The Connect July 2025
Fort Worth Soars as New Aviation Capital with MTU and Embraer Growth
Industry leaders MTU Maintenance and Embraer are deepening their presence in Texas’ aviation capital. Both companies celebrated expansions at Perot Field Alliance Airport, the same week Texas Governor Greg Abbott designated Fort Worth as the aviation and defense capital of Texas.
MTU Maintenance announced a 30-year lease with the City of Fort Worth, enabling it to invest $120 million in modernizing and upgrading its existing facility at Perot Field.
MTU’s expansion will have an immediate economic impact, creating 1,200 highly skilled jobs in North Texas and potentially generating up to 2,000 indirect jobs in services, logistics, and infrastructure. MTU is targeting significant growth in North America, and its site in Fort Worth will be a key component of its strategy.
"MTU’s strategic expansion with the City of Fort Worth will continue to cement our city as a leading aviation hub," noted Marilyn Marvin, Fort Worth’s property management director. “MTU’s continued investment in its operations will bring thousands of jobs to North Texas and provide an opportunity to collaborate with universities in ways that promote local talent development and continued training for Fort Worth's highly-skilled workforce.”
The facility features state-of-the-art infrastructure to support maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations, including an engine test facility capable of handling up to 100,000 pounds of thrust.
“MTU’s evolution into MTU Maintenance Fort Worth marks a pivotal moment not only for the company but for the entire AllianceTexas ecosystem,” added Christopher Ash, president of the Alliance Aviation Companies for Hillwood. “This investment underscores MTU’s long-term commitment to Fort Worth and the significant growth happening at Perot Field. As one of the soon-to-be largest engine maintenance and testing facilities in North America, MTU Maintenance Fort Worth will be a powerful force for economic growth — bringing thousands of high-quality jobs, attracting top-tier aviation talent, and reinforcing our region’s position as a global leader in aerospace innovation.”
Another powerhouse in the aviation industry, Embraer, celebrated the opening of its own commercial MRO facility. The global leader in the aerospace industry will begin operations in an existing hangar at Perot Field, while building a second hangar that is scheduled for completion in 2027.
With the new facilities, Embraer’s capacity to serve its customers is expected to increase considerably in the United States, to 53% nationwide. The investment in the new facilities will reach up to $70 million and is expected to create approximately 250 new aviation jobs in Texas.
“We are excited to join Embraer in celebrating the launch of their expanded operations at Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport. Hillwood’s mission at AllianceTexas is to attract world-class companies while creating new jobs in our region — and Embraer is doing just that. Their phased expansion and investment in Fort Worth underscore the strength of our partnerships and Fort Worth’s standing as a center of aerospace excellence,” says Bill Burton, executive vice president of Hillwood.