Unnamed Company Looking At Two Locations For Possible Assembly Facility

An unnamed Italian sport aircraft company which reportedly specializes in light and ultra-light aircraft is said to be eyeing locations in Florida for a small reassembly plant in the U.S.

The company has been in touch with officials for both the Sebastian and Vero Beach municipal airports, according to a report appearing on TCPalm.com. Any facility would be small, however, offering only four or five jobs at which ever location it chooses.

What is drawing the manufacturer to Florida? Well, it's partly the weather, though the state does have fairly strong European connections. The inquiries are very preliminary, however, with no final decision made to even come to Florida, let alone a specific airport.

Sebastian Municipal says it has a hangar in which the company could set up shop. Airport Director Joe Griffin says there is space available in a hangar where Rud Aero currently manufactures kitplanes. He said the airport does have plans for another 15,000 square foot hangar, but that's not on the horizon for a couple of years, and it would take a real commitment from the company to try to accelerate that timeline.

At Vero Beach, Airport Director Eric Menger said it might have a 7,500 square foot hangar available near the end of the year, but it is an older building. He said he would prefer to see the company build its own facility on land it could lease from the city.

FMI: www.sebastianairport.com, www.verobeachairport.com