A Canadian aviation company will bring up to 120 jobs to Jacksonville International Airport when it begins operations late next month.

Avmax Group Inc. will handle repairs, maintenance and overhauls of regional jets and large turbo propeller planes, said Jacksonville Aviation Authority spokesman Michael Stewart. The company based in Calgary, Alberta, will lease about 50,000-square-feet of hangar space from Signature Flight Support, a fixed-based operator.

Hourly wages for aircraft mechanics range from US$14 to US$21. Avmax chose Jacksonville as its southeast location because of the area's high volume of regional jets, skilled workforce, good business environment and high quality of life, according to an authority news release.

"Our market research has shown our present and future customers wholeheartedly support this expansion into the Jacksonville community," Don Parkin, Avmax Group executive vice president, wrote in a news release.

An Avmax representative was not available for comment. Avmax's clients include Air Canada, BAE Systems Inc. and Lufthansa, according to the company's Web site. The company's only other U.S. maintenance facility is in Great Falls, Montana.