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“Georgia’s aviation industry is doing just fine at cruising altitude but leaders want to take it to the stratosphere…and beyond.”
-nadine Auda

Courtesy of Gulfstream

Georgians have long been adept at building industry from the ground up. We’ve grown timber and agribusiness from the fertile soil, harnessed our geographic location for logistics and supply, and even showcased our natural landscapes as backdrops for film and television. But one of the state’s most exciting sectors of growth isn’t based on terra firma—it’s in the air above us.

Nadine Auda is one person betting on blue skies over Georgia. She has worked in aerospace all over North America. An engineer by trade, she has degrees from Toronto’s Ryerson University and McGill University in Montreal, where she also worked in product development for Bombardier, Canada’s largest aircraft manufacturer. She got her MBA at in Boston analyzing investment opportunities in tech and industry for private equity firms and corporate clients all over the U.S. In 2021, she moved to Atlanta to work for McKinsey & Company, the global management consulting firm.

Then a few years ago, Auda and her team noticed an increasing need for regional cargo shipping solutions and saw an opening to start their own aerospace business. While the major carriers like FedEx and UPS kept their jumbo jets moving in and out of major hubs, rising operating costs (especially fuel), pilot shortages, and a lack of infrastructure (airports and sufficient runways) were squeezing businesses that rely on air shipment to more remote, middle-mile destinations. They theorized that they could build smaller, hybrid-electric drones custom-designed around the goods being sent, particularly those that are bulky and lightweight, like food, diapers, or medicine.

“It takes a village to build a plane like this”
-nadine Auda

Auda and her team had the experience and connections to launch their startup, Rune Aero, anywhere on the continent, but they chose Georgia.

“It takes a village to build a plane like this,” says Auda. “You don’t want to innovate in a silo. If you look at Georgia, there are a lot of shops that have experience building a plane. We know local shops that have done work for Boeing and Lockheed Martin. The talent is here; the supply chain is here. Georgia has an entire aerospace ecosystem. It’s not as nationally renowned as Seattle or Los Angeles, but Georgia is pretty stealthy about its aerospace industry.”

LEARNING TO FLY

Georgia’s sky-high ambition is getting harder to miss. Each year, more than 100 million people pass through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, “the world’s busiest,” and home to Delta, the country’s oldest airline and one of its largest. But many of the aircraft flying throughout the state are built here. According to the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), aerospace products are the state’s top export, reaching $12.6 billion in 2024. It’s the second-largest industry in terms of manufacturing, producing a $57.5 billion overall economic impact. And more than 800 aerospace companies, from jumbos like Lockheed Martin and Gulfstream to small startups like Rune, currently use Georgia as a base of operations.

Courtesy of Eley

In recent years, the state has become much more than just a worldclass aircraft assembly line—it’s also a regional, national, and international hub of aeronautics business and advancement. For instance, along with Delta Air Lines, Atlanta is also home to Delta TechOps, one of the biggest aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) operations in the country. Gulfstream is not only a leading maker of business jets, but its Savannah Service Center is also one of the largest business aviation servicing facilities in the world. Those MRO installations are fed by engine makers like Columbus-based Pratt & Whitney, plane parts fabricators like Northrop Grumman (Warner Robins), advanced electronic systems producers like L3Harris Technologies (Alpharetta), and a vast network of smaller sellers up and down the supply chain. And the jet fuel of this entire industrial apparatus is a line of skilled talent coming out of the state’s universities and technical schools.

In other words, Georgia sees aviation as more than manufacturing. Once you’ve built the aircraft, you have to operate it, service it, and maintain it, and that requires a steady flow of subcontractors, vendors, machinists, engineers, pilots, and technicians to keep these aircraft aloft and drive research and innovation to keep pace. And the state is working—through corporate-government partnerships like the Georgia Center for Innovation and the Georgia Aerospace & Defense Alliance (GADA)—to raise its composite score across all subsectors of the industry.

“Georgia’s advantage in aerospace comes down to leadership, talent, infrastructure, and execution,” says Ember Bishop Bentley, executive director of GADA, a coalition of local aerospace companies launched at Mercer University in August 2025. “We have a deep bench for the workforce supported by top-tier engineering and aviation programs, a strong technical college system, and a large veteran workforce. Pair that with global connectivity and site-ready communities that allow aerospace and defense companies to grow and compete in a pro-business climate. Together, these elements create a highly competitive, end-to-end aerospace and defense ecosystem.”

Photo Credit: ELEY

That vertical integration supports more than just commercial air travel, shipping, and logistics. Much of Georgia’s aviation industry is anchored in defense, including Lockheed Martin’s military aircraft factory in Marietta. This overlaps with the state’s emerging space and satellite tech sector, including SpaceWorks Enterprises, which focuses on hypersonic aircraft, satellites, and in-space servicing from its Atlanta headquarters, and Archer Aviation, a newer disruptor that specializes in vertical takeoff and landing craft in Covington.

