"We service only our own planes now. Lots of planes fly over to go elsewhere for maintenance," said Vargo, of the company's 20-aircraft fleet. "It's a huge milestone in our comprehensive plan for continued growth."

Corporate Air, founded in 1989, manages 20 aircraft, some that it owns and others owned by corporate clients that Vargo declined to name. The expansion will add 40 to 50 skilled aircraft mechanics to Corporate Air's primarily full-time work force of 150 people.

The company will invest about $3.5 million in that expansion, which should begin within nine months. A second, $4 million phase to begin in about three years would overhaul Corporate Air's headquarters and a neighboring hangar.

The Allegheny County Airport Authority's board of directors yesterday unanimously approved a 20-year, $12.7 million lease with the company.

The board increased by more than $1 million its construction management contract with SAI Consulting Engineers.

SAI will design a retooling of the underused US Airways baggage system at Pittsburgh International Airport. That will allow that system -- and the now-empty, former US Airways ticketing gates -- to be used by other airlines.

Passengers of the one-time powerhouse US Airways have declined 76 percent in the past five years to just 268,000 in July, according to authority figures. Passengers by other carriers, notably low-fare Southwest Airlines, have nearly doubled in that time to 556,000.

From: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/search/s_587999.html