May 3, 2013
Carole Hawkins
Reporter- Jacksonville Business Journal

Cecil Airport on Jacksonville’s Westside is full.

That has prompted the Jacksonville Aviation Authority — which manages the airport — to clear a 150-acre lot on the northeast side of the runway and pre-developed it, beginning the next phase of Cecil’s buildout.

“ The existing buildings are all leased,” said Bob Simpson, chief of Cecil Airport. “And, we don’t have any left of what I would call land that could be developed.”

Up on the northwest corner there’s a small parcel — 30 acres — that had been prepared and permitted for building of military aircraft, but no other property is left on the west or south sides of the runway.

“We’re getting [the northeast parcel] ready because it’s a lot easier to market than if you just showed a piece of land with trees on it and said, ‘imagine what it can be,’” Simpson said. “Typically when developers come to us for large-scale projects, you have to include the size of the apron to park the aircraft. You have to have the size of the hangar the warehouse, and if there is one, the office building. You have to have room for the parking lot, storm water retention. So you eat up property real fast.

“While we do have that 30-acre parcel on the northwest corner, what we didn’t have were large parcels — 50 to 100 acres — that we could even market. That property wasn’t accessible to the airfield, nor was it accessible to roadways, nor was it cleared. So, it didn’t present itself well.

The site has been cleared and the JAA will start construction on the taxiway and road after a grant approval, expected in June.

“It’s about a four to six month construction time period. But, if somebody decided to start building a hangar today, by the time they get the design and the permitting done, ... I’ll have the taxiway and the roadway in.”

The reasons behind the success at Cecil, today home to military aircraft, commercial airplane maintenance facilities and major aerospace firms such as Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Northrop Grumman Corp. [NYSE: NOC], stretch back to groundwork laid more than a decade ago, when the former naval air station was closed and the land was deeded to the city and JAA under a government reuse plan.

Since 1999, when the JAA took over the airfield, through 2011, government agencies have re-invested a total of $113.7 million in Cecil. More projects have been completed recently.

Source: http://bit.ly/10wUdyk

May 3, 2013
Carole Hawkins
Reporter- Jacksonville Business Journal

A 150-acre lot cleared of its trees signals new construction will soon come to Cecil Airport on Jacksonville's Westside. It's also evidence of a steady-growing success that's made airport expansion necessary.

"We're getting it ready because it's a lot easier to market than if you just showed a piece of land with trees on it and said, 'Imagine what it can be,'" said Bob Simpson, chief of Cecil Airport.

'Good vision'

The reasons behind the success at Cecil, today home to military aircraft, commercial airplane maintenance facilities and major aerospace firms such as Boeing (NYSE: BA) and Northrop Grumman Corp. (NYSE: NOC), stretch back to groundwork laid more than a decade ago. The former naval air station was closed in 1999 and the land was deeded to the city and the Jacksonville Aviation Authority.

"It really was a matter of good vision," Simpson said. "The base reuse commission protected the land surrounding the airfield from incompatible land use. It's either zoned industrial, commercial, or it's our property."

Some members of the commission suggested making money by selling land east of the airport for residential housing, Simpson said. But the idea was defeated by other board members who felt doing so would put the airport's fate in jeopardy.

Instead, to the north and west of Cecil Airport lies the city-owned Cecil Commerce Center, zoned for industrial development. To the south, land was placed in preservation. To the east, the JAA has planned aviation-related development and beyond that, shopping centers and mixed-use development.

Steady reinvestment

Besides securing a good land-use plan, Cecil Airport benefited from JAA steadily rebuilding its infrastructure. By 2003, every office building and hangar inherited from the U.S. Navy had been rehabilitated and rented.

Between 2004 and 2012, JAA built five new hangars, increasing the total built footprint by 30 percent. This month the JAA will open a sixth hangar, leased to KCI Aviation, a West Virginia company that repairs business jets and turboprops. And it will break ground on a 150,000-square-foot hangar and office facility for Flightstar Aircraft Services Inc., a company that maintains, repairs and overhauls commercial aircraft.

The land use plan, JAA's reinvestment in infrastructure, and a local workforce trained for aviation have attracted companies and helped them thrive.

Boeing's workforce has grown from 150 to 350 since coming to Cecil. Flightstar began with nine employees and has grown to almost 900. The company will add 350 when its new hangar is finished.

Tim Bergin, Flightstar's vice president of business development, said Cecil's long runway and absence of congestion make it a good fit for the company.

"You don't have to worry about security issues. Our customers get a security card, but otherwise, they're free to walk back and forth on the airport," he said.

Cecil Airport already benefits from a location that lies within 10 miles of interstate highways 10 and 295. Going forward, those logistics will improve. The airport's eastern border lies along the First Coast Outer Beltway, a proposed 4-lane toll highway that will one day connect I-10 to St. Augustine.

That should better connect Cecil Airport businesses and customers. Bergin sees an advantage for employees as well.

Cecil Airport Tenants/Employees

Engility/L-3 Comm.- 16 Employees
Fleet Readiness Center Southeast- 110 Employees
Flightstar Aircraft Services - 850 Employees
Florida Army National Guard-Drill - 680 Employees
Florida Army National Guard-Full-Time - 220 Employees
Florida State College at Jacksonville Students - 300 Students
Florida State College at Jacksonville-Full-time - 37 Employees
Jacksonville Aviation Authority - 14 Employees
Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department - 15 Employees
Jacksonville JetPort - 26 Employees
Lockheed Martin - 89 Employees
LSI - 366 Employees
RVA - 7 Employees
State Division of Forestry - 2 Employees
The Boeing Co. - 300 Employees
U. S. Customs and Border Protection - 181 Employees
U.S. Coast Guard - 226 Employees
Woods Group, Pratt & Whitney - 5 Employees

Total: 3,444

http://media.bizj.us/view/img/304911/cecilphotomap-bw*900.jpg
Source: Jacksonville Aviation Authority

Preparation of the facility is currently underway. The LAS aircraft are urgently needed to support the successful withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown welcomed Embraer to the city. “I'm excited for this economic milestone as Embraer's A-29 production facility becomes Jacksonville's first full-scale aircraft assembly operation,” said Mayor Brown. “Not only does this show confidence in our workforce, it expands Jacksonville's role as one of America's most military and veteran-friendly cities. I commend Embraer for embracing these values and I look forward to a long, productive relationship.”

“We have been looking forward to the day that we can officially establish our presence in Jacksonville and we are ready to get to work,” said Gary Spulak, President of Embraer Aircraft Holding, Inc. “This important step is the first of many that will solidify the new partnership we have created between Embraer and the Jacksonville community.”

With the support of the state of Florida, the City of Jacksonville and the Jacksonville Aviation Authority, the facility at the Jacksonville International Airport already is undergoing modifications. The facility will perform pre-equipping, mechanical assembly, structural assembly, systems installation and testing, and flight testing of A-29 aircraft.

“A great team came together to make a solid case for building this plane in Northeast Florida, resulting in a 'win - win' for the First Coast economy and our national defense,” said Congressman Ander Crenshaw (R-FL), who represents Florida’s 4th congressional district. “The addition of this facility underscores Jacksonville as a military aviation center of excellence.”

“We are proud to host production of this important aircraft,” said Steve Grossman, executive director of the Jacksonville Aviation Authority. “This brings economic investment and good jobs to the area.”

“This is a wonderful example of insourcing and exactly what our region and our nation need more of. This facility will create high-wage jobs and represents millions in economic investment. Production of the aircraft will draw upon U.S. suppliers from across the country, supporting many more American jobs,” said Congresswoman Corrine Brown (D-FL), who represents Florida’s 5th congressional district.

Embraer has had its U.S. headquarters in Ft. Lauderdale for more than 30 years and currently employs more than 1,200 people in the United States. The Jacksonville site joins recent expansion of the company’s operations in Florida. In 2011, Embraer opened a production facility for its Phenom 100 and Phenom 300 jets and a Global Customer Center in Melbourne, and in 2012, the company broke ground on a new Engineering and Technology Center, also in Melbourne, that will employ 200 engineers. Some 1,400 additional jobs will be supported through the LAS contract.

As the aircraft selected for the LAS program, the A-29 Super Tucano will be used to provide light air support, reconnaissance and training capabilities to the Afghanistan military. As such, it is a vital element of the United States’ Afghan withdrawal strategy and central to maintaining security in that region going forward. The LAS program also will provide the United States and other partner nations with important capabilities for agile, flexible, economical, new-generation multi-role airpower. Learn more about the A-29 Super Tucano at www.BuiltForTheMission.com.

Source: Jacksonville, Florida, Embraer News - 15 March 2013

Source: http://bit.ly/10uD23A

March 30, 2013
news4jax.com

More than two dozen Florida National Guardsmen are returning home after serving for more than 10 months.