Photo courtesy Lockheed

And then there’s the rapidly evolving…..there’s the rapidly evolving field of Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) piloted (remotely) by firms like Atlanta Drone Group, Atlanta’s Airbus Aerial, and start-ups like McDonough’s Versa-TOL UAS and Rune.

“There’s enough volume and growing demand here,” says Auda, referring to Rune Aero’s decision to headquarter in Peachtree Corners, Georgia. “There’s plenty of talent and mentorship opportunities. And there’s a general excitement in the industry. For a smaller start-up, it’s a great place to be. In any other city, we’d just be a drop in the ocean.”

TALENT UNLOCKED

Ask any aviation industry insider or business executive, from multinational corporations to fledgling start-ups, and they’ll tell you the primary thrust of Georgia’s aeronautics sector comes from its high-octane talent base. More than 200,000 Georgians work in positions directly or indirectly related to aerospace, and the state’s schools are turning out new pilots, machinists, technicians, designers, engineers, and administrators every day.

“There’s Plenty of talent and mentorship”
– Nadine Auda

Of course, Georgia Tech has a longstanding reputation in the field, ranked fourth in top undergraduate engineering programs by U.S. News & World Report. Tech is also credited with the nation’s best aerospace engineering undergrad and graduate programs and known for groundbreaking research in everything from testing supersonic propulsion systems to advanced navigation, communication, and flight control systems. School administrators, faculty, and researchers have long-standing partnerships with the likes of NASA, the U.S. Space Force, and Lockheed Martin, which shares space with Tech on Marietta’s Dobbins Air Reserve Base for continual research and development.

Outside of metro Atlanta, other schools have launched undergrad programs in the industry. Kennesaw State recently announced that it is partnering with nearby Lockheed Martin to offer a new bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, the second of its kind in the state, building off its successful minor in that field. In Athens, the University of Georgia (UGA) began offering a certificate in aerospace engineering in 2024. And while they are scattered through the state, these institutions aren’t working in silos. In fact, in December, GADA announced that Georgia Tech, UGA, Kennesaw State, and Georgia Southern University had all joined the alliance in an effort to align their programs with the goals, needs, and visions of the industry.

Photo courtesy of Lockheed

Once the plane is built, someone still has to fly and maintain it. In Macon, Middle Georgia State University is one of only nine institutions in the country that offers degrees and certification in FAA-certified programs for piloting planes or helicopters, air-traffic control, and aviation maintenance. Meanwhile, the Technical College System of Georgia is preparing hangar- and factory-ready workers with two-year degrees, oneyear diplomas, and fast-track certificates in aviation maintenance, aircraft structural technology, and avionics. Chattahoochee Technical College, just outside of Marietta, initiated a full-blown aircraft manufacturing training program in 2024 that works directly with Lockheed Martin to funnel employees prepped for the assembly line on day one.

Education isn’t just a oneway runway for Georgia aviation companies. In Savannah, where Gulfstream employs 13,000 people, the company invests heavily in STEM awareness in elementary, middle, and high schools to build early awareness of the opportunities that await in aerospace. The company works with the Department of Defense’s SkillBridge program to encourage service members transitioning from active duty to consider a career in aviation. Gulfstream has even built a training center for employees with zero experience or education in the field. “Industries struggle to fill this pipeline,” says Jeannine Haas, Gulfstream’s chief marketing officer. “We’ve been making these investments in our communities, and it’s been transformational—for the company and the community where we live.”

FLIGHT-TESTED

In addition to Georgia’s robust educational institutions, the state also possesses deep industry knowledge through its veteran workforce. For instance, Lockheed Martin’s operation in Georgia dates back to 1951, when Lockheed-Georgia took residence in the Bell Bomber plant in Marietta. Area workers had shown their aptitude for producing cutting-edge aircraft, building B-29 Superfortress bombers for World War II, and Lockheed tapped into that North Georgia know-how to continue design and manufacture of the aircraft for U.S. defense.

For 75 years, the plant, co-located with Dobbins Air Reserve Base, has employed generations of engineers, designers, technicians, and laborers to assemble C-130 Hercules troop transport planes, P-3 Orion turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance planes, F-22 Raptor twin-jet fighters, F-35 Lightning II supersonic stealth fighters, and C-5 Galaxy military transports, not to mention countless programs that remain classified.

Photo courtesy of Chattahoochee Tech.

“We’re supported by an incredible community in Georgia,” says Trish Pagan, vice president of air mobility and maritime missions for Lockheed Martin and general manager of the Marietta site. “We have incredible support from a skilled and specialized workforce. It’s not just from the universities. There is a pool of military veterans as well. I have lived outside of the Southeast, and there’s a pull to work here. People like to stay in the area, and we’re seeing growth in the pool of talent.”

Photo courtesy of Georgia Tech

Gulfstream, which officially established its manufacturing and headquarters base in Savannah in 1967, has the same deep roots in the Georgia clay. “We have generations of people who’ve worked here,” says Haas. “We’re a company where people want to be. There’s a tremendous amount of pride.”

BLUE SKIES

Another advantage Georgia has in the world of aerospace and aviation: environment.

Gulfstream was founded as Grumman Gulfstream in Bethpage, New York, in 1958. The company relocated to Savannah in 1967 thanks to its favorable year-round flying weather, proximity to airports, available flat and vast terrain, and, outside of Atlanta, the open airspace. After all, it takes a lot of space to build, house, launch, and land these massive air – borne machines—and plenty of sky in which to test and fly them. “Access to the coast is great for flying,” says Haas. “The weather here is conducive. But more importantly, the Savannah/ Hilton Head International Airport has been a great partner.”

Photo courtesy of Gulfstream.

As Haas indicates, Georgia’s flight friendly features have produced a network of prominent airports including Hartsfield-Jackson, Savannah/Hilton Head, Augusta Regional Airport, Columbus Airport, and Dobbins. The presence of these hubs provides infrastructure (runways, hangars, air traffic control towers, etc.) that can serve as testing grounds for aircraft, related technology, and personnel. As a result, aeronautics companies all along the supply chain choose to base operations in proximity to these airfields.

“There’s so much physical space and access to set up the warehouses and plants,” says Auda. Her company, Rune, while based in Atlanta, also works with Augusta Regional Airport, a cargo hub, to test, co-build, and innovate. “There isn’t much space available in the West and Northeast, and if it is available, it’s incredibly costly.”

These airports are also part of the larger transportation network that includes the Port of Savannah, Port of Brunswick, extensive railways for freight, and 20,000 miles of federal and state highways that provide the logistics and distribution vital to growing an aviation company. And like any other sector of Georgia-based industry, be it timber, tech, or entertainment, aviation also benefits from another element of the state’s environment: a friendly business climate.

“There’s so much physical space and access to set up the warehouses and plants.”
-Nadine Auda

This amounts to more than a low corporate tax rate, affordable costs of doing business, and a welcoming regulatory atmosphere. Through organizations like the Georgia Center for Innovation, part of GDEcD, the Georgia Aerospace & Defense Alliance, and Georgia Tech’s Advanced Technology Development Center, a consultancy for early-stage science and techbased start-ups, the state features a deliberate and synchronized partnership between government, academia, and the business community.

“Georgia’s aerospace ecosystem has evolved into a more connected and sophisticated network,” says GADA’s Bentley. “It’s marked by stronger industry-academic collaboration, increased investment from both legacy and emerging companies, a broader technology footprint, and better coordination across economic development partners.”

For example, in 2024, the Georgia Department of Transportation released its Advanced Air Mobility Blueprint, a plan produced by a group of representatives from airports, private industry, public transit, local governments, academia, and state officials that hopes to provide safe and efficient transportation via electrical Vertical Takeoff and Landing aircraft. Rune’s Auda specifically mentioned this initiative while talking about the general excitement surrounding Georgia’s aerospace ecosystem. “There are great opportunities,” she says. “We want to work with people who are doing things like that.”

FAVORABLE FORECAST

Photo Credit: Matt Odom

While Georgia’s aviation industry is cleared for takeoff, the radar doesn’t indicate completely clear skies ahead. In business, riding on the current of constant innovation, there is a relentless drive to stay ahead technologically.

Bentley says other states, like Arizona and Texas, are drawing aerospace and defense investment with major expansions and workforce initiatives, while closer neighbors like North Carolina and Florida have been trying to ride Georgia’s tailwind by positioning themselves as attractive destinations for aviation firms. “States are actively competing to attract companies, capital, and skilled workers by highlighting talent pipelines, infrastructure, and incentive packages,” she says. “And at the same time, the broader industry is facing intense competition for skilled talent,” including that from Georgia.

Photo credit: Matt Odom

And in terms of the state growing its own aviation businesses, such as start-ups like Rune, there is a general gap in venture capital and outside investment that is hindering true growth. “Georgia has enough volume and demand, but we need to go national to access the capital to grow,” says Auda. “We need testing, talent, and funding. No one place has all three things, but Georgia has the testing and the talent.”

This article appears in the Spring 2026 issue of GaBiz.