By TIM UNRUH
Salina Airport Authority
While economic conditions have significantly cooled, business at 1 Vision Aviation is hot as ever for the full-service MRO company that its owner and president Jim Sponder has built up in Salina.
“We’re doing heavy checks, paint, interiors, all in a one-stop shop. That’s us. We do it all,” he proudly proclaimed.
The aviation maintenance, repair, and overhaul company with its general aviation services and company headquarters in Sioux City, Iowa, has leased another 60,746 square feet of space in two Salina Regional Airport buildings, from the Salina Airport Authority.
1 Vision launched its Salina location in September of 2019, starting with the 143,000-square-foot Hangar 959 — a.k.a Big Bertha. In terms of hangar space, Sponder said his company leases the most of any tenant, renting 203,746 square feet across three buildings.
“The biggest reason is that we’ve grown our customer base and have added contracts from one of the largest leasing companies in the world along with a couple of DOD (Department of Defense) contracts,” Sponder said.
These additions include maintenance on 150 to 170 passenger Airbus A320s, King Airs, and DeHavilland Dash-8 airplanes.
Along with the expansion comes the challenge of finding more workers. Sponder started with fewer than 50 in Salina three years ago and now has roughly 250 on the payroll, working multiple shifts around the clock, seven days a week.
“We need to be at 500 in a short period of time, more than doubling the workforce from a year ago,” said the 1 Vision boss.
Openings are mostly for Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) mechanics.
“The work’s here. I just don’t know where all the experienced workers went,” Sponder said. The company offers hiring bonuses to employees, a 401k plan, and insurance.
“We’re throwing some great incentives out there trying to find more employees and to grow,” he said. “If I could raise the roster to 1,500 people today, I would, but they’re just not out there.”
Locals are helping, including a close neighbor, the Kansas State University Aerospace and Technology Campus. Apprentices who work at 1 Vision can gain on-the-job training over time to meet FAA requirements. Once approved, they can perform their testing to become an FAA-certified A&P mechanic at K-State-Salina.
“Before, mechanics were going to a school in Tennessee for testing.” Sponder said. “This partnership benefits both of us and we plan on working with the Kansas State University Aerospace and Technology Campus to develop more ways to support each other in the future.”
Sponder also heaped praise on Tim Rogers, the Airport Authority executive director along with his staff.
“I couldn’t ask for anything better at the Salina airport,” he said. “If it wasn’t for Tim and his team advocating for 1 Vision during COVID, there’s a good chance we wouldn’t be here today.”
Sponder reiterated his love of Salina, and his part ownership of the champion Salina Liberty arena football team.
. . .
The above story was republished with permission from Salina Airport Authority.