The Camp Blanding-based soldiers received a hero's welcome home on Saturday.

"To come home to this and for them to welcome us and be able to hug their necks and say 'Thank you' is quiet an honor," said Lt. Lee Bruister.

Bruister has been looking forward to this moment for 10 months.

"Absolutely as a man of faith, I mean it absolutely makes it more special being Easter weekend," said Bruister.

Sprinkled in between the hand-made signs and American flags were plenty of hugs and happy tears at the Jacksonville International Airport.

Dozens of friends and families welcomed home 25 National Guardsmen with the 221st Explosive Ordinance Disposal based at Camp Blanding.

"I guess the most rewarding thing is coming back honestly," said Thomas Hagans. "It's our job you know, it's a duty, so we do it and try to make the best of it, no matter what the conditions are and then you get to come home and that's a reward."

Among some of the most eager was the Glasscock family.

"They are really excited," said Katie Glasscock. "They have been really excited all week. Just 'When's daddy getting here?'"

While the soldiers couldn't talk about their mission overseas, they said they couldn't be more proud of their work in operation enduring freedom.

"Proudest moment from the group is just seeing all the guys come together and work hard and do their mission," said Staff Sgt. Joshua Glasscock. "We do a lot of joint training with some foreign militaries and got to work with them, and partnership wise and just seeing a lot of young guys, you know, seamlessly transition into that."

With a successful deployment under their belts, having nothing but family time on the calendar is perhaps the best Easter present they could ask for.

"Nothing for a little while, just going to take some time and hangout with my family and just relax."

The families didn't waste much time at the airport. They headed right home for some much-needed R&R.

Source: http://bit.ly/XAtGov

3/27/13
Financial News & Daily Record

Jacksonville Aviation Authority board Chair A.L. Kelly, JAXUSA Partnership President and JAX Chamber interim President Jerry Mallot and Mayor Alvin Brown take an up-close look at the A-29 Super Tucano warplane Wednesday. The three were just a few of the officials and members of the business community who attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the former Piedmont hangar at Jacksonville International Airport, where Embraer will build the warplanes for light air support, reconnaissance and training for the Afghanistan military. Embraer will create 50 jobs as part of the production, which will support more than 1,400 jobs, according to company officials.

Source: http://bit.ly/10cBfz1

March 26, 2013
news4jax.com

Southwest Airlines' nonstop service from Jacksonville International Airport to Chicago's Midway Airport, originally slated to begin on Sept. 29, will now kick-off on June 3.

The service will depart Jacksonville at 8:15 a.m., arriving in Chicago at 9:50 a.m. The flight from MDW will depart at 6:40 p.m. and arrive in JAX at 9:55 p.m. The new start date will allow Southwest to capitalize on the busy summer travel season.

This will be the first nonstop air service from Jacksonville to Chicago's Midway. Currently, American and United Airlines fly to Chicago's O'Hare Airport from Jacksonville.

For fares, reservations and more information on Southwest Airlines, visit its website at southwest.com.

Source: http://bit.ly/11Ikb99

March 26, 2013
Carole Hawkins
Jacksonville Business Journal

Even before the ribbon was cut at the newly christened Embraer aircraft assembly plant in Jacksonville, work to fulfill its $427 million Air Force contract had already begun.

The company, tasked with building 20 Super Tucano light air support aircraft to support the draw down of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, has started interviewing employees for management positions and expects to be fully operational within seven months, said Embraer executives Gary Spulak and Luiz Carlos Aguiar. The planes will be delivered beginning in 2014.

“We are honored to have been selected by the U.S. Air Force for the light air support program and we have started our work already,” Embraer SA President and CEO Frederico Curado said. “This was not an easy victory and we sincerely thank all of those who have faithfully supported us.”

The advocacy to get the Brazilian-based Embraer established Jacksonville began almost 10 years ago. Support came from the business community, the city government, the governor’s office and the city’s Congressional delegation.

“In short we did it. We put in the hard work,” Mayor Alvin Brown said. “Everyone had a role... and today we’re seeing our hard work pay off.”

The Embraer contract is about more than aircraft, Brown said.

“The military and veterans community represent nearly 25 percent of our city population, ... who can truly appreciate the work of the Air Force light air support program,” Brown said. “Jacksonville is the right place for this work.”

Embraer’s new facility will create 50 new high-skilled jobs locally and 1,400 across the country, Curado said, including direct hires through Embraer and its general, contractor Sierra Nevada Corp. of Sparks Nev., as well a network of U.S. parts suppliers.

Source: http://bit.ly/WU7kfU

March 26, 2013

A Brazilian defense contractor is poised to cut the ribbon on its new facility at JIA. The new Super Tucano facility will support 1,400 jobs across the U.S. and create dozens of local high-paying positions.

Governor Rick Scott will also be attending the ribbon cutting this morning. Action News will be at the event, set for 9:30 a.m. this morning.

Video available at:
Source: http://bit.ly/14t6T0Q

March 26, 2013
news4jax.coom

A Brazilian defense contractor has cut the ribbon on its new facility at Jacksonville International Airport.

The new Super Tucano facility will support 1,400 jobs across the U.S., including 50 local high-paying positions.

The planes will be used to provide light air support, reconnaissance and training capabilities to the Afghanistan military.

It’s projected to be a vital element of the U.S.'s Afghan withdrawal strategy.

Twenty of the planes will be built at Embraer Defense and Security.

Gov. Rick Scott was among the attendees Tuesday morning at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Source: http://bit.ly/11I0Epg

March 26, 2013
By Matt Augustine
wokv.com

Starting soon Jacksonville airport will be producing planes for the U.S. Air Force as Brazilian airline company Embraer cut the ribbon on its new production hangar at the Jacksonville International Airport on Tuesday.  It's all part of a contract between the USAF and Embraer's prime contractor Sierra Nevada that's worth $427 million and, according to Jacksonville mayor Alvin Brown, has room for growth.

"It's exciting to think that this $427 million contract has the potential to grow to $950 million," said Mayor Brown during his remarks.

The facility will produce 20 A-29 Super Tucano aircraft, which will provide support, recon, and training to the Afghan military as the U.S. draws down troops there as part of the Air Force’s Light Air Support program.  Mayor Brown saying Jacksonville’s focus on the military makes it the perfect place for the contract.

"25 percent of our population are military veterans and not only that but they have the skills and experience to do [the job]."

All in all 50 jobs will be created at the leadership level as well as in manufacturing, assembly, and quality. Getting the contract was a big part of a business trip that Mayor Brown and Florida Governor Rick Scott took to Brazil last year. The governor joked that Embraer should just up and move its whole operation to Florida.

"You can move all of them here, we like them here.  No income tax, right to work state, all these great things."

Embraer says it’ll start production here in the next six months or so and must deliver the first Super Tucano by the beginning of next summer.

Source: http://bit.ly/ZryhI1

Monday, March 25, 2013
Aviation News Today

Moody's Investors Service has affirmed the A2 rating on Jacksonville Aviation Authority's (JAA) $52.88 million revenue bonds Series 2006 (AMT). The outlook is stable. JAA operates Jacksonville International Airport, as well as three general aviation facilities.

Moody's said the rating incorporates JAA's low debt burden, the airport's strong competitive position, and broad diversification of airlines serving the airport. The stable outlook is based on the airport's newly extended use and lease agreement and accelerated retirement of debt, both of which have mitigated significant enplanement declines over the past five years. The stable outlook also reflects Moody's view that the current financial strength of the authority can weather short term negative trends in the local economy, said the ratings firm.

Source: http://bit.ly/X47Mtr

March 22, 2013
By David Bauerlein   

The federal government took Jacksonville’s Cecil Airport and Jacksonville Executive of Craig Airport off the list of small and mid-sized airports whose control towers will close next month because of budget cuts.

But Northeast Florida Regional in St. Augustine will be among the 149 airports whose control towers will lose their staff.

The FAA will start closing the towers April 7 and continue over a four-week period.

“We heard from communities across the country about the importance of their towers and these were very tough decision,” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said.

The FAA is slashing its budget for paying contract employees at control towers, part of $600 million in cuts the agency is making for the rest of the budget year through September. The reduction is part of the $85 billion in budget cuts known as sequestration, which into effect March 1.

After review, the FAA decided to close 149 towers and keep paying for contract staffers at 40 airports.

“We’re just very pleased,” Jacksonville Aviation Authority spokesman Michael Stewart said.

Stewart said it is unclear whether Craig Airport in Arlington will get additional flights that otherwise would use Northeast Florida Regional. He said in the case of corporate aircraft, company policies and insurance coverage terms will play a role in whether planes use airports that don’t have manned control towers.

