Pilatus To Expand US Footprint With New Sarasota Facility
Today Swiss-based aircraft manufacturer, Pilatus Business Aircraft, announced that the company will expand its U.S. footprint with the construction of a new, factory-owned flagship sales, design, and service center at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) in Bradenton, Florida.
Pilatus signed an agreement to develop a 17-acre parcel on the north side of the airport where the company plans to build 71,000-square-feet of new facilities for maintenance, spare parts, new aircraft deliveries, workshops, offices and administrative space.
The construction of the new Bradenton facility is part of the company’s broader strategy to support the growing fleet of more than 2,250 Pilatus aircraft already based in North and South America.
Florida and the East Coast represent the highest concentration of Pilatus aircraft operations, sales and service activity in the world. In 2022, more than 6,200 Pilatus flight operations were conducted in Florida alone.
New Grant Accelerates Cleaner Aviation Fuel Projects In Georgia
A new federal grant announced this month should accelerate the production of cleaner aviation fuel production in Georgia.
The federal grant to Georgia-based LanzaJet made through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is intended to accelerate the development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and promote American energy independence.
LanzaJet received $3,096,047 for the installation of new fuel storage tanks at their new Freedom Pines Fuels production facility in Soperton, Georgia. Freedom Pines Fuels is the world’s first alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) SAF production facility and will begin producing 10 million gallons of SAF and renewable diesel per year from ethanol.
Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance Announces New MRO Facilities
Two new MRO facilities are coming to the Greater Fort Lauderdale area thanks in part to a new program called the Strategic Job Creation Incentive (SJCI).
The news was shared this week by the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance which is Broward County’s official public/private partnership for economic development. The two MRO companies expanding their operations in South Florida are AeroThrust and ARC-145.
Aerothrust, a Florida-based aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) company, is adding 85 airframe and powerplant technicians at a new 45,000-square-foot space in Davie, where they are making a capital investment of more than $15 million. The company is also establishing its Academy Center of Excellence for training and will guarantee trainees work for five years.
ARC-145 is a long-established, FAA-certified, aviation MRO company specializing in avionics and small components for commercial and military planes. The company relocated to a 5,000-square-foot facility in Miramar, where they plan to hire up to 20 employees over the next three years, making a capital investment of $250,000.
Gulfstream G400 Completes First Flight In Savannah
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. has completed the first successful flight of the all-new Gulfstream G400 featuring the company’s aerodynamic, clean-wing design, advanced Pratt & Whitney Canada PW812GA engines and next-generation avionics.
The G400 departed Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport around 9:00 am on August 15 and returned 3 hours later having reached a speed of Mach 0.85 and altitude of 41,000 feet. The aircraft accomplished the mission using a blend of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from Gulfstream’s Savannah campus.
The G400 offers customers a choice of three floorplans with seating for up to nine, 11 or 12 passengers and provides the signature Gulfstream Cabin Experience with 100% fresh, never recirculated air purified by a plasma ionization clean air system; the lowest cabin altitude in its class; and light from 10 Gulfstream Panoramic Oval Windows. For more information, visit Gulfstream.com.
Orlando International Ranked 7th Busiest Airport In The Country
An annual traffic summary of the busiest airports in the United States released last week ranks Orlando International (MCO) as the seventh busiest airport for passenger traffic with 57.7 million passengers.
Orlando also posted the single biggest year-over-year gain in airline passenger traffic with a 15.1% increase in 2023 compared to 2022. Other airports posting the highest YOY growth include Los Angeles International (13.8%), John F. Kennedy International (13.0%), and Denver International (12.3%).
According to Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA), the complete ranking of Top 10 busiest airports in the United States is as follows:
Contact CII Today
If you own an established aviation services business in Florida or Georgia and would like to get a better understanding of the current market value of your company and important steps you can take today to maximize that value, get in touch with a CII business advisor today.