CAA: GA News, "Pilots can finally really relax at Florida airport's improved, fun terminal"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@cwnet.com>]

Monday, May 22, 2000

Soft Landing
Pilots can finally really relax at Herlong Airport's improved, fun terminal
Lisa R. Schoolcraft
The Business Journal of Jacksonville (FL)


By the end of June, pilots landing at Herlong Airport off Normandy Boulevard
will be able to sit in a lounge chair, shoot pool or relax in a rocking
chair on the front porch of the terminal area.

The Jacksonville Port Authority, which oversees Herlong, is finishing the
$250,000 in upgrades to the airport's 4,600-square-foot terminal, which
serves recreational pilots.

"All we had before was a lobby and a couple of restrooms," said Mark
Davidson, Herlong's business manager. "Now we're going to have a kitchen,
conference room, pilot's lounge, lobby and recreation/billiards room."

JPA officials also plan to issue a request for qualifications for a "mom and
pop" restaurant at Herlong, he said.

The upgrades are part of JPA's effort to draw more pilots to Herlong,
Davidson said.

Besides owning Herlong, JPA also functions as the airport's "fixed base
operator," or FBO, a role that includes selling jet fuel and providing air
traffic control.

"We took a