Gov Bush: Jetblue Selects Orlando For New Flight Center [150 new jobs; average salary: $57K]

State of FL ^ | Aug. 6, 2003 | State of FL

[summer]

Governor Bush Announces Jetblue Selects Orlando For New Flight Training Center And Maintenance Hanger

~Low-Fare Airline to Create More Than 150 New Jobs in Central Florida~

ORLANDO- Governor Jeb Bush today joined JetBlue President and COO, Dave Barger at the Orlando International Airport to announce the low-fare airline will build its first flight training center and maintenance hanger in Orlando. The $160 million facility will employ more than 150 people at an average salary of approximately $57,000 per year. Orange County Chairman Rich Crotty and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer joined the Governor at the announcement.

“JetBlue had a choice in where to locate their first-ever flight training center and maintenance hanger, and they picked Florida,” said Governor Bush. “This is a major victory for Florida and Orlando as it continues our efforts to diversify Florida’s economy. Technology, training facilities, and jobs brought here by JetBlue only adds to Orlando’s reputation as the world’s hub for simulation and modeling activities.”

JetBlue’s new training center will encompass an 80,000 square foot building with the capacity for eight aircraft simulators plus classrooms, cabin training equipment, a training pool, and administration areas. JetBlue will use this new facility for the new and recurrent training of all its pilots and in-flight crew, plus training for its technical operations and customer service crew. Construction of the center is scheduled for completion in late 2005.

The carrier’s new maintenance hanger will cover approximately 70,000 square feet and have the capacity to accommodate three Airbus A320 aircraft. The hanger, which is expected to be complete by early 2005, will be used for maintenance as well as the installation and maintenance of the airline’s LiveTV inflight satellite television system.

“Building on our long-standing partnership with the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, Governor Bush, Mayor Buddy Dyer and County Chairman Rich Crotty have all stepped up to the plate to help take JetBlue’s commitment to Central Florida to a new level,” said Dave Barger, President and COO of JetBlue Airways. “We were also fortunate to have the support of a variety of community organizations such as the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission, Enterprise Florida, the University of Central Florida and Valencia Community College.”

The New York-based airline offers flights throughout the country, including Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Orlando, Tampa, and West Palm Beach.

JetBlue selected Orlando to build the training center and maintenance hanger over other locations, including New York.

Orlando’s success came because of the tremendous teamwork at the state and local level. The Governor’s Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development worked with Enterprise Florida, the Orange County Commission, the City of Orlando, the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission, and the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority in convincing JetBlue to locate in Central Florida.

[summer]

An excerpt from the link in my post #38 --

--------------------------------

Governor Bush twice contacted Fidelity National Financial CEO William P. Foley, II in an effort to convince the company to move to Florida.

Fidelity, which is currently headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, and employs 21,000 people nationwide, recently acquired the financial services division of ALLTEL’s Information Services subsidiary. The division has been renamed Fidelity Information Services. Fidelity also acquired Jacksonville-based ALLTEL mortgage division’s 13-story headquarters on Riverside Avenue. Fidelity plans to construct a new building adjacent to the existing Riverside Avenue building.

“We considered many factors during the last several months in concluding that serious consideration must be given to a relocation of our corporate headquarters,” said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer William P. Foley, II. “By moving into the large campus that we now own in Jacksonville, we can eliminate the cost of leasing office space for our corporate headquarters. Overall, the larger metropolitan location, the access to a highly skilled and educated workforce, the proactive business environment, and the cost of living and housing would all make Jacksonville a very attractive location for our corporate headquarters and for our employees.”

[summer]

....the Bush Brothers have a real dismal track record of pursuing any technology that might happen to reduce our nation's dependence on imported oil

I disagree with your assessment there too, Willie, though I am sure there are others more up on the specific facts you would want to argue.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

For instance, it's apparent that Jeb Bush is dead set against development of high-speed ground transportation infrastructure to alleviate traffic congestion caused by Florida's growth (despite Florida voters mandating him to do so.)

Wow, your ignorance is really showing. This initiative was created by a man from Polk County who has a huge financial stake in seeing that we get a high speed train. It will cost billions, and will do nothing to alleviate the congestion you speak of. In fact, aside from metro areas, there is no real congestion.

Furthermore, the train is designed for travel across the state, not within metro areas. I am dead set against the high speed train because it will be a massive boondoggle. BTW, Florida voters also voted to limit class sizes in schools, which Bush is against, yet he was elected in a practical landslide. Nonetheless, regardless of where someone stands on this issue, you really have some issues, sir.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

Mean and Average describe the exact same calculation. Median is the middle number in a set of numbers. The Mode is the most frequent number in a list of numbers. Class is over.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

No, but common sense will tell you that a flight training center for an airline probably pays fairly well. Even if the top few executives there make 200k, the other workers are being paid well.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

Can you substantiate that there is a need for more electricity generation in the State of Florida? I've never even heard that as a topic of discussion...anywhere. We do need to find ways to preserve our most valuable resource, our water (drinking water and our shoreline).

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

He's not interested in a logical factual discussion, summer. He's a very bitter and angry man. It's kind of depressing actually.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

He's not interested in a logical factual discussion, summer. He's a very bitter and angry man. It's kind of depressing actually.

[Bob]

This is not how a median is calculated. In fact, I don't know what you are calculating by doing what you described.

You're right; I don't know what I thought I was calculating either. It certainly wasn't the median.

I always thought I knew how to calculate the median; I obviously didn't.

[radiohead]

Can someone from Florida give me 5 reasons (arbitrary number, bullet points are fine) why Florida is making it and so many other states are not? I see from various posts that FL is doing quite well while other states are floundering, but I don't know enough about the area or its politics to put the pieces together.

Thanks.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

1) No State Income Taxes.

2) A business friendly government (fewer regulations etc.)

3) Relatively low cost of living (see 1 and 2 above)

4) Good Universities, educated population.

5) Good weather, lots of water on the shore and inland.

[JoeFromCA]

Actually, no, I don't get the drift of comparing California to Nazi Germany. But then I've been studying the issues for more than 22 years.

[summer]

Can someone from Florida give me 5 reasons (arbitrary number, bullet points are fine) why Florida is making it and so many other states are not? I see from various posts that FL is doing quite well while other states are floundering, but I don't know enough about the area or its politics to put the pieces together

I think you are asking a great question here, radiohead. You would probably get many different answers to it.

First, FL has some natural benefits (good weather and nearby beaches all over the state), as well as a state constitution that requires a balanced budget each year (so no getting in debt like CA does).

In addition, I think Gov Bush provides some real leadership in this state, in terms of setting priorities (such as diversifying the state's economy), and working hard to achieve those goals (constant trade missions outside of FL, like to South America and elsewhere, that bring in more dollars and jobs).

Education is another big priority for him, but that doesn't mean throwing away money either. He has a lot of programs that help students by involving private businesses (reading), volunteers (mentoring), etc.

Also, FL has more people employed in small businesses than any other industry, so that going into business down here is quite possible, since the state provides incentives. Finally, there's no state income tax on personal income, which keeps attracting more people -- and more businesses and more jobs.

IMO, it's a positive cycle that has been maintained in large part because of the leadership at the top. This is a very pro-business environment AND a pro-education environment.

Oh, and then there's this factor - Gov Bush - again. He is very much in touch with what goes on in this state. After 9-11, the FL tourism industry asked him to get personally involved to help in the recovery, and he jumped right into that, lending his time and celebrity to them, and literally saving that industry from going under. His response was nationally recognized by the national tourism industry at their annual convention.

I honestly don't think every governor works quite as hard, or is as caring and willing to help out like that, and that is but one example. There are many other examples. Such leadership attracts other leaders - so, more businesses come.

Well, that's my 2 cents. :)

[Willie Green]

Can you substantiate that there is a need for more electricity generation in the State of Florida? I've never even heard that as a topic of discussion...anywhere.

Florida consumes more electricity than it generates: Florida State Electricity Profile (U.S. Dept. of Energy).

"Florida is a net importer of electricity from Alabama and South Carolina." (source)

Another source: Florida currently relies heavily on fossil and nuclear power plants, with coal providing 40% of generation, oil providing 41% of generation, and nuclear providing 16%. Electricity demand is expected to grow at roughly 2% per year from 2000 through 2020. Consequently, Florida is expected to require 19,223 MW of new electricity capacity—equivalent to roughly 64 power plants of 300 MW each—over the next 20 years. This new electricity demand is expected to be met almost entirely with new natural gas power plants. (The kind of natural gas that JEB won't drill offshore to obtain!)

Just like Kalifornia, Florida is a dang NIMBY state that refuses to pull it's own weight in electric power generation.

[Willie Green]

He's not interested in a logical factual discussion, summer. He's a very bitter and angry man. It's kind of depressing actually

Yeah, I imagine you get quite depressed every time I hit you with logical facts, like I just did on Florida's electricity production.

[summer]

Also --

Governor Bush Announces General Electric Power Systems to Expand Workforce -- Pensacola area to benefit from 150 new jobs -- Oct 2001

Excerpt:

-------------------------

PENSACOLA Governor Jeb Bush joined John Rice, CEO of GE Power Systems, today in Pensacola to announce that GE will expand its workforce, creating an additional 150 jobs in Northwest Florida.

“This is wonderful news for General Electric and Northwest Florida,” Governor Bush said. “In a time when businesses around the nation are eliminating positions due to economic hardships, General Electric Power Systems is expanding their operations in Florida. This is a true testament to the strength of the company and to the quality of Pensacola’s workforce.” ...

The Pensacola facility will produce components for the electric generators, rather than shipping these components from other locations. GE plans to invest an additional $33 million for machinery and equipment.

“Florida is clearly a growth-oriented state,” said Rice. “Coupled with the quality workforce we have found in the area, the government and business partnerships formed here have created the environment and foundation for the continued investment of GE Power Systems in Pensacola. Our facility in Pensacola has fast become an important part of our total business portfolio as we respond to robust demand from our customers for the high quality generators produced at this site.”

[Willie Green]

LOL! Forum tradition requires that you post a ***Windmill Barf Alert!!!*** when referencing a story like that!

(You DID know that's what GE's making in Pensacola, didn't you? If not, you can read about it here.)

I sure hope JEB isn't planning on powering Florida with those uneconomical, oversized pinwheels. They'll get blown away the first time a hurricane passes through. You need much sturdier electric power plants than those flimsy things.

[Bob]

That's why I would like to know both pieces of information. One without the other isn't as interesting and not statistically significant.

I'm not sure why you'd use the term "statistically insignificant" to describe this information.

Regardless of the median salary, the $57k average for 150 people will pump about $8.5 million into the local economy every year. (And that figure doesn't even take into account any additional jobs created in local area.)

I'd call that significant, perhaps not from a purely statistical view, but significant nonetheless.

[JoeSixPack1]

We got Nuke plants every 200 miles all around the state. The fish love the heated water and we send all our mutant offspring to West Palm or Disney! No Problem!

<|:-)~~

[summer]

I'd call that significant

I would too, but it's amazing to me how GOOD NEWS like this can evoke any negative responses! Oh, well; live and learn... though I bet some who read this thread are seriously thinking about packing their bags and moving to FL. :)