and maintenance companies and become professional pilots.

TKDA provided architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, fire protection, civil and survey services on this $2.6 million project. Kraus-Anderson was the contractor.