“It’s very difficult to say how this will shake out in the short term and the long term,” he said, noting the cuts from sequestration will continue over a 10-year period.

David Bauerlein: (904) 359-4581

Source: http://bit.ly/14cwYkd

March 18, 2013

Embraer Aircraft Holding, Inc. announced today it has signed a 10-year lease on a 40,000-square-foot hangar in which the A-29 Super Tucano aircraft for the U.S. Air Force Light Air Support (LAS) program will be assembled.

Preparation of the facility is currently underway. The LAS aircraft are urgently needed to support the successful withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown welcomed Embraer to the city. 'I'm excited for this economic milestone as Embraer's A-29 production facility becomes Jacksonville's first full-scale aircraft assembly operation,' said Mayor Brown. 'Not only does this show confidence in our workforce, it expands Jacksonville's role as one of America's most military and veteran-friendly cities. I commend Embraer for embracing these values and I look forward to a long, productive relationship.'

'We have been looking forward to the day that we can officially establish our presence in Jacksonville and we are ready to get to work,' said Gary Spulak, President of Embraer Aircraft Holding, Inc. 'This important step is the first of many that will solidify the new partnership we have created between Embraer and the Jacksonville community.'

With the support of the state of Florida, the City of Jacksonville and the Jacksonville Aviation Authority, the facility at the Jacksonville International Airport already is undergoing modifications. The facility will perform pre-equipping, mechanical assembly, structural assembly, systems installation and testing, and flight testing of A-29 aircraft.

'A great team came together to make a solid case for building this plane in Northeast Florida, resulting in a 'win - win' for the First Coast economy and our national defense,' said Congressman Ander Crenshaw (R-FL), who represents Florida's 4th congressional district. 'The addition of this facility underscores Jacksonville as a military aviation center of excellence.'

'We are proud to host production of this important aircraft,' said Steve Grossman, executive director of the Jacksonville Aviation Authority. 'This brings economic investment and good jobs to the area.'

'This is a wonderful example of insourcing and exactly what our region and our nation need more of. This facility will create high-wage jobs and represents millions in economic investment. Production of the aircraft will draw upon U.S. suppliers from across the country, supporting many more American jobs,' said Congresswoman Corrine Brown (D-FL), who represents Florida's 5th congressional district.

Embraer has had its U.S. headquarters in Ft. Lauderdale for more than 30 years and currently employs more than 1,200 people in the United States. The Jacksonville site joins recent expansion of the company's operations in Florida. In 2011, Embraer opened a production facility for its Phenom 100 and Phenom 300 jets and a Global Customer Center in Melbourne, and in 2012, the company broke ground on a new Engineering and Technology Center, also in Melbourne, that will employ 200 engineers. Some 1,400 additional jobs will be supported through the LAS contract.

As the aircraft selected for the LAS program, the A-29 Super Tucano will be used to provide light air support, reconnaissance and training capabilities to the Afghanistan military. As such, it is a vital element of the United States' Afghan withdrawal strategy and central to maintaining security in that region going forward. The LAS program also will provide the United States and other partner nations with important capabilities for agile, flexible, economical, new-generation multi-role airpower. Learn more about the A-29 Super Tucano at www.BuiltForTheMission.com.

Source: http://bit.ly/ZNMX32

March 19, 2013
AERO News Network

Embraer Aircraft Holding, Inc. has signed a 10-year lease on a 40,000-square-foot hangar in which the A-29 Super Tucano aircraft for the U.S. Air Force Light Air Support (LAS) program will be assembled. Preparation of the facility is currently underway. The LAS aircraft are urgently needed to support the successful withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown welcomed Embraer to the city. “I'm excited for this economic milestone as Embraer's A-29 production facility becomes Jacksonville's first full-scale aircraft assembly operation,” said Mayor Brown. “Not only does this show confidence in our workforce, it expands Jacksonville's role as one of America's most military and veteran-friendly cities. I commend Embraer for embracing these values and I look forward to a long, productive relationship.”

“We have been looking forward to the day that we can officially establish our presence in Jacksonville and we are ready to get to work,” said Gary Spulak, President of Embraer Aircraft Holding, Inc. “This important step is the first of many that will solidify the new partnership we have created between Embraer and the Jacksonville community.”
 
With the support of the state of Florida, the City of Jacksonville and the Jacksonville Aviation Authority, the facility at the Jacksonville International Airport already is undergoing modifications. The facility will perform pre-equipping, mechanical assembly, structural assembly, systems installation and testing, and flight testing of A-29 aircraft. “A great team came together to make a solid case for building this plane in Northeast Florida, resulting in a 'win - win' for the First Coast economy and our national defense,” said Congressman Ander Crenshaw (R-FL), who represents Florida’s 4th congressional district. “The addition of this facility underscores Jacksonville as a military aviation center of excellence.”
 
“We are proud to host production of this important aircraft,” said Steve Grossman, executive director of the Jacksonville Aviation Authority. “This brings economic investment and good jobs to the area.”

“This is a wonderful example of insourcing and exactly what our region and our nation need more of. This facility will create high-wage jobs and represents millions in economic investment. Production of the aircraft will draw upon U.S. suppliers from across the country, supporting many more American jobs,” said Congresswoman Corrine Brown (D-FL), who represents Florida’s 5th congressional district.
 
Embraer has had its U.S. headquarters in Ft. Lauderdale for more than 30 years and currently employs more than 1,200 people in the United States. The Jacksonville site joins recent expansion of the company’s operations in Florida. In 2011, Embraer opened a production facility for its Phenom 100 and Phenom 300 jets and a Global Customer Center in Melbourne, and in 2012, the company broke ground on a new Engineering and Technology Center, also in Melbourne, that will employ 200 engineers. Some 1,400 additional jobs will be supported through the LAS contract.
 
As the aircraft selected for the LAS program, the A-29 Super Tucano will be used to provide light air support, reconnaissance and training capabilities to the Afghanistan military. As such, it is a vital element of the United States’ Afghan withdrawal strategy and central to maintaining security in that region going forward. The LAS program also will provide the United States and other partner nations with important capabilities for agile, flexible, economical, new-generation multi-role airpower.

Source: http://bit.ly/YoL1iR

March 19, 2013
Area Development Online News Desk

Flightstar Aircraft Services, a provider of services to the commercial aviation industry, will expand its operations at Cecil Airport in Jacksonville, Florida, with the assistance of a $3.5 million Florida Department of Transportation infrastructure development grant awarded the Jacksonville Aviation Authority.

The $30.5 million project includes the construction of a new 113,000 square foot hangar. Office space will occupy 10,000 square feet and warehousing and shop space will occupy 32,000 square feet. Additional improvements to taxiways, aprons and related transportation facilities will allow Flightstar to meet its expansion needs while remaining at Cecil Airport, a Florida spaceport facility.

The grant supplements FDOT’s previous commitment of $10 million in Strategic Intermodal System funding for the project. The remaining $17 million is provided by Flightstar and the Jacksonville Aviation Authority, for a total of $30.5 million.

In December 2012, Flightstar Aircraft Services announced it would remain at Cecil Airport in Jacksonville and expand its existing aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul facility. Flightstar currently has 700 permanent employees and over 200 contractors. With the new hangar, the company will be adding approximately 300 permanent jobs and 100 contractors.

Gov. Rick Scott said, “Today’s announcement is another example of the targeted investments that we are making to help Florida’s economy continue to grow. Since December 2010, Florida has created nearly 200,000 private-sector jobs and our unemployment rate is at a record low. Our economy is clearly back on track because of the policies that we have put into place over the last two years. It’s working. I applaud FDOT for their commitment to economic development.”

FDOT Secretary Ananth Prasad said, “Under Governor Scott’s leadership, aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul were identified as a targeted industry. The Florida Department of Transportation is pleased with our partnership with the Jacksonville Aviation Authority that has led to Flightstar Aircraft Services decision to remain a Florida-based aviation company and expand their workforce at Cecil Airport.”


Source: http://bit.ly/YoBsQY

March 17, 2013
By Andrew Pantazi
jacksonville.com

Nearly 1? years after a Brazilian company started a political battle by winning an Air Force contract, the company signed a 10-year lease so it can build jets (sic) at Jacksonville International Airport.

Sierra Nevada Corp. subcontracted with Embraer Aircraft Holding to build the single-engine A-29 Super Tucano as part of a $427 million contract with the U.S. Department of Defense.

After the Jacksonville Airport (sic) Authority finishes renovations at the hangar, Embraer’s 50 assembly workers will start putting together the 20 requested aircraft. Embraer will be paying about $290,000 a year for the hangar.

Jacksonville Airport (sic) Authority spokesman Michael Stewart said the 41,000-square-foot hangar has not been leased in more than 10 years, being used only for special events.

