MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - AvCraft Aviation said Monday it will relocate its aircraft completion operation from Tyler, Texas, to Myrtle Beach. The move is expected to create at least 280 jobs along the Grand Strand over the next five years.

AvCraft Aviation has signed a 10-year facilities lease for a substantial portion of the former U.S. Air Force hangar facilities at the Myrtle Beach International Airport.

AvCraft Chief Executive Ben Bartel said that facility fits the company's needs for the future and they have already started renovating it.

The Leesburg, Va.-based company bought the Tyler operations in 1999. The completion operations provide interior finishes such as upholstery and cabinets for luxury jets. The company also provides repair and maintenance services.

Bartel said the company was courted by five different states for the move, but South Carolina was chosen for its pro-business environment, its desire to understand businesses' needs and its ability to make decisions quickly. He said the agreement only took seven weeks.

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford said the state's quality of life helped land the plant.