Pugh leads newly formed Aerospace Caucus

Acknowledging the importance of aerospace and aviation in Oklahoma and the industry’s influence on a growing workforce and impact on the state’s economy, State Senator Adam Pugh led the first meeting of the newly-formed Aerospace Caucus at the state Capitol this week.

The bipartisan, bicameral group was attended by over 40 legislators, as well as officials from the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission, the Department of Commerce, Tinker Air Force Base and private sector aerospace companies. Senator Jim Inhofe, Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, was represented at the meeting by State Director Brian Hackler.

Pugh, R-Edmond, said the caucus was created in response to the increasing visibility of the aerospace industry in Oklahoma. Military officials and aerospace executives continue to push for broadened job training opportunities to fill hundreds of available jobs in the aviation industry across the state.

“We’ve built a broad coalition comprised of the education community, military community and other officials to maximize the competitive advantages that already exist in Oklahoma’s aerospace industry,” Pugh said. “Cultivating the skill sets needed in the aerospace industry will help to drive better jobs, stronger economic growth and higher tax revenues for Oklahoma.”

Pugh said he’s recently learned that Oklahoma’s Aero Caucus is one of the first of its kind in the nation.

“One of the nation’s leading aerospace and aviation companies in the world told me this week that Oklahoma’s commitment to the industry in the form of a dedicated caucus has not gone unnoticed by the aerospace business community,” Pugh said.

Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission Director Vic Bird was also in attendance at the meeting, noting the importance of the caucus for the future of aviation in Oklahoma.

“Aerospace and aviation is the state’s second largest industry having an annual economic impact of $44 billion, with the industry also providing 205,000 direct and indirect jobs with an average salary of $73,300,” said Bird. “There are seven centers in the world for the maintenance, repair and overhaul of aircraft, two of them are in the U.S., and Oklahoma is one of them. Ensuring the industry’s viability is critical to the continuing effort to diversify Oklahoma’s economy, and the Aerospace & Aviation Legislative Caucus is essential to continuing the policies that led to dramatic growth in the industry.”

Pugh is also the author of Senate Bill 432, which would establish the Oklahoma Aerospace Training Center. He said he filed the legislation after officials at the state’s air force bases voiced a need for job candidates with specific skill sets in Oklahoma.