Gulf Aviation Relaunches In-House Maintenance Department at Valley International Airport After COVID-19 Cutbacks
Why It MattersThe relaunch reflects regional FBOs rebuilding maintenance capacity and workforce pipelines as competition for skilled aviation technicians intensifies in South Texas.
Gulf Aviation, a family-owned fixed-base operator at Valley International Airport in Harlingen, Texas, has officially relaunched its in-house aircraft maintenance department more than four years after cutting the service during the COVID-19 pandemic. President and owner Arlene Garza said the company was forced to downsize maintenance operations during the pandemic due to economic uncertainty, ending what had been one of the region's largest aircraft maintenance operations since the early 1990s. Gulf Aviation has been in business for over 47 years and is the only 100 percent minority, woman-owned FBO in the region, according to Garza.
With the industry recovering, Gulf Aviation brought maintenance capabilities back in-house to support its own fleet and regional aircraft owners across South Texas, staffing the department with aircraft maintenance specialist Jason Alvarez and A&P mechanic David Garza. Garza said she aims to triple the department's workforce over the next five years and is deepening a partnership with Texas State Technical College in Harlingen, which offers an A&P mechanic program. The two organizations recently transported two donated Cessna 172 aircraft from TSTC's Waco campus to Harlingen, an effort observed by TSTC leaders Dr. Gina Cano-Monreal and Dr. Eladio Jaimez, with Gulf Aviation prepping and trailering both aircraft.
Garza said the company is also working toward a formal apprenticeship program with TSTC to train future A&P mechanics and retain local talent in the Rio Grande Valley, noting that competition for skilled aviation workers has intensified partly due to rapid hiring by SpaceX at its Boca Chica facility.
