New Airport- all it's hyped to be?

Do you know if it's true that Fedex or UPS bought land adjacent to the new airport?

For what it is worth, a FEDEX employee told me that Fedex is planning on making it a distribution point. I assume they are going to close the one in Lynn Haven. FEDEX Ground opened one in Crestview not to long ago.

I have not seen anything to prove the rumor about Fed Ex locating a major hub in the area. Fed Ex CEO is very familiar with this area, as he bought a big house in The Retreat, two years ago. I see no actual proof of Fed Ex's hand, but it is somewhat unlikely that they would purchase any property in their own name, as doing so may become a negotiating tool for the seller.

However, I remember seeing that UPS had bought a large parcel on Steele Field Road, which feeds into Hwy 79.

I have not seen anything to prove the rumor about Fed Ex locating a major hub in the area. Fed Ex CEO is very familiar with this area, as he bought a big house in The Retreat, two years ago. I see no actual proof of Fed Ex's hand, but it is somewhat unlikely that they would purchase any property in their own name, as doing so may become a negotiating tool for the seller.

However, I remember seeing that UPS had bought a large parcel on Steele Field Road, which feeds into Hwy 79.

I don't know how you keep up with it all. Thanks

The rumor of FedEx and UPS has been going around for a while. While some don't see the point it is a great jumping point to central and south america. It probably wouldn't happen for some time though if at all.

With rocketing prices of oil, it won't take long for UPS and Fed Ex to realize the cost savings of buying a fleet of Boeing Airbus 380E jets, which are able to fly half way around the world on a tank of gas. They are many times for fuel efficient than the current jets being used. Take that half way point around the globe and you find Singapore, which is a major hub for Asia. Looks like they also have an airport which can handle the landings and takeoffs of the Airbus 380E. As I can find no orders of the jet by Fed Ex, there is still a lack of proof, but it only makes sense, even more so, since the the price of fuel has increased tremendously over the last year.

Stretching it? Maybe, but that is good reason to back the rumor as to why they would open in West Bay area.

I don't think your strectching it at all, but keep in mind that regardless the price of fuel, FedEX was laughed at when they started. Who would pay a premium for overnight?

If you're talking about developing a new major cargo transit point, my question comes down to what the new PCB airport can offer that existing facilities cannot. It's not the 50s or 60s. In terms of cargo network development, the low-hanging fruit was long ago picked. It's not enough to offer to build the infrasturcture. There's already a good infrastructure in place in a dozen other spots in the Southeast.

What the area would need to do is convince one of the big players that what they can offer is both better and more cost effective than existing operations in Tampa, Miami, Memphis, New Orleans, or Mobile. All of those locations have significant national or international cargo operations.

What is the comprable advantage PC can offer? And is it enough to relocate the big player away from its current location where it is close to far more end users than what you'd find in PC? Both Tampa and Miami have major end user infrastructure in place, and those kinds of international Americas trade companies like having a hub nearby and don't want to have to deal with a hub several hundred miles away.

The only advantage I see is that the new airport might be far enough in the boonies that they can get away with 24 hour cargo flights when many other major trade points have a midnight to 6:00am curfew because of noise concerns in surrounding communities.

Can anyone more familiar with the site and airplane profiles give info on noise patterns associated with the new airport? Are we talking take off and landing patterns that are projected to be close to or relatively far away from current and projected development?

I can't comment on the patterns, but I can comment on the aircraft type. The two big players, UPS and FedEx, have the following aircraft type at their disposal...

FedEx:
Airbus A300, Airbus A310, ATR 42/72, B757, DC10, MD11
UPS: A300, B747, B757, B767, MD11

Of those 8 aircraft types, only the ATR42/72 and a lightly loaded 757 can use the new airport. The weights on all the other aircraft are greater than the design limits for the new runways and taxiways (300,000lbs is the weight limit of the new airport infrastructure).
The A380 doesn't even enter into the equation obviously because of its weight but also because of its wheelbase and the size of the runways and taxiways required to handle it. The turning radius is designed for a taxiway with a minimum width of 125ft. The new airport has 75ft taxiways.
Everything you could possibly want to know about the new airport is here
http://pcairport.pbsjis.com/
There's a lot to techno jargon in there if you don't want to read it, but here's the bottom line. The critical aircraft type that the new airport is designed around is an Airbus A319/320. That's not a big airplane. A total redesign of the runway and taxiways would have to take place before the big birds could fly into there...

Last week I made my first visit to the PC airport - definitely see why people want a new airport at a new location!

