Plane-maker eyes Jacksonville for 300 jobs

[civil42806]

As you know I'm not a huge fan of rails, but this does make sense. There needs to be a major rail line running back into Cecil.  If we are going  to get serious in jax about aircraft manufacture you need a effeicent method of moving major aircraft components to the factory.   Recommend you look at gulfstream they have a railroad spur that literally drops components off in front of the hangar for assembly

[thelakelander]

This project may not happen.

Alenia could pull out of Cecil deal

A plane manufacturer could pull out of plans to build a facility in Jacksonville if the U.S. military reduces the number of C-27J Spartans it orders.

The Hill, a congressional newspaper, reports that unnamed sources say Secretary of Defense Robert Gates’ yet-to-be-released budget calls for buying 38 planes instead of 78 from Alenia North America, a part of Italy-based Finmeccanica SpA.

“This is all just media reports and rumors, but it certainly seems to me there is something to them,” said Ben Stone, Alenia spokesman. “If there is a significant reduction, Alenia will take a hard look on whether to establish a facility in Jacksonville.”

He said plans to break ground on the $80 million facility at Cecil Field have been postponed until Gates releases his budget in May.

full article: http://jacksonville.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2009/04/20/daily42.html

[CMG22]

Everybody, cross your fingers!

[urbanlibertarian]

Good thing the city is not having any revenue shortages or increased demand for services right now.  That might make it difficult to come up with our $1.5 million share of the corporate welfare.

[BridgeTroll]

I don't know... I keep hearing about cutting defense spending.  Foreign built transport planes are easy targets.

[thelakelander]

Plans for plane building at Cecil appear less likely

The Department of Defense wants to limit the number of planes built as part of the Joint Cargo Aircraft program, making ever more remote the chances the planes’ manufacturer will set up shop at Cecil Field.

A budget request released today by the Department of Defense calls for eight of the aircraft, known as the C-27J Spartan, to be built in the next fiscal year at a cost of $319 million. The request also transfers control of the program from the Army to the Air Force, which is not seen as a supporter of the aircraft.

http://www.jacksonville.com/business/2009-05-07/story/plans_for_plane_building_at_cecil_appear_less_likely

[ProjectMaximus]

http://jacksonville.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2009/05/25/daily26.html

The effort to save a planned $80 million warplane plant at Cecil Field took a hit after the Defense Secretary sided with the manufacturer’s competitor.

[urbanlibertarian]

^^^You have to expect this type of problem when you depend on government for economic development.  They pick the winners and losers for political reasons.