Hopes fly high for national aviation research center

Originally appeared on News-Journal Online at
http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/east-volusia/2010/07/18/hopes-run-high-for-national-aviation-research-center.html

By BOB KOSLOW, Staff Writer
July 18, 2010 12:05 AM

DAYTONA BEACH -- Could a proposed research park here turn into a national aviation research and development center and an economic development engine?

Some officials think so after attending an aviation forum last week at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Executives from influential aviation and space companies like Boeing, Gulfstream, Harris, HEICO, Honeywell, ITT Corp. and Lockheed Martin were joined by elected officials and local business leaders from International Speedway Corp., Team Volusia, Halifax Health and Consolidated-Tomoka Land Co.

"I came to the school to see what Embry-Riddle did outside academia," said Bob Galligani, vice president of civil aviation strategy for Massachusetts-based Raytheon. "They just blew me away. What the college is doing is incredible. I was very impressed."

So impressed, Galligani plans to return in the fall with more company executives for a closer look.

Marion Blakey, a former administrator at the Federal Aviation Administration and CEO of the Aviation Industries Association, stayed at the forum longer than anticipated and missed a flight home.

That's exactly the reaction and interest ERAU and U.S. Rep. John Mica, R-Winter Park, wanted to create when they organized the forum.

"We wanted to build relationships and we did that. Now we want to follow up and try and expand on that," Mica said of the forum. "I feel pretty confident if we get our act together that we could make Embry-Riddle a center for aviation technology R&D programs in the future."

He also noted the need to create aviation and space jobs in light of reductions in the NASA programs at the Kennedy Space Center in Brevard County.

Forum attendees took a tour of the university that included the 90-acre research park site along Clyde Morris Boulevard. The center could be home to a dozen buildings with 800,000 square feet of space employing 2,000 engineers and researchers with salaries in excess of $45,000, said Tina Recascino, Embry-Riddle's vice president for research and assistant to the president. The park could generate numerous associated businesses.

Several research programs were showcased to provide examples of the university's commitment.

ERAU is part of a team, with Lockheed Martin, developing a new national air traffic control system at the Florida NextGen Testbed in the old Daytona Beach International Airport terminal. The testbed's size is being doubled to 10,000 square feet this fall.

ERAU also is a leader in testing unmanned aerial vehicle technology for military, civilian and commercial uses.

"We're unique in that we are interested in research and development, but more and more companies are interested in our students. We produce engineers and aviation graduates and this country is not producing enough," Recascino said. "It's best to be close to us if you want to grab the best we have."

Boeing employs about 3,500 ERAU graduates and is building an assembly plant in Charleston, S.C., and could be looking to partner with ERAU, said Matt Ganz, the company's vice president and general manager/research and technology.

"I was impressed with the quality of the people and the shape of the facilities," Ganz said. "The potential is there. They have the key elements to success, a good university, it's at the airport and has the total commitment of local, state and federal leaders."

ERAU is so well-regarded that it's the only university Boeing is partnering with to work on a maximum $1.7 billion federal government contract to develop new aviation technology.

Victor Mendelson, co-president of HEICO, a large maker of aircraft parts in South Florida, was also impressed with the people, facilities and unified commitment.

"We are seriously looking at what we could do, but we need to learn and understand more," he said. "If this happens, it will be slow. The aviation industry has long lead-in times."

ERAU and Volusia County Economic Development officials are meeting in the coming weeks to discuss options to secure grants for roads, utilities and one or two building pads at the research park.

"If we can get one or two businesses in there in five years, that would please me," Recascino said.

Securing economic development funds would be "the easy part" if there were partners lined up to take advantage of the talent and resources, Mica said.

The area near Embry-Riddle has space for additional business development. Volusia County has 95 acres on the south side of the airport, not far from the ERAU park, set aside as the Daytona Beach International Airport Corporate Park. There are no tenants, yet, but it would target offices and light industrial tenants and would not compete with the university's plan, said Phil Ehlinger, director of Volusia County Economic Development.

Volusia County officials also pointed out the new business incubator program being set up at the airport.

The incubator could help start-up companies get a local foothold and grow into spaces in the research park, Volusia County Chairman Frank Bruno said.

"We want to partner with companies and be on the cutting edge of the space industry. We are all excited about the potential here," he said.

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

© 2010 The Daytona Beach News-Journal.