Even before the contract was awarded on Feb. 27, Stewart said, the airport authority has spent the last four months renovating the hangar.

“We were cautiously optimistic,” he said. “We strongly felt that the improvements to the hangar would make it more marketable for another tenant if this tenant was not successful.”

Sierra Nevada first earned a $255 million contract from the Air Force in December 2011. The Air Force revoked the contract after the then-Hawker Beechcraft, a Kansas-based company that has since filed bankruptcy and rebranded itself as Beechcraft, complained that it was not given a chance to compete for the contract.

Though the A-29 Super Tucano was more expensive than Beechcraft’s proposed AT-6, Embraer spokesman Robert Stangarone said, “the Super Tucano is a much more capable airplane than our competitor’s.”

He also said the 50 assembly workers that the company will employ will be “well paid.”

“One of the things that attracted us to the Jacksonville area,” he said, was “the skilled labor pool.”

The planes were designed to help Afghanistan as the U.S. military withdraws from the nation, Stangarone said.

“As we come out of Afghanistan, the Afghanis are going to be defending themselves, and they have to have the equipment to do that,” he said. “And this airplane is perfectly designed to do that. It’s designed to support ground troops in battle.”

Andrew Pantazi: (904) 359-4310

Source: http://bit.ly/YjPMua

March 15, 2013

Today, Governor Rick Scott applauds the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) for awarding the Jacksonville Aviation Authority $3.5 million for infrastructure development to allow Flightstar Aircraft Services to expand operations at Cecil Airport. The $3.5 million Economic Development Transportation project grant, awarded March 1, supplements FDOT’s previous commitment of $10 million in Strategic Intermodal System (SIS) funding for the project. The remaining $17 million is provided by Flightstar and the Jacksonville Aviation Authority, for a total of $30.5 million.

Governor Scott said, “Today’s announcement is another example of the targeted investments that we are making to help Florida’s economy continue to grow. Since December 2010, Florida has created nearly 200,000 private-sector jobs and our unemployment rate is at a record low. Our economy is clearly back on track because of the policies that we have put into place over the last two years. It’s working. I applaud FDOT for their commitment to economic development.”

FDOT Secretary Ananth Prasad said, “Under Governor Scott’s leadership, aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul were identified as a targeted industry. The Florida Department of Transportation is pleased with our partnership with the Jacksonville Aviation Authority that has led to Flightstar Aircraft Services decision to remain a Florida-based aviation company and expand their workforce at Cecil Airport.”

In December 2012, Flightstar Aircraft Services announced it would remain at Cecil Airport in Jacksonville and expand its existing aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul facility. Flightstar currently has 700 permanent employees and over 200 contractors. With the new hangar, the company will be adding approximately 300 permanent jobs and 100 contractors.

The $30.5 million project includes the construction of a new 113,000 square foot hangar. Office space will occupy 10,000 square feet and warehousing and shop space will occupy 32,000 square feet. Additional improvements to taxiways, aprons and related transportation facilities will allow Flightstar to meet its expansion needs while remaining at Cecil Airport, a Florida spaceport facility.

Source: http://bit.ly/10Ysk93

March 15, 2013
Sunshine State News

Gov. Rick Scott congratulated the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Friday for awarding Jacksonville Aviation Authority $3.5 million for infrastructure development. The money allows Flightstar Aircraft Services to expand operations at Cecil Airport.

Flightstar is a leading provider of services to the commercial aviation industry.

The $3.5 million Economic Development Transportation project grant supplements FDOT’s previous commitment of $10 million in Strategic Intermodal System (SIS) funding for the project. The remaining $17 million is provided by Flightstar and the Jacksonville Aviation Authority, for a total of $30.5 million.

Scott said, “Today’s announcement is another example of the targeted investments that we are making to help Florida’s economy continue to grow."

Scott claims that since December 2010, Florida has created nearly 200,000 private-sector jobs and its unemployment rate is at a record low.  "Our economy is clearly back on track because of the policies that we have put into place over the last two years," the governor said. "I applaud FDOT for their commitment to economic development.”

In December 2012, Flightstar Aircraft Services announced it would remain at Cecil Airport in Jacksonville and expand its existing aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul facility. Flightstar currently has 700 permanent employees and over 200 contractors. With the new hangar, the company will be adding approximately 300 permanent jobs and 100 contractors.

The $30.5 million project includes the construction of a new 113,000 square foot hangar. Office space will occupy 10,000 square feet and warehousing and shop space will occupy 32,000 square feet. Additional improvements to taxiways, aprons and related transportation facilities will allow Flightstar to meet its expansion needs while remaining at Cecil Airport, a Florida spaceport facility.

Said FDOT Secretary Ananth Prasad, “Under Gov. Scott’s leadership, aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul were identified as a targeted industry. The Florida Department of Transportation is pleased with our partnership with the Jacksonville Aviation Authority that has led to Flightstar Aircraft Services' decision to remain a Florida-based aviation company and expand their workforce at Cecil Airport.”

Source: http://bit.ly/YeoxRB

March 14, 2013
news4jax.com

Florida will find out Monday which airports will have to cut staffing and close their towers because of sequestration.

Channel 4 learned last month that staffing at towers for small airports across the country would be cut.

This means places like Cecil Field, Craig Airport or the Northeast Regional in St. Augustine could have towers down because of budget cuts.

There are potential closures from about $600 million in cuts the FAA needs to make between now and the end of the fiscal year in September.

"I'm just taking it upon myself as one of the staff, this will be our last safety meeting before the tower closure kicks in," said flight instructor Ernie Strange. "The boys find out on the 18th. We're all behind the guys in the tower. We don't want them to lose their jobs."

Strange teaches pilots how to fly and how to fly safely. At a regular safety meeting at Craig Airfield, Strange decided giving the pending cuts, he would add an important reminder to the program.

"We're taking preemptive steps. Craig airport on closure list, Cecil Field on list, St. Aug on list for tower closure," said Strange. "When those towers close, there won't be any tower people, but there are procedures in place inside the FAA, saying this is how pilots need to operate when the towers are closed."

In a packed conference room Thursday night, Strange described to pilots what they should already know. Strange said he wants to make sure, before towers come down, that everyone flying knows what to do when the sequester hits the airstrip.

"That's exactly what this is: It's a reaction to the sequestration. The money's not there to fund the towers," said Strange. "This is the decision of the government to shut down these towers down, to close. But we've still gotta fly and we want to fly safe."

Source: http://bit.ly/ZtLgrh

March 12, 2013
Drew Dixon (BizJax)

Service at Jacksonville International Airport is so good that the facility is ranked among the top ten best airports in North America for service quality. The Airports Council International named JIA as the fifth best airport on the continent as part of the Airport Service Quality Awards for 2012. About 275 airports were considered in the competition. “It is especially rewarding to earn such a distinguished award at JAX where we service more than 5 million passengers a year,” said Steve Grossman, Jacksonville Aviation Authority CEO in a news release Monday.

Source: http://bit.ly/Y7yFLP

March 11, 2013
Lee Roop
The Huntsville Times

There's a reason they're smiling in the concourses of the Tampa and Jacksonville international airports this morning. The Florida airports are the only ones in the South on list of the world's best airports released today by Airports Council International.

Tampa was No. 3 and Jacksonville was No. 5 on the ACI's list of the five best regional airports in North America in 2012. The other regional winners in North America were Indianapolis (No. 1), Ottawa (2) and Sacramento (4).

For your booking plans, the best mega-airports were all in Asia: Hohot in China, Nagoya in Japan, Seoul Gimpo and Seoul Incheon in South Korea and Singapore. Fun fact: Singapore handles more than 40 million passengers per year.

The best airports in high-traffic regions outside North America were, in order, Cape Town (Africa), Seoul Incheon (Asia-Pacific), Moscow Sheremetyevo (Europe), Cancun (Latin America-Caribbean) and Abu Dhabi (Middle East). In the markets under 2 million passengers per year, the best were Upington (Africa), Skopje (Europe) and Victoria (North America).

Most improved? Give a shout-out to Mombasa (Africa), Sanya (Asia), Faro (Europe), Santo Domingo (Latin America), Abu-Dhabi (Middle East) and Winnipeg (North America).

Why does winning an ACI award matter? Organization World Director Angela Giffens said in a press release that there's a clear link between passenger satisfaction and airport revenues. "Airports that deliver superior customer service stand apart from the competition and superior customer service remains one of the most important differentiators in the increasingly competitive airport industry," Gittens said.

Source: http://bit.ly/W5mLmh

March 8, 2013
Carole Hawkins
Reporter- Jacksonville Business Journal

Brazilian plane maker Embraer stuck with plans to assemble military aircraft at Jacksonville International Airport for more than a year. In doing so, the company outlasted one lawsuit between a competitor and the government, two U.S. Department of Defense application processes and three expired options to lease a JIA hangar.

