Phil Castle, The Business Times

Scott Sweeney has worked in a variety of positions over the course of his 35-year career in the aviation industry — almost every job, he says, from technician to salesman to executive.

Sweeney says he frequently draws upon those been there and done that experiences in his latest position as general manager of the West Star Aviation facility in Grand Junction. That includes collaborating with mechanics, communicating with customers and overseeing an operation with nearly 550 employees and a total of more than 290,000 square feet of hangars, shops and offices at the Grand Junction Regional Airport.

It’s a growing operation by several measures, including not only what Sweeney says is increased demand for the maintenance, repair and overhaul services provided there, but also the impending construction of a 40,000 square-foot hangar and another 35,000 square feet of shop and office space. 

He previously managed a slightly larger facility for West Star Aviation at its corporate headquarters in East Alton, Ill. But Sweeney says he’s thrilled to work with the team at the facilities in Grand Junction — as well as live in the Grand Valley. 

“I couldn’t ask for a better setup.”

Sweeney was selected in June to succeed Dave Krogman, who retired.

Sweeney says he hopes to build on the accomplishments achieved under Krogman’s management and maintain a reputation for offering quality workmanship and customer service. West Star has ranked as the top maintenance, repair and overhaul services provider in an annual Professional Pilot magazine survey since 2014.

Sweeney joined West Star in 2018 to manage the company’s facilities in East Alton northeast of St. Louis.

Prior to that, he held positions as vice president of operations at Constant Aviation and vice president and general manager of Aviation Concepts.

Before that, he worked in a series of roles with Hawker Beechcraft, including general manager, vice president of customer relations and sales manager.

Sweeney served four years in the Navy as an aviation electrician at the North Island complex in San Diego and aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise aircraft carrier.

The West Star facility in Grand Junction is similar to the one in East Alton in providing services for a variety of aircraft, including Citation, Challenger, Embraer, Falcon, Global and Gulfstream airplanes. The Grand Junction facility also offers some of the best crews in the nation working on Conquest, Hawker and Learjet airplanes, Sweeney says. In addition, the facility is the largest fixed base operator of the company in providing fueling, deicing and other services at Grand Junction Regional Airport.

Demand for aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul services has increased, Sweeney says, along with the use of private and corporate aircraft. Owners also are motivated to upgrade their aircraft to take advantage of increasingly sophisticated technology, he says.

The West Star facility in Grand Junction serves as a one-stop shop in offering a full range of services, he says. Many owners who bring their aircraft in for scheduled maintenance also upgrade equipment, refurbish cabins and repaint exteriors.

The other trend, Sweeney says, is the growing popularity of larger aircraft that offer more cabin space and longer range. 

But airplanes that measure more than 90 feet long and come with wingspans equally large require bigger facilities, he says.

An expansion will accommodate the trend with the construction of a 40,000 square foot hangar. An adjacent, two-story building will offer an additional 35,000 square feet for back shops, tooling and offices.

Scheduled for completion in 2023, the expansion will increase the total operational footprint to 365,000 square feet.

West Star will receive state and local incentives to proceed with the multimillion project.

In addition to expanding facilities, West Star is adding to its staff. Sweeney says he’s he’d like to hire 80 employees and another 100 employees over the next few years.

Sweeney says he prefers a collaborative leadership style in which he works with employees to make changes that enable them to work more efficiently and improve the results for customers. Happy employees make for happy customers, he says.

It helps, Sweeney says, to have a diverse background in the aviation industry and draw upon those been there and done that experiences.

The staff brings experience and skills to their jobs, too, he says. “They’re at the top of the chart for some of the best teams I’ve been involved with.”

For more information about West Star Aviation, visit the website at www.weststaraviation.com/locations/grand-junction.