OKLAHOMA CITY Aviation and aerospace businesses in the state generate $43.7 billion annually in economic activity, according to a report released Monday by the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission.

The aerospace and aviation industry is now the second largest industry in the state, behind oil and gas, officials said.

Oklahoma is one of the worlds premier destinations for the aerospace and defense industries, said Gov. Mary Fallin. It is centrally located with developed infrastructure, a highly skilled workforce, competitive incentives and low cost of doing business.

Since 1994, the industry has grown by 250 percent, said Vic Bird, director of the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission.

Of the $43.7 billion in economic activity, some $19.3 billion came from military aviation, according to the report.

Aviation and aerospace is extensive in Oklahoma, Bird said. It includes the 109 public airports that comprise the system, the tenants of those airports such as American Airlines and the FAA Monroney Aeronautical Center, the three air force bases and off-airport aerospace businesses like Boeing, NORDAM and FlightSafety, Bird said.

The state has about 1,100 aerospace and aviation business-related companies, Fallin said.

The average salary in aviation and aerospace is just over $73,000, according to the report.

Vince Howie, aerospace and defense director for the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, said the study will be used as a tool to recruit companies to the state.

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Study shows aviation, aerospace generate $43.7 billion annually for ... - Tulsa World