Governor Charlie Crist Opens The Florida Pavilion at Farnborough International Air Show

FARNBOROUGH, ENGLAND – Governor Charlie Crist today attended the inauguration of the Florida pavilion at the Farnborough International Air Show. The visit to Farnborough kicked off day two of the Governor’s 10–day Team Florida Trade and Business Development Mission to the United Kingdom, France, Russia and Spain to encourage trade and investment in Florida and its international partners with a focus on aerospace, aviation, climate change and alternative energy.

“The Sunshine State is the birthplace of the commercial aviation industry, and I am proud of Florida’s participation in the premier aerospace show as the third largest commercial aviation industry in America,” Governor Crist said. “Florida is home to 1,400 aviation companies, with 53,000 employees and a payroll of $2.4 billion, and we are eager to share our expertise through international partnerships.”

Florida’s Pavilion, coordinated by Enterprise Florida, is the largest U.S. state exhibition at this year’s Farnborough International Air Show. This is the eighth consecutive time Florida has hosted an exhibition at Farnborough, with 25 Florida aerospace companies and organizations on hand.

The 46th edition of the Farnborough International Air Show celebrates its 60th anniversary and takes place 100 years after Samuel Cody made his first successful powered flight in the UK from Farnborough Airfield in 1908. Farnborough was first established for the British public to see and learn about British aviation, but has emerged as one of the world’s premier aerospace shows.

While at Farnborough, Governor Crist also met with representatives of aviation giants such as Boeing, Northrup Grumman, Lockheed-Martin and Embraer.

“Florida’s presence in the aviation industry is well represented in both the public and private sectors and Governor Crist is providing the leadership needed to expand this important economic cluster,” said Florida House of Representatives Speaker Designate Ray Sansom.

Last month, during the closing ceremonies of the 2008 Serve to Preserve Florida Summit on Global Climate Change in Miami, Governor Crist brought Florida into the Alliance for Sustainable Air Transportation (ASAT), a diverse group of federal, state, regional and local government entities, industry organizations, associations and academic institutions that share a vision for accelerated implementation of a sustainable air transportation system.

ASAT seeks to further environmentally sound and economically viable air transportation by working with the Federal Aviation Administration and its other partners to help accelerate implementation of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). NextGen will transform the air transportation system by leveraging new technologies, such as satellite–based navigation, surveillance, and networking, as well as use of more efficient aircraft and under-utilized airspace, to help meet future demands and avoid gridlock in the sky and in the nation’s airports.

Enterprise Florida Inc., in partnership with Carbonfund.org and the State of Florida, has taken steps to offset the carbon footprint of the Team Florida Trade and Business Development Mission. It is estimated that more than 198.28 metric tons of carbon dioxide are expected to be generated from energy use during the trade mission from related travel and lodging. This carbon footprint will be offset by investing in reforestation projects in the Southeastern United States.

About the Team Florida Trade and Business Development Mission

Tomorrow, the Governor will meet with Peter Levene, Chairman of Lloyd’s of London; Simon McDonald, Prime Minister’s Foreign Policy Advisor; John Ashton, Special Representative for Climate Change, Foreign and Commonwealth Office; David Miliband, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs; Dr. Kim Howells, Deputy Foreign Minister for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

Later during the mission, he will meet with His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales; Minister of State for the Environment Phil Woolas; and participate Visit Florida marketing campaign kick–off. In France, he will meet with senior government officials, visit a nuclear facility to promote partnerships between Florida and France in the area of alternative energy, and visit the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial.

Following France, Governor Crist will travel to Russia to meet with government and business leaders to promote Florida–Russia economic relations. Lastly, Governor Crist will visit Spain, meeting with government officials and private sector representatives to discuss Florida–Spain trade and investment, and visit the world’s largest photovoltaic solar facility.

Coordinated by Enterprise Florida Inc., the Team Florida delegation includes business and governmental leaders, as well as representatives from economic development organizations and state research institutions. This will be the Governor’s third business development mission since taking office in 2007. Most recently, last November the Governor led the largest single–state delegation to Brazil in United States history, which generated more than $300 million in actual and anticipated sales.

