BLACK HAWK UP

DynaBil Industries has announced plans for a $10 million, 50,000-square-foot expansion to its 65,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Coxsackie, NY. The project is expected to add 137 people over the next five years. DynaBil is eligible for $6 million in tax credits, incentives, and other benefits over the next 10 years, according to the Greene County Department of Planning and Economic Development.

DynaBil, a manufacturer of precision sheetmetal assemblies and components, supplies parts for the Sikorsky Blackhawk helicopter and Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, as well as parts for Lockheed Martin, Bombardier, Bell Canada, Israel Aircraft Industries, and Spirit Aerosystems.

The continuing U.S. involvement in the Middle East has continued demand for the Blackhawk, which is used by the military in Iraq and Afghanistan. "We've been at it for 30 years now and it is the best cycle I've ever seen," DynaBil President Hugh Quigley said.

The company makes more than 100 parts for the UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter. The Army, with 1,500 of the aircraft in its fleet, put 240,000 flight hours on its Iraq-based helicopters in 2005. The number of flight hours increased to 334,000 in 2006, and is expected to hit 400,000 hours in 2007.

See, keeping track of these types of business expansions is really like keeping track of this war. I also posted earlier on Spartan Chassis and GE Aviation, who both make parts for military vehicles and planes.