The Department of Defense on Feb. 27 awarded, for a second time, a $427 million contract to Embraer and Sierra Nevada Corp. of Sparks, Nev., its general contractor, to supply 20 Super Tucano light air support planes. The aircraft will help the U.S. to withdraw from Afghanistan by providing the Afghan army with the weapons and technology it needs to fight Taliban insurgents.

Who is Embraer and why was the company so determined to build planes in Jacksonville? According to one company executive, local business advantages drove its decision-making.

Embraer is the world’s third largest commercial aircraft manufacturer, according to the company’s website. The multinational firm produces three product lines: commercial aircraft up to 120 seats, private executive jets, and defense and security aircraft. Commercial airlines American Airlines and US Airways are among its customers. Anyone who has flown regularly on corporate jets six seats and larger has likely been on a plane built by Embraer.

The company wants to grow its defense and security division — projected at 19 percent of revenue this year, up from 13 percent last year. The Super Tucano award gives the company its first toehold in the prestigious U.S. defense industry.

Embraer has operated in the U.S. for 30 years of its 40-year history, and employs more than 1,200 in this country. Its U.S. headquarters is in Fort Lauderdale and Embraer has recently expanded in Florida.

In 2011 the company moved the headquarters of its executive jets division to Florida from Brazil and opened its first U.S. aircraft assembly facility and a global customer center for executive jets in Melbourne. The company plans to open an engineering and technology center in Melbourne as well.

Bob Stangarone, Embraer vice president of corporate communications for North America, said a U.S. presence has long been important to the company.

“Half the market for executive jets is in North America,” he said. “It brings our business closer to our customers and gives us a cleaner supply-chain.”

The company in 1979 picked Fort Lauderdale as its U.S. base because of Florida’s business-friendly environment and because it was easy to attract employees to the state’s beaches, sunny weather and high quality of life, Stangarone said.

NASA layoffs created another opportunity. Embraer responded by opening operations in Melbourne.

“We’ve hired quite a few people who were laid off,” Stangarone said. “The skill set needed to build aircraft is similar to that needed for aerospace.”

Labor considerations similarly brought Embraer to Jacksonville.

“The city has a great labor pool, not only for its aviation and tech workers, but also for its defense talent,” Stangarone said.

Also important, Embraer wanted a location near a port, so major assembly components such as tail sections and wings could be brought in.

Though Jacksonville has long been known as a place for aircraft maintenance and refurbishment, Embraer’s will be the first new aircraft assembly plant in Jacksonville, according to Michael Stewart, director of external affairs for the Jacksonville Aviation Authority.

That sends a message to other companies that Jacksonville might be a good place to build planes, JAA CEO and Executive Director Steve Grossman said. It was an advantage the city could offer to lease Embraer a hangar formerly used by Piedmont.

“The Air Force needed the planes delivered on a relatively short time schedule,” Grossman said. “Embraer didn’t have time to build a building.”

Embraer’s initial contract for 20 planes will create at least 50 jobs, Stangarone said. And there’s the possibility of future orders up to a maximum contract value of $950 million.

Grossman said just getting Embraer through the door has been a big win for the city.

“If you watch Embraer, wherever they go, they grow,” Grossman said. “And we hope their numbers here will grow. We hope they bring different business lines to Jacksonville.”

March 5, 2013
news4jax.com

Air traffic control towers at Craig Airport, Cecil Field and St. Augustine could close April 7 because of forced spending cuts, the Federal Aviation Administration told tower operators on Tuesday.

Those airports were on a list released by the FAA of 173 towers at small- and medium-sized airports facing closure. In addition, the overnight shift at the control tower at Jacksonville International Airport and other larger airports could be eliminated.

"If they cut this tower, this is such a busy airport. You've got Jax International and St. Augustine there's gonna' be a lot more issues," said pilot, Nicholas Alexander.

Tower closures would not necessarily result in airport closures, because some aircraft can land without air traffic control help, and those that need controller help can communicate with more distant FAA facilities. But the contract tower closings will contribute to the workload at other FAA facilities, which simultaneously will be coping with controller furloughs.

Channel 4 spoke with neighbors near Craig Airport who said they weren't happy to hear about less guidance from the ground for pilots who fly over their homes.

"We seen where that plane hit that house (in Palm Coast), we went by it and seen it. Kind of does make you wonder," said Glenn Harvey.

Spenser Dickerson, head of the Contract Tower Association, told CNN that FAA officials gave him the news, capping off a five-day period in which the FAA first told contractors they would close scores of towers, then backtracked on the news.

The FAA said it would consider removing individual towers from the list on a case-by-case basis, if the operators can explain why it is in the national interest to keep them open, Dickerson said.

The news Tuesday, if anything, was worse than previously announced. Last Wednesday, the FAA said it would close 168 towers.

"We're extremely discouraged and disappointed that the FAA is taking this action," Dickerson said. "The rest of the FAA's budget is getting a 5 percent haircut; the contract towers are getting a 75 percent cut, because the FAA is cutting 189 of the 251 contract towers."

"It's hard for us to see the fairness in the budget cuts. It seems the contract tower program is taking a high, disproportionate cut. We have serious concerns about the safety, efficiency and loss of jobs in almost 150 communities across the country," he said.

The FAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The towers are part of the FAA's contract tower program, in which 251 towers are staffed with contractors instead of FAA employees. Though little-known, contract towers are widely used by the FAA to manage air traffic. Such towers handle about 28 percent of all control tower operations, although the towers being cut account for a little less than 6 percent of commercial airline operations.

A 2011 report by the Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General said contract towers cost on average $537,000 a year to operate, compared with $2 million for comparably busy FAA-staffed towers. The lower costs were chiefly from lower staffing and salary levels at contract towers, which had an average of six controllers, while FAA towers had 16. And a typical contract controller near Tampa, Florida, received a base pay of $56,000 per year, compared with a base pay ranging from $63,000 to $85,000 a year for an FAA controller in Sarasota, the study said.

Dickerson said contract towers are carrying the brunt of the cuts, despite having comparable safety records and being more cost efficient.

The Northeast Florida Regional Airport in St. Augustine, released this statement to Channel 4 in regard to the cuts:

"Closures would include greatly reduced local safety margins as the airport's 400-800 daily take-offs and landings will be left to the pilots to sort out and assure that adequate margins of safety are maintained," said Executive Director, Ed Wuellner.

But the forced spending cuts, known as the sequestration, are also affecting FAA staff. Most of the agency's 47,000 workers, including its 14,700 controllers, have been told to expect one or two furlough days every two-week pay period. And 49 FAA-staffed towers are on the list of those facing possible closure.

Longtime Pilot, Ed Booth isn't worried about a lack of air traffic towers, he showed Channel 4 a map of Florida with local airports that don't have traffic towers, such as Herlong Airport. Booth said the airports without towers, don't have problems.

"In my opinion the impact on safety is very marginal, because pilots are trained to operate in and out of airport levels without and operating control tower," said Booth.
Source: http://bit.ly/Xq40K3

March 5, 2013
David Bauerlein
jacksonville.com

Two Jacksonville airports — Cecil Airport on the Westside and Jacksonville Executive at Craig Airport in Arlington — and Northeast Florida Regional in St. Augustine could face closure of their air control towers next month.

The Federal Aviation Authority has listed 173 small and mid-sized airports nationwide that could lose their control tower service for guiding pilots during takeoff and landing.

The FAA also has put out a list of 72 larger airports where the agency would not staff control towers on the overnight shifts. The tower at Jacksonville International Airport is on that list.

The potential closures stem from about $600 million in cuts the FAA must make for the rest of the fiscal year running through September. Those cuts are part of the $85 million in the budget reduction known as sequestration, which went into effect last Friday.

“It’s something that’s being wrestled with across the country,” Jacksonville Aviation Authority spokesman Michael Stewart said Tuesday.

He said if the control towers are closed, airplane operators would decide whether to keep using the airports based on their own operating procedures and insurance requirements. He noted that Herlong Airport, for instance, does not have a control tower but planes fly in and out of it.

“It doesn’t mean the airports will close,” he said. “There may be less traffic. There is no way we can quantify the impact at this point in time. ”

Jacksonville-based Flightstar, which is expanding at Cecil Airport because of growth in its airplane maintenance business, is waiting to see whether airline companies would still fly their plane to Cecil for repairs if the control tower shuts down.

“I think the impact would be minimal at first,” said Tim Bergin, vice president of business development. He said Flightstar’s business usually gets one arrival and one departure each day as planes rotate through for two weeks of maintenance. Those landings and takeoffs typically occur during daylight hours.

“It’s really going to come down to the carriers themselves — what they’re going to be willing to put up with,” he said. “Right now, we’re kind of riding this out and seeing what happens.”

