Finance partners & local and state officials join groundbreaking to celebrate growth in aviation community
MORIARTY, N.M. – December 6, 2023 – Looking to meet the critical storage needs of small aircraft in New Mexico, a small, family-owned aviation business and its finance partners will celebrate the growth of the company with a groundbreaking ceremony on December 8 at the Moriarty Municipal Airport.
New Mexico Aero Service LLC will add nearly two dozen units of state-of-the-art hangar space to fit 20 single-engine or small twin aircraft with the addition of two new pre-manufactured steel buildings totaling 23,562 square feet. This expansion will help with a storage shortage in New Mexico where there are about 4,000 registered aircraft but only about 400 hangars exist statewide at public airports.
Finance partners, The Loan Fund, the New Mexico Small Business Investment Corporation, and Enterprise Bank and Trust, and local and state officials will join New Mexico Aero Service owners Fernando and Jennifer Nuñez to mark this milestone. The Loan Fund is a nonprofit community development finance institution established in 1989 to provide loans and assistance to improve the economic and social conditions of New Mexicans.
The addition is the second phase of construction for the 11-year-old, full-service aircraft maintenance company that specializes in small engines. During the first phase, the company built 10,000 square feet of hangar space for this growing aviation community in New Mexico.
Fernando Nuñez, an FAA licensed commercial pilot with over 20 years of aircraft experience, requested funding in 2018 to buy a steel building to expand their business to service more aircraft. This new loan will help the business employ up to seven new employees and provide rental storage closer to aircraft maintenance service. The business is one of three in the state that offer general aviation repair and mechanical services.
“We are excited about the opportunities that these new hangar units will bring, and we eagerly look forward to welcoming aircraft owners, pilots, and aviation enthusiasts to our expanded facilities at the Moriarty Municipal Airport,” Nuñez said, adding the space will have a pilot’s lounge and also offer office space. “Our vision is to serve the aviation community, build the local economy, and provide Moriarty and the Southwest with an airport they can be proud of.”
As a way to continue to grow the aviation community in the state, New Mexico Aero Service has created a scholarship for the Aviation Technology Program at Central New Mexico Community College, supported by The Loan Fund, for those interested in engine inspection and assembly. The program prepares students for certification as FAA-certified technicians.
The groundbreaking event will start at 11 a.m. on December 8 at Hangar 93 at the Moriarty Municipal Airport, 50 George Applebay Way. Event photos and B-roll will be provided upon request.
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About The Loan Fund
The Loan Fund provides loans and assistance to improve the economic and social conditions of New Mexicans. Officially incorporated as the New Mexico Community Development Loan Fund in 1989, the nonprofit provides loans and lines of credit to small businesses, startups, and nonprofits throughout New Mexico that typically are unable to obtain financing through traditional lending sources. One of 17 certified Community Development Financial Institutions in New Mexico, The Loan Fund has made over $120 million in loans to New Mexico’s financially underserved small businesses, entrepreneurs and nonprofits, which have helped create or preserve over 12,000 jobs across the state. For more information, go to loanfund.org.
About New Mexico Aero Service
Serving the Southwest, New Mexico Aero Service is a full-service aircraft maintenance operation based at the Moriarty Municipal Airport. With a specialization in all powered aircraft under 12,500 pounds, the company’s experienced mechanics are always ready to fulfill a customer’s needs while adhering to the highest quality standards and safety regulations mandated by the aviation industry. The company’s maintenance, safety and dependability are its primary areas of focus, reflecting its commitment to excellence. For more information, go to nmaeroservice.com.