Chennault breaks ground on $18M aircraft paint hangar

Published 6:57 pm Friday, March 6, 2026

After five years of planning, anticipation and bureaucratic maneuvering, a new, massive structure will finally take shape across the expansive concrete apron of Chennault International Airport.

On Friday, it was announced that a $18,582,000 hangar for tenant Landlocked Aviation Services — which provides aircraft painting services to commercial, military and corporate clients — will be built over the next 14-16 months, creating 100 jobs during construction and producing 104 jobs within the first three years of occupancy.

“Southwest Louisiana has been having it going on for quite some time,” Gov Jeff Landry — who came to Lake Charles to join in the celebration — said. “You absolutely are, have been and continue to be blessed.”

Tyson Grenzebach, president and CEO of Landlocked Aviation Services, said the announcement came 30 years to the day that he painted his first airplane.

“Thirty years ago, when I walked into a hangar for the first time, I fell in love with aviation,” Grenzebach said. “I fell in love with the passion of aviation and the romance of aviation. Twelve years ago, I came to Lake Charles and I fell in love with the passion and the romance of Southwest Louisiana. That’s why we strive to develop and grow and be community leaders who have a good impact and leave a good footprint on our community.”

Grenzebach said the company’s initial goal is to hire 100-plus people with this project.

“And with some more growth and expansion, we’ll go above and beyond that,” Grenzebach said.

The announcement was welcome news to Lake Charles Mayor Marshall Simien Jr.

“When people come to this area and see these assets, it makes it easier to get others to come to our city and region and do projects,” Simien said. “When you look at Chennault now, you see the future, you see the hangar that’s coming, you see the flight school that’s going to come up, you see the movement of Southwest Louisiana not only as an economic giant but the manifestation of the full realization of its assets.”

Once the hangar is built, it will provide a significant increase in long-term capability and increased capacity for the airport and the tenant, said Chennault Executive Director Kevin Melton.

Alfred Palma won the bid for the new paint hangar, which is also a win for the community and Chennault, Melton said.

“Leadership matters the most in times of crisis, when things are at their worst,” Landry said. “After the hurricanes that ravaged this whole area, Kevin recognized that we could put some Band-Aids on some things but we could also use some of the federal programs that are out there and build bigger and better. And what Tyson is doing is helping to make sure the great talent in the state stays in the state. Louisiana’s greatest natural resource is its people and Tyson is helping us retain them.”