The towers at the 173 airports listed are staffed by contract workers rather than FAA employees.

The FAA will give airports a chance to make the case that it’s in the national interest to remain open, Contract Tower Association head Spencer Dickerson told CNN. The FAA told tower operators the closures would start April 7.

“It seems the contract tower program is taking a high, disproportionate cut,” Dickerson said. “We have serious concerns about the safety, efficiency and loss of jobs” in those communities.

David Bauerlein: (904) 359-4581

Source: http://bit.ly/103H2as

March 5, 2013
Carole Hawkins
Reporter-
Jacksonville Business Journal

Southwest Airlines is adding a daily, non-stop service from Jacksonville to Chicago’s Midway Airport beginning Sept. 29.

Southwest (NYSE: LUV) will be the first to offer nonstop service to Midway out of Jacksonville International Airport, the Jacksonville Aviation Authority said in a news release.

Currently, American and United Airlines fly to Chicago’s O’Hare Airport from Jacksonville.

The service will depart Jacksonville at 4:50 p.m. and arrive in Chicago at approximately 6:20 p.m. The flight from Midway will depart at 12:10 p.m. and arrive in Jacksonville at 3:25 p.m.

Southwest is a second-busiest commercial carrier at JIA.

Source: http://bit.ly/12rSylg

March 5, 2013
Drew Dixon
BizJax

A needed boost in airline flights will be coming to Jacksonville International Airport.

The Jacksonville Aviation Authority announced Monday that Southwest Airlines will begin nonstop service from JIA to Chicago’s Midway Airport this year. The new flights by Southwest won’t begin until Sept 29, but the route will go from Jacksonville at 4:50 p.m. and arrive in Chicago about 6:30 p.m. The daily flight from Midway to JIA will run from 12:10 p.m. to 3:25 p.m.

The announcement comes as JIA was losing flights at the facility. Over the past five years, the number of flights departing from Jacksonville International Airport has slumped by 19 percent. In January, the airport averaged 81 daily departures, according to a Times-Union report Feb. 21.

The down turn in flights at JIA is also costly to fliers. Fewer flight choices and more expensive tickets add up for travelers. The average price for round-trip flights from Jacksonville International Airport was $359 in the third quarter of 2012, compared to $311 for the same period in 2008, according to U.S. Department of Transportation statistics. That 15 percent increase is the largest of Florida’s seven busiest airports.

Jacksonville Aviation Authority Interim Marketing Director Barbara Halverstadt said the agency is relieved at the increased flights by Southwest.

“We are thankful Southwest added this additional nonstop flight,” Halverstadt said in a news release Monday. “Not only does it give business and leisure travelers another option when flying to Chicago, but it also offers stronger competition, which often leads to lower fares.”

While the new Southwest flights are the first to fly in to Midway from JIA, American and United Airlines are already offering nonstop flights to Chicago’s O’Hare Airport from JIA.

Source: http://bit.ly/XKCXYt

Feb. 27, 2013

An Air Force contract will bring 50 jobs to Jacksonville.

The Sierra Nevada Corporation was awarded a $427 million contract on Wednesday to build A-29 Super Tuscano light attack support aircraft in Jacksonville.

The contract has the potential to grow to $950 million, according to a release from the City of Jacksonville.

"Amid all the concern over federal budget cuts, this is some good news for Jacksonville," said U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in a statement.

Final assembly of those aircraft will take place at the Jacksonville International Airport and two per month will be delivered starting in the summer of 2014.

The SNC, which is a partner of Embraer, competed with Beechcraft for the contract.

"A great team came together to make a solid case for building this plane in Northeast Florida, resulting in a 'win - win' for the First Coast economy and our national defense," Congressman Ander Crenshaw said in a statement. "More importantly, this contract underscores the deep confidence by our military that Jacksonville continues to be a military aviation center of excellence."  

Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown traveled with Gov. Rick Scott to Brazil in October 2011 and advocated for Embraer to assemble the A-29 Super Tuscano planes in Jacksonville.

Brown also met with Michael Donley, U.S. Secretary of the Air Force in December 2011 to advocate for Jacksonville. Brown cited the efforts of First Coast lawmakers and agencies like the Jacksonville Aviation Authority.
 
"This is great economic news for Jacksonville. The award reaffirms that Jacksonville is the most military and business friendly city in the United States," Brown said. "This announcement is yet another example of what we can accomplish when we work together. Today's success was a real team effort."

First Coast News

Source: http://fcnews.tv/YDRkx4

02/28/2013
by David Chapman, Staff Writer

After a prolonged legal battle, Sierra Nevada Corp. and Embraer were awarded a $427 million contract to build 20 A-29 Super Tucano warplanes in Jacksonville, the U.S. Air Force announced Wednesday.

The planes will be built at Jacksonville International Airport and will create 50 jobs.

The more than $427 million contract has a ceiling of $950 million and includes the 20 light-air support aircraft, its pilot training program and all maintenance and supplies.

As reported, the Jacksonville Aviation Authority issued a building permit in December to renovate the former Piedmont hangar, a step an authority spokesman said was in anticipation of the Air Force contract decision.

Build-out of the 41,574-square-foot S-11 hangar had a project cost of $750,000.

Sierra Nevada Corp., based in Sparks, Nev., and Embraer, based in Brazil, were awarded a $355 million U.S. Department of Defense contract in December 2011 to build the planes, but Wichita, Kan.-based Hawker Beechcraft filed suit against the government after it was eliminated in the bidding.

In response, the Air Force put the deal on hold and then set it aside in February 2012 and reopened bids for the two companies.

The announcement that Sierra Nevada and Embraer was awarded the contract was made Wednesday.

"The Light Air Support program is essential to the United States' objectives in Afghanistan and to our national security. It is a great honor to serve our country by providing the aircraft, training and support for this program," said Taco Gilbert, vice president of integrated tactical solutions for Sierra Nevada's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance business area, in a news release.

Mayor Alvin Brown said in a statement the award was "great economic news for Jacksonville" and reaffirmed the city's military- and business-friendly stature. Brown joined Gov. Rick Scott on an economic development trip to Brazil in October 2011 and met with Embraer officials.

U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw also lauded the contract decision.

"This contract underscores the deep confidence by our military that Jacksonville continues to be a military aviation center of excellence," Crenshaw said in a statement.

City Council approved an incentives package for Embraer in January 2011 for the 50-job project. The deal required jobs to be created by Dec. 31, 2012, but the City and state can extend the agreement.

The approved package includes a $150,000 Qualified Target Industry Tax Refund, with $30,000 from the City and the remaining $120,000 from the state. It also was contingent on the company receiving $400,000 from the Governor's Quick Action Closing Fund and $100,000 from the Quick Response Training, which did not need City approval.

dchapman@baileypub.com, (904) 356-2466

Source: http://bit.ly/XFJi8E

February 28, 2013
By David Bauerlein
jacksonville.com   

Jacksonville finally landed an airplane assembly plant when the Air Force awarded a hotly contested contract to a consortium that will assemble planes at Jacksonville International Airport.

Sierra Nevada Corp. of Sparks, Nev., and Embraer, based in Brazil, will build the A-29 Super Tucano aircraft, creating 50 jobs here.

“Amid all the concern over federal budget cuts, this is some good news for Jacksonville,” U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., said Wednesday in an email from his office.

The light attack support aircraft will be used by the Afghanistan military.

Sierra Nevada said the initial order for 20 planes has a contract value of $427.5 million. Future orders could drive up the contract to around $950 million, according to U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw, R-Fla.

Crenshaw said the contract “underscores the deep confidence by our military that Jacksonville continues to be a military aviation center of excellence.”

The Air Force originally selected Sierra Nevada for the contract in late 2011 but later pulled that award after Hawker Beechcraft, a rival for the work, went to court, contending it was wrongly excluded from the competition.

The Air Force then reopened the contract and came to the same decision in favor of Sierra Nevada’s package. Hawker Beechcraft would have built the planes in Wichita, Kan.

Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown has met with Embraer officials in Brazil and gone to Washington to press the case for Jacksonville being the place for the plane assembly.

“Today’s success was a real team effort,” Brown said Wednesday night.

The Jacksonville Aviation Authority has been doing $1.1 million of renovations to a vacant hangar where Embraer will do the final assembly of the planes.

The city and state previously approved $150,000 in financial incentives tied to creation of 50 jobs with an average salary of $49,500.

The planes would start rolling out Jacksonville in summer 2014 at a rate of two planes per month.

Jacksonville has several growing aviation companies, but the Super Tucano contract will mark the first full-scale plane assembly operation in the city.

