Orlando Melbourne International Airport gets $4 million state grant for jet facility

The sound of economic development at Orlando Melbourne International Airport may be quieter than one would expect.

It could have loud repercussions. That's the intention.

On Wednesday, Gov. Rick Scott announced a number of grants from the state's Job Growth Fund that are aimed at improving public infrastructure and boosting workforce training.

Of the $28.6 million in awards, the Melbourne airport is getting $4 million for what's called a "ground run-up enclosure," or GRE — that's a structure to test jet and other aircraft engines without causing noise that might cause complaints from nearby businesses and homeowners. 

To be located in the middle of the airport between two parallel runways, the GRE will be one of the few such facilities in the United States and will be able to boast the latest technology. In Florida, only the airports in Miami and Tampa have GREs.

"Current and prospective tenants said it would be helpful," said Lori Booker, a spokeswoman for Orlando Melbourne International.

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The airport applied for the grant several months ago and only learned a few weeks ago the application was successful.

"The GRE will serve many companies already here on the Space Coast, and attract even more," said Greg Donovan, executive director at Orlando Melbourne International. "Recent job announcements by airport tenants Harris Corp., L3, Rockwell Collins and Embraer Executive Jets are votes of confidence that investments in MLB pay great dividends for this state and this region.”

Airport officials said prospective tenants — whose names they wouldn't disclose — said the GRE would make the facility more attractive.

Harris Corp., which is headquartered just a block south of the airport, recently announced its intentions to merge with L3 Technologies, which, if approved by regulators would create the nation's sixth-largest defense contractor.

And Embraer, which assembles four types of business jets at Orlando Melbourne International, announced on Oct. 14 plans to assemble new jet products at the airport, the Praetor 500 and Praetor 600.

Those aircraft are byproducts of Embraer’s Legacy 450 and 500 jets, which are assembled in Melbourne.

More:Embraer to assemble two new classes of business jets in Melbourne

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And in other airport news, Envoy Aviation, a private air charter company that started at Orlando Melbourne International four months ago, will hold a ribbon-cutting event from 3 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 2, at its hangar at 150 S. Apollo Blvd.

Envoy Aviation has four aircraft, three prop planes and one jet in its fleet. It's expecting to soon add a fifth jet.

Price is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY.

Contact Price at 321-242-3658

or wprice@floridatoday.com.

Twitter: @Fla2dayBiz

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