Farnborough 2008 Florida Pavilion Participants

The following businesses, organizations and corporations based in Florida will participate in the Florida Pavilion at the Farnborough International Air Show:

• AAXICO (Miami): Worldwide distributor of factory–new commercial aircraft parts; headquartered in Miami, with facilities in England, South Africa, China and Singapore.
• Aerospace Engineering Group (Miami): AEG group is Summit Aerospace, Air Ops, Avionics International, Innovative Technologies, AEG–Europe and CIMA Aeronautics; specializing in sales, repair and overhaul of engine accessories, avionics, power generation, hydraulic components, flight controls, gearboxes and landing gears.
• AeroThrust Corporation (Miami): World’s largest independent JT8D Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility, located at Miami International Airport; specializing on the JT8D and CFM56 engines, with sales/leasing and engineering support.
• Aircraft Transparencies Repair (Hialeah): FAA authorized Repair Station, specializing in MRO of windshields and windows; servicing commercial, cargo and regional airlines, corporate, general aviation, helicopter and military markets. FAA patented processes.
• Associated Aircraft Manufacturing and Sales, Inc.(Ft. Lauderdale): Spare part assembly and repair; manufactures avionics, electronics, and airframe parts; FAA approved Repair Station.
• DSE International Marketing Group, LLC (Orlando): Manufactures precision metal components; one of two Prime contractors for U.S. Army’s multi–year system contract for 40mm munitions.
• Economic Development Council of Okaloosa County (Ft. Walton): Focuses on existing industry expansion, workforce development, and target-industry recruiting.
• Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast (Rockledge): Dedicated to creating value–added jobs in Brevard County by providing assistance to companies looking to expand and by attracting new manufacturing and high tech companies.
• Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (Daytona): World’s largest, fully accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace; educating more than 30,000 students annually in undergraduate and graduate programs at campuses around the world.
• Enterprise Florida (Orlando): Florida’s leading economic development organization
• Florida’s Great Northwest Inc. (Destin): Home to six aviation–related military installations and more than 130 aerospace companies and defense contractors, this high–growth region offers your company unique site location and expansion opportunities.
• High Standard Aviation, Inc.(Miami): Specializes in generators, starters, and hydraulics for all commercial jets & regional aircrafts.
• Jacksonville Aviation Authority (Jacksonville): Owns and operates four public service airports in Duval County; focusing on airport operations, facilities rental for manufacturing and MRO and provides airline related services to airlines operating at Jacksonville International Airport.
• Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce (Jacksonville): EDO of Northeast Florida; promotes aviation & aerospace industry development, including marketing Cecil Naval Air Station with its 12,500– and 8,000– foot runways for aviation, manufacturing and air cargo.
• JBT AeroTec (Orlando): Manufactures cargo loaders, passenger boarding bridges, and ground support systems worldwide; supplies the US Air Force with the MB–2 aircraft tow tractor and Halvorsen loader (USAF selection for the Next Generation Small Loader).
• Kaman Precision Products (Orlando): Manufactures arming devices for worldwide applications on penetration bombs, missiles, rockets and 40mm ammunition; sole provider of the FMU–152 Joint Programmable Fuze used to penetrate unitary warheads.
• Loos & Company, Inc. (Naples): Manufactures hardware and fittings for wire rope, cable swaging machinery, tools, and accessories, serving the aftermarket aircraft industry.
• PhotoTelesis (Subsidiary of Symetrics Technology Group, Melbourne): Provides digital imaging, data communications and digital–video recording products for the US government and abroad, including Lightweight Video Reconnaissance Systems (LVRS)
• Precision Alliance Company (Brooksville): Provides resources to relocate/expand to Florida’s low cost Precision Coast; finding/training skilled multi–axis operations, set–up and programming personnel as well as relocation assistance.
• RAF Tabtronics LLC (Deland): Produces advanced electromagnetic technologies for the world’s leading power technology companies in defense electronics, homeland security, medical electronics, aerospace, data management, and other high technology sectors.
• Sebring Regional Airport (Sebring): 1,770 acre airport and commercial campus in South/Central Florida; fully operational Foreign Trade Zone with the only Community Redevelopment Agency and commercial campus on an airport in Florida.
• Segers Aero Corporation (Crestview): Repair and Overhaul center providing support services for military and commercial customers; business bases in Europe, the Middle East, South East Asia and the United States.
• Sonalysts, Inc.(Orlando, Panama City): Makes Xstation command and control software for integrated weather data with flight planning, flight tracking and air navigation.
• Space Florida (Cape Canaveral): Economic development entity for Florida’s aviation and aerospace industries.
• Symetrics Industries, Inc. (Melbourne): Electronics product support and contracting for large defense contractors. Prime contractor for the Improved Data Modem (IDM) Digital Data Link system and the Chaff and Flare Dispenser System (AN/ALE47).