The components of the Super Tucano will be built at 100 companies in 20 states, creating a total of about 1,400 jobs, according to Sierra Nevada.

david.bauerlein@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4581

Source: http://bit.ly/XIyWBC

Feb. 28, 2013
John Burr,Editor
Jacksonville Business Journal
 
The U.S. Department of Defense has issued a $427 million contract to a Nevada plane manufacturer for construction of military aircraft in Jacksonville.

Sierra Nevada Corp. of Sparks, Nev., partnered with Brazilian plane maker Embraer to build fighter aircraft for the U.S. Air Force in 2011. A Defense Department contract awarded to Sierra Nevada was voided last year in a dispute over the bidding process with Hawker Beechcraft for the plane contract.

In a news release Wednesday, the Defense Department stated that the new contract with Sierra Nevada is “to provide both an advanced aircrew trainer and a light air support aircraft to establish air combat capability for allied countries under the Building Partnership Capacity program.” The contract calls for construction of 20 light air support aircraft and various equipment needed to support use of the planes.

The Super Tucano is a single-engine turboprop aircraft that Embraer employees will assemble and test at Jacksonville International Airport facilities, according to a news release from U. S. Congressman Ander Crenshaw, D-Jacksonville. The contract is to provide both an advanced aircrew trainer and a light air support aircraft to establish air combat capability for Afghanistan under the Building Partnership Capacity program, the release said.

“A great team came together to make a solid case for building this plane in Northeast Florida, resulting in a ‘win - win’ for the First Coast economy and our national defense,” Crenshaw said. “More importantly, this contract underscores the deep confidence by our military that Jacksonville continues to be a military aviation center of excellence.”

The initial contract calls for a $427.4 million order for Sierra Nevada, which could increase to $950 million and last until February 2019, according to the release. The first planes are to be delivered to the Air Force by February, 2015.

Source: http://bit.ly/Wjw2IE

February 27, 2013
Drew Dixon
BizJax

A new promotional kiosk opened this week at Jacksonville International Airport that’s designed to get golfers a round on the links at World Golf Village.

The kiosk, near the PGA Tour stop and serviced by a staff member, was paid for by World Golf Village Associates and features booking services for the courses, World Golf Hall of Fame & Museum and Renaissance World Golf Village Resort. The kiosk also includes video and other promotional material showcasing the World Golf Village Associates that may not be familiar to many travelers visiting the First Coast.

“It is an amazing opportunity to showcase our destination to the millions of travelers that come through JIA,” said Jeffrey Oliasami, general manager of the Renaissance World Golf Village Resort, in a news release Tuesday.

Source: http://bit.ly/WhXJSb

February 22, 2013
jacksonville.com

By David Bauerlein   

A sky-blue billboard along Interstate 95 boasts that farther up the road, Jacksonville International Airport has 100 daily departure flights.

True at one time, but not anymore.

Over the past five years, the number of flights departing from Jacksonville International Airport has slumped by 19 percent. In January, the airport averaged 81 daily departures.

The shrinkage stems from an overall contraction in the airline industry during a decade of bankruptcies and mergers. This month, American Airlines and US Airways were the latest to announce they will combine forces.

For travelers, it adds up to fewer flight choices and more expensive tickets. The average price for round-trip flights from Jacksonville International Airport was $359 in the third quarter of 2012, compared to $311 for the same period in 2008, according to U.S. Department of Transportation statistics. That 15 percent increase is the largest of Florida’s seven busiest airports.

The Jacksonville Aviation Authority is trying to get airlines to add flights, such as bringing back nonstop service between Jacksonville and Los Angeles. But that’s tough when airlines are eliminating existing routes.

“We’ve lost some, yes, but not anything out of the ordinary compared to other cities,” said Barbara Halverstadt, manager of development and marketing for the aviation authority. “As consolidation happens, that’s going to be the case.”

Seth Kaplan of Airline Weekly, an industry trade publication, said Jacksonville generates “fairly good” business-related travel for airlines, but “it’s not unlimited demand.”

“It’s not the kind of place where they’re always trying to fly more and more,” Kaplan said. “They’re trying to get the right mix of putting just enough seats in the market without fares being lower than they have to be, from an airline perspective.”

In some cases, that has meant using smaller 60-passenger planes that don’t have first-class cabins, said Steve Crandall, president of Discount Travel in Jacksonville.

“It’s not only cutting back the number of flights,” he said. “It’s cutting back the size of the aircraft.”

Despite the industry trend, Jacksonville has kept two long-distance, non-stop flights that began the past couple of years.

JetBlue’s non-stop service to San Juan, Puerto Rico, which started in May 2011 with a 100-seat plane, gained enough traction for JetBlue to put a 150-seat jet on that route in October. Southwest Airlines continues to fly nonstop to Denver, a route launched in June 2011.

Southwest is still flying nonstop to Las Vegas, though that service isn’t year-round. The nonstop flights will resume in March.

But Jacksonville lost its only nonstop service to Memphis this year when Delta downsized its hub there. Southwest plans to end nonstop flights between Jacksonville and Birmingham, Ala., in the summer.

The Jacksonville Aviation Authority is supporting JetBlue’s application to the U.S. Department of Transportation for a slot at Ronald Reagan National Airport. Currently, US Airways is the only airline with nonstop flights between Jacksonville and the Washington D.C. airport; United flies nonstop to Dulles International and Southwest to Baltimore-Washington International.

Aviation authority spokesman Michael Stewart said business-related travel has come back better than passengers flying on vacations.

“If all the flights going in and out of Jacksonville were close to capacity, the airlines would react to that and add capacity,” he said. “I don’t think we’re at a choking point in attracting business. If the market grows, I would almost guarantee airlines would do what is necessary to accommodate that market.”

But he said it doesn’t appear the airline industry as a whole is going to change its strategy anytime soon.

In the next month, the authority is going to take down the billboard message that references 100 daily departures, Halverstadt said. The authority hasn’t decided what sign will replace it, but it won’t have a specific number of flights on it.

david.bauerlein@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4581

Source: http://bit.ly/YGVALM

Feb 21, 2013
fox30news.com

BRUNSWICK, Ga. -- A local company is ready to pack up and leave its operations in Brunswick and Jacksonville officials are now vying for its business.

Stambaugh Aviation specializes in heavy maintenance for jets owned by some heavy hitters. The company's clients span from media stars to military might.

Just a few feet away from an Israeli tanker is the jet that carried the famed boy band the Backstreet Boys.

Stambaugh repairs engines and does other mechanical services for planes owned by Donald Trump and fashion designer Peter Nygard. John Travolta is a former client as well.

Scott and Mark Stambaugh have been running the family business in Brunswick since the 1980s. But now they're eyeing Florida to meet their growing need to expand.

"We'll lose the work and lose the jobs so at this point if we can't expand and grow, it's going to cripple our business," said Mark Stambaugh.

The Stambaugh brothers say current leadership at the Glynn County Airport Commission is hampering them from expanding their maintenance, repair, and overhaul operations.

Action News has learned Cecil Airport wants a shot at the Stambaughs' growing business. We obtained the proposal Cecil offered the company Thursday morning. It includes designs for a new 30,000-square-foot facility.

"It was the largest package and very impressive," said Scott Stambaugh.

Jacksonville city leaders say attracting Stambaugh to relocate would be a major economic gain for the city.

Councilman Bill Gulliford says Brunswick's loss would be Jacksonville's gain. "I think that's great," said Gulliford. "If Brunswick doesn't wan them, gosh, we sure would like to have them."

If Stambaugh takes flight for Florida, it would bring more than 100 jobs with an average salary of $56,000 and plans for about a dozen additional hires.

"Expansion plans that would be five to 10 years down the road, not only at that site but at the airport as well."

Source: http://bit.ly/UQccDb

Feb 22, 2013
Michael Clinton
Web Producer-
Jacksonville Business Journal
 
Jacksonville officials are trying to entice a Georgia aviation company to relocate to Jacksonville so it can expand its operations.

Brunswick-based Stambaugh Aviation wants to expand its current operations, but its owners say the Glynn County Airport Commission is hampering them from doing so, Action News Jax.

Jacksonville officials at Cecil Airport have sent a proposal to the company to entice them to move to Florida, the proposal includes plans for a new 30,000 square-foot facility.

If Stambaugh comes to Jacksonville, it would bring more than 100 jobs with an average salary of $56,000 with plans for more hires.

Stambaugh Aviation does maintenance and repairs on jets.

Source: http://bit.ly/ZmRo4O

January 23, 2013
Global Traveler
by Judy Wells

Travel can be beautiful thing, but stress and tight schedules can make it nearly impossible to enjoy your surrounding. Not so at Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) where sculptures and art installations greet you at almost every turn.

Approaching the airport by car you’ll come face to face with Hoy es Hoy by Mexican sculptor Javier Marin. The 14-foot bronze sculpture of a woman’s head, showing Mexican, Native American and Asian influences, represents the airport’s multiculturalism.