I was there to pick up folks arriving via private plane, which seems a great alternative to commercial travel - on your schedule and I got to drive right onto the tarmac to pick up luggage.

With all of the current woes w/ commercial air travel, are we going to see more people choosing to travel this way?

With all of the current woes w/ commercial air travel, are we going to see more people choosing to travel this way?

You already are. It's called fractional ownership!

Last week I made my first visit to the PC airport - definitely see why people want a new airport at a new location!

I was there to pick up folks arriving via private plane, which seems a great alternative to commercial travel - on your schedule and I got to drive right onto the tarmac to pick up luggage.

With all of the current woes w/ commercial air travel, are we going to see more people choosing to travel this way?

That's quite interesting that you got to drive onto the tarmac. Lord knows a 1/2 gallon of shampoo is a terrorist threat, but a small car on a tarmac eh. :roll:

It's a different tarmac and I had a golf cart escort once they opened the gate, but it was uber cool!

Especially because Mom took full advantage of not having any luggage restrictions so I got delivery of several pieces of artwork, silverware, lots of birthday presents, and some fresh fruit! :rofl:

It's a different tarmac and I had a golf cart escort once they opened the gate, but it was uber cool!

Especially because Mom took full advantage of not having any luggage restrictions so I got delivery of several pieces of artwork, silverware, lots of birthday presents, and some fresh fruit! :rofl:

Oh well with a golf cart escort I'd feel much safer. :funn:

Just curious though if you would have been able to get to the main tarmac. Just seems like kinda lax security.

I was just saying that they had someone monitoring me!

Realistically, the Scootermobile wasn't going to be able to do anything/bring anything in that someone landing a private plan couldn't in terms of security issues.

I was just saying that they had someone monitoring me!

Was the golf cart guy packing heat?


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Was the golf cart guy packing heat?


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It probably looked like this:



:

Orlando Airport Projects Postponed

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-airport2908jul29,0,657671.story

Interesting.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-airport2908jul29,0,657671.story

Interesting.

what's the tie from one of the busiest airports in the nation to the construction of a new airport??

I think the tie-in was that existing airports are delaying renovations/additions and losing flights, so the new airport might not be the best idea or have carriers scrambling to add flights and staff to it like we've been told.

If you consider adding infrastructure to your community controversial, then maybe you can justify negative posts about a huge airport built almost 30 years ago to accommodate Disney. The cuts are due to fuel prices. Disney et al. are raising ticket prices as they have never been busier.

I really wish the Atlanta newspapers online searches went back to the 60's, I would bet it's nothing but negative letters to the editor regarding the ill advised new airport. Also I'm not really worried about what Orlando (isn't that spanish for urban sprawl?) is doing. Seems to me they would go ahead with those plans since the Euro to dollar seems to be attracting Europeans in droves.

Not really comparing like to like there.

I've got memories of the old Orlando airport, and fuzzy as they are, I can clearly remember how it was bursting at the seams- total wall to wall people, security lines all the way around the concourse because they were too many people and so little room to screen them.

At the time they got approval for a new terminal, they were already handling 5 million passengers a year. Panama City-Bay County sees something like 400,000.

As for Atlanta, there was a clear need for a major transit point somewhere in the Southeast at the time. Now, I'm not sure what PC has to offer that isn't already being handled by existing airports and ports. Tampa and Miami are huge, well-established ports serving a lot of Americas business. Atlanta, Miami, Memphis, Louisville, etc. handle air passengers and cargo.

Where's the underserved need? What can Bay County do that Miami can't?

i love to sprawl on weekends...

Not really comparing like to like there.

I've got memories of the old Orlando airport, and fuzzy as they are, I can clearly remember how it was bursting at the seams- total wall to wall people, security lines all the way around the concourse because they were too many people and so little room to screen them.

At the time they got approval for a new terminal, they were already handling 5 million passengers a year. Panama City-Bay County sees something like 400,000.

As for Atlanta, there was a clear need for a major transit point somewhere in the Southeast at the time. Now, I'm not sure what PC has to offer that isn't already being handled by existing airports and ports. Tampa and Miami are huge, well-established ports serving a lot of Americas business. Atlanta, Miami, Memphis, Louisville, etc. handle air passengers and cargo.

Where's the underserved need? What can Bay County do that Miami can't?

so infrastructure should be provided in a reactive manner?

Infrastructure dollars are finite, and should be allocated in such a way that the government gets the best possible return on its investment. For the cost of the new airport, you can build a lot of limited access highway miles and extensions of current water/sewer grid to areas opened up for higher density development.