Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, Mich., now has a new 14,700-sq-ft, climate-controlled corporate jet hangar, as well as two beefed-up ramps. The announcement marks the culmination of two key expansion projects investing more than $7.5 million in Michigan’s second-busiest commercial airport. The new jet hangar, constructed by Northern Jet Management, will house up to nine aircraft.

“Our new hangar underscores our commitment to the airport and regional business community to continually improve our responsiveness to the aviation public,” said Charles Cox, founder and president of Northern Jet Management.

The new concrete ramps will accommodate aircraft up to 175,000 pounds, such as the Boeing Business Jet, Gulfstream G550 and Bombardier Global Express. This improvement more than doubles the weight capacity of the older asphalt ramps, which were limited to serving 75,000-pound aircraft.

John Wheeler, CEO of Rockford Construction, part owner of one of the jets to be housed in the new hangar, said, “This new hangar allows us to park our Falcon 50 inside a climate-controlled facility and eliminates the need to constantly shuttle the jet around the airport during winter months.” Northern Jet Management is a Grand Rapids-based corporate aviation management company specializing in turnkey aircraft and flight department management, fractional aircraft ownership, on-demand executive charter service and aviation consulting services.