Glance up as you ride the moving sidewalk on the third floor of the parking garage: That’s David Engdahl’s Migration of the Paper Airplanes, a collection of 150 aluminum sculptures designed to look like paper airplanes soaring overhead.

Checking in? You can’t miss Don Martin’s Habitation series, a 500-foot-long mural depicting elements of Florida’s five-county First Coast region. At baggage claim, 300,000 postage stamps form the course of Peter Hite’s The River mosaic depicting the Nile, Amazon, Mississippi, Ganges, Yangtze and Jacksonville’s own St. Johns rivers.

Heading through the lobby to a concourse you pass display cases filled with fine crafts and The Haskell Gallery, a showcase for the best regional art. Entering the lobby, you may hear the twinkle of music — a flutist, pianist or jazz performance.

Look closely at the glass panels delineating the departures security area. That’s Healing Palms, a 48-panel installation by Jim Draper. The set of 48 panels provide functional art to separate the courtyard area from security screening. Pay attention to the concourse bathroom entrances. They, too, are works of art from Norma Greenwood and Maureen Healy’s Cloudscapes to Gregor Turk’s humorous Pictograms.

The world of travel is full of beauty. Just open your eyes and look around.

Source: http://bit.ly/126QMES

The Jacksonville Aviation Authority (JAA) will host its Inaugural “JAXEX RUNWAY 5K” at Jacksonville Executive at Craig Airport (JAXEX) on Saturday, June 8, for a day of community, exercise and supporting local military families.

The event will feature a 5K run beginning at 7:30 a.m. and a one-mile “Fun Run” at 8:30 a.m. A portion of both race courses will include the airport runway at JAXEX (which will be closed to air traffic during the event).

The Greater Jacksonville Area USO provides support and services to local military members and their families. Proceeds from the event will be presented to the USO later this year during the dedication of the James E. Craig Memorial Pavilion at JAXEX. Craig, the namesake of the airport, was a Jacksonville native killed during the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

 “The JAA is thrilled to support our troops and their families through our first-ever 5K event,” JAXEX Airport Manager Tiffany Gillem said. “We’re so proud of our local military and appreciate all of the sacrifices they make to keep our country safe. They’re all heroes.”  

 “This 5K on the runway is unlike any other in the community,” JAA’s Director of External Affairs Michael Stewart said. “We are confident that this race will make for a fun, inspiring and unforgettable morning.”

For more information and to register for the Inaugural JAXEX RUNWAY 5K events, visit www.jaxexrunway5k.com.  Register before June 1 to take advantage of the discounted entry fee of $20 for the 5K and $15 for the “Fun Run.”  The 5K registration fee will increase to $30 the day of the race. Space is limited for this event. 

For more information about JAXEX, visit flyjaxex.com.

March 26, 2013

Southwest Airlines’ nonstopservice to Chicago’s Midway Airport, originally slated to begin on September 29^th,will now kick-off on Sunday, June 3rd.  

The service will depart Jacksonville at 8:15 a.m., arriving in Chicago at 9:50 a.m. The flight fromMDW will depart at 6:40 p.m. and arrive in JAX at 9:55 p.m. The new start date would allowSouthwest to capitalize on the busy summer travel season.

This will be the first nonstop air service from JAX to Chicago’s Midway. Currently, Americanand United Airlines fly to Chicago’sO’Hare Airport from Jacksonville. 

For fares, reservations and more information on Southwest Airlines, visit theirwebsite at southwest.com. 

Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) has been named the fifth best airport in North America for airport service quality. This extraordinary recognition comes from Airports Council International (ACI) through its annual Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Awards for 2012.
                          
“We strive for superior customer service at all of our airports, but it is especially rewarding to earn such a distinguished award at JAX where we service more than five million passengers a year,” said JAA Executive Director and CEO Steve Grossman. “Our high standard of quality customer service is evident throughout the JAX experience with hundreds of helpful and friendly employees and volunteers, information resources and tools such as outlets for charging electronic devices and free Wi-Fi.”

The ASQ Awards have become the world's leading airport passenger satisfaction benchmark with more than 275 airports participating. The ASQ Awards recognize and reward the best airports in the world based on ACI's ASQ passenger satisfaction survey and represent an opportunity to celebrate the commitment of airports worldwide to continually improve the passenger   experience.

"This is an exciting time for airports. As airports and their operators increasingly accept the positive correlation between passenger satisfaction and airport revenues, we see more and more airports striving to meet, and in some cases exceed, the levels of customer service that their passengers expect,” said ACI World Director General Angela Gittens.
 
Other North American Airports awarded for top airport service quality include Indianapolis International Airport (IND), Ottawa/Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW), Tampa International Airport (TPA) and Sacramento International Airport (SMF).                                         

For more information about JAX, visit www.flyjacksonville.com.

Michael Stewart 
Director, External Affairs 
JacksonvilleAviation Authority 
Ph: (904) 741-2721 
Cell: (904) 945-6300 

Website: www.flyjacksonville.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Southwest Airlines Announces New, Nonstop Service from Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) to Chicago’s Midway Airport

JACKSONVILLE, FL - March 4, 2013 –The Jacksonville Aviation Authority (JAA) today announced that SouthwestAirlines will begin daily scheduled service from JAX to Chicago’s MidwayAirport (MDW) beginning September 29, 2013.

The service will depart Jacksonville at 4:50p.m., arriving in Chicagoat approximately 6:20 p.m. The flight from MDW will depart at 12:10 p.m. andarrive in JAX at 3:25 p.m. 

This will be the first nonstop air service from JAX to Chicago’s Midway. Currently, American andUnited Airlines fly to Chicago’s O’Hare Airportfrom Jacksonville. 

“We are thankful Southwest added this additional nonstop flight,” said BarbaraHalverstadt, Interim Director of Marketing. “Not only does this give businessand leisure travelers another option when flying to Chicago, but it also offers strongercompetition, which often leads to lower fares.” 

For fares, reservations and more information on Southwest Airlines, visit theirwebsite at southwest.com. 

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February 28, 2013 – With yesterday's announcement that the Air Force has awarded Sierra Nevada Corp. and Embraer a $427 million contract to build light attack aircraft, the Jacksonville Aviation Authority officials say the agency is “ready and eager” to move the project forward.
    
Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer has an agreement with JAA to assemble the A-29 Super Tucano aircraft at Jacksonville International Airport (JAX). The assembly facility will employ an initial 50 high wage jobs.
 
“This is great news for Jacksonville and our growing aviation industry,” said JAA Executive Director/CEO Steve Grossman.  “We are ready and eager to work with the Sierra Nevada/Embraer team to launch this much anticipated project at JAX.”
                                                             
As part of its lease agreement with Embraer, JAA will spend $1.2 million renovating a 41,574-square-foot airplane hangar, scheduled to be completed in April.

The Jacksonville Aviation Authority Police Department (JAAPD) announced that it has entered into an agreement with iyeTek, LLC, to place traffic crash reports on-line.  Ecrash.lexisnexis Accident Report System was selected to serve as the Authority’s traffic crash insurance and citizen request technology.

Ecrash.lexisnexis is an internet based application that was developed to help law enforcement agencies and insurance companies manage and access traffic crash reports in a more efficient manner. Through the use of online document management technology, crash reports will be available 24 hours a day once completed by the reporting officer.

Like most law enforcement agencies across the country, the JAAPD has been pursuing an alternative to the hardcopy reporting, storing, and servicing of report requests. Benefits of the ecrash.lexisnexis system include:

•    Allowing multi-jurisdictional data sharing and searching
•    Facilitating web accessible availability of crash reports for insurance companies, officers and citizens
•    Removing the police department from the billing and request fulfillment process
•    Providing officers and investigators access to crash information for all agencies on the system

“We believe internet viewing and printing will significantly reduce the time it takes for insurance companies and citizens to obtain copies of traffic crash reports,” Director of Aviation Security Wayne Clark, Sr., noted. "It is our desire to provide a level of convenience to anyone wishing to view and print police reports in their home or business.” The JAAPD annually files nearly 200 traffic crash reports.

This new on-line method will provide a more expedient method for obtaining traffic crash report information.

•    Reports are accessible from work or home, 24 hours a day via the internet
•    Saves citizens the hassles of driving downtown, paying to park, and standing in line
•    Reports are formatted as a PDF, making them easy to view, save, print and email
•    Finding a report takes only a few seconds
•    Reports are usually available within 24 hours of being completed, excluding holidays and weekends
•    Reports cannot be modified, maintaining report integrity
•    Provides clear, high-resolution images of each report for optimal viewing and printing

Filed reports can be accessed on ecrash.lexisnexis.com, for a nominal fee.