HOUSTON – United Airlines made its investment into its Houston hub official Tuesday, breaking ground on a new 140,000-square-foot Ground Service Equipment Maintenance Facility (GSE) at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).
The airline also opened a new, state-of-the-art Technical Operations Training Center at the airport. United expects the new $177 million GSE maintenance facility to open in 2027.
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The GSE will support the airline’s fleet of more than 1,800 ground service vehicles and provide United’s Ground Service Equipment maintenance team, which comprises more than 130 employees, with enhanced resources to perform critical tasks. These tasks include charging batteries, fabricating metal, and monitoring electronic controls with improved infrastructure and modernized workspaces. Last week, KPRC 2′s Gage Goulding spoke with United Airlines mechanics about some of these unique, but pivotal tasks.
OUR FIRST REPORT: United Airlines investing $177M in new facility aiming to help make travel smoother
Ground Service Equipment includes the vehicles and tools used to support airplanes when they are on the ground. This includes tasks such as towing planes, pushing them away from the gate—known as “pushback”—and providing power to the plane when its engines are not running. These tasks are crucial for preparing planes for takeoff and ensuring smooth operations at the airport.
United Airlines operates more than 500 flights a day out of IAH. Therefore, the GSE equipment and the groundbreaking of the new facility are paramount to operations and travelers alike.
The new $16 million Technical Operations Training Center (TTC) will support the airline’s plan to take delivery of hundreds of new planes by 2032. The 91,000-square-foot facility includes state-of-the-art training shops.
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