Aviation & Aerospace
The world's first commercial spaceship, built by Virgin Galactic.
New Mexico has long been a haven for aviation and aerospace enthusiasts, researchers, and major companies. The state has been involved in space exploration since President Kennedy's first pledge to put a man on the moon. Lovelace Clinic, now Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, tested the nation's first astronauts, and the two national labs and the Air Force Research Laboratory have developed equipment for many NASA missions. These days, New Mexico is still at the forefront of space exploration with Spaceport America, the world’s first commercial spaceport between Socorro and Las Cruces, leading the way. The aerospace industry now accounts for “more than $1 billion in annual business and more than 8,000 jobs,” per a New Mexico Business Weekly article by Dennis Domrzalski.
The business climate in New Mexico encourages and supports strong and resilient industries. The city of Albuquerque has set aside 300 acres for the development of the local aviation cluster and the state offers a variety of financial incentives as part of its commitment to developing its economic base. A few of these incentives include:
A recent article, “New Mexico Basic Business Taxes 2010,” via Area Development Online, provides additional information regarding many of the current incentives.
With the presence of Kirtland Air Force Base and two Air Force research labs, the development of the avionics/aerospace industry in New Mexico has flourished. Per the CABQ “Aerospace and Aviation” webpage, the top players in these industries include:
Aspen Avionics makes glass cockpit components for aircraft. Check out the "2010 Flying 40 Awards" for a current list of "gazelle" companies based in the Metro New Mexico region. A few of the companies that made the list include:
