Texas’ Largest Aircraft Hangar Officially Opened its Doors, Here Are the Details

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has recently announced that an $11M hangar—the state's largest—has officially opened its doors and is now fully functional.

Where is this Massive Hangar in Texas?

The massive new hangar sits at the South Texas International Airport in Edinburg, south of Corpus Christi in the Rio Grande Valley.

This hangar, stretching a whopping 30,000 square feet, is strategically placed in an area that serves as a staging site for military operations. Another purpose of the hangar is to assist law enforcement and first responders by giving them the infrastructure and tools needed to respond to border security emergencies and natural disasters.

Where Did This Money Come From?

Texans love brand-new shiny things, but where did the money come from to fund this massive price tag? Well, $30 million in state funds was assigned for airport improvements over a 10-year period for the Rio Grande area. $10 million was set aside for building the hangar.

The total cost of construction was actually more than $10 million, $11.1 million to be exact. The extra $1.1 million was from the City of Edinburg in order to complete the project.

Out With the Old

This new hangar is currently staffed by a total of seven pilots, five tactical flight officers, two remote pilots and two aircraft mechanics, DPS reports.

When it comes to aircraft, there are two helicopters and one airplane, both owned by the state, and one federally owned airplane.

If you're wondering what happened to the old hangar, don't worry, it's still there. It's just now being used by the National Guard as they work towards supporting agents along the Texas/Mexico border.