Immediate Release
Contact
Rob Kulat: (732) 219-5816 or
Hugh McElroy (856) 825-0047 or
Tom Carver: (732) 616-0558
NEW BOEING PLANT TOUTED FOR MILLVILLE AIRPORT BY NEW JERSEY AVIATION ASSOCIATION
NJAA Urges State To Support Bid For Aircraft Assembly Facility Which Would Create Over 1,000 New Jobs
TRENTON (6/16/03) -- The New Jersey Aviation Association today urged the McGreevey Administration to support local and county officials' bid for Millville Airport to become the site of a major Boeing Aircraft manufacturing facility. Boeing is conducting a nationwide search for a location to build a plant to assemble the B7E7. This twin-engine commercial aircraft, named the Dreamliner, will be Boeing's first new commercial aircraft type since the 777.
"Millville, New Jersey would be an excellent location for the new plant," Association Chairman, Hugh McElroy and Association President, Thomas Carver, said in a joint statement. "We have analyzed Millville's advantages vis-a-vis other localities and it more than meets the prerequisites necessary to accommodate such a facility."
According to the Association, many of the technical requirements for establishing the Boeing facility at Millville already exist. These include sufficient airport and runway capabilities, aviation technical resources, an adequate rail, sea and ground transportation infrastructure, the Association stated.
"Assuming the appropriate financial arrangements can be established between Boeing, the State of New Jersey, Cumberland County, the City of Millville and the Delaware River and Bay Authority, which operates the Airport, Millville Airport would be an ideal location for this facility," McElroy noted. “It would create over 1,000 new jobs in the area."
McElroy is Vice President and General Manager of Dallas Airmotive, a major overhauler of turbine engines, auxilliary power units and landing gear. Dallas maintains a large operation at the Millville Airport and the firm has been a driving force in growth of the New Jersey Academy of Aviation Science, which trains aviation mechanics there.
"Siting such a facility in Millville would produce a dramatic economic effect for the entire South Jersey region," Carver said. "It would not only create direct employment, but would create ancillary construction and service jobs throughout Cumberland and surrounding counties. The South Jersey economy is often described as one dimensional since it relies so heavily on the casino industry. This would not only address that issue, but would return manufacturing jobs to New Jersey." stated Carver.
The Association's recommendation of Millville is based on a review of several factors. These include airport acceptability that the Association said is already large enough to accommodate the manufacturing plant and that another 2,000 contiguous acres could be available for airport use. The Airport's runways are in excellent condition and have sufficient load-bearing capability to handle transport category aircraft in the B727-200 range.
Extending Millville's 6,000 foot runway to 10,000 feet would not be a significant technical undertaking, the analysis concluded. In addition to the adequacy of the Airport, there is a sufficient complement of skilled aviation technical personnel within a 50-mile radius to staff and operate the facility, the Association noted.
The group also noted the presence of the Boeing Vertol facility in Essington, PA and the Aviation Academy at the Airport as sources of trained personnel. The FAA Technical Center, which conducts the majority of FAA aircraft engineering testing, is 30 miles from the Airport, the Association added. The Association further cited that the Airport is situated in a Foreign Trade Zone which exempts importers of foreign goods from U.S. Customs duties. The facility also is part of an Urban Enterprise Zone, which affords certain tax exemptions for subcontracted services, in addition to State EDA and Federal Empowerment Zone funding and development programs.
Finally, since 2000, New Jersey has exempted the sale of aviation products and services from state sales tax, making New Jersey a very attractive locale, noted the Association.
"This represents a golden opportunity for the City of Millville, the region and the State. The competition will be difficult. Kansas and Washington State are already on record as making strong efforts to lure Boeing. Nevertheless, New Jersey has enough resources and financial ability to compete for this prize," the Association leaders concluded.
The New Jersey Aviation Association represents airports, aircraft operating companies, manufacturers, aviation vendors, service companies and pilots involved with the $1.8 billion aviation industry in New Jersey.
It maintains national affiliations with the National Business Aviation Association and other key aviation associations. In 2001 the NJAA led the drive to pass the Airport Development Rights Act legislation, the most pro-aviation bill in decades, which allows the State to purchase development rights from airport owners. This not only saves airports from being sold for development, but it preserves the facility for future aviation uses.
The NJAA also played a major role with the members of the State’s Congressional delegation in urging the FAA to reopen Teterboro Airport to full operations after flight restrictions were imposed after the September 11 attacks.
For more information on the NJAA, please visit www.njaviation.org.
New Jersey Aviation Association
1 Airport Road, Morristown, NJ 07960-4651
Phone: 973 734 9994 - Fax: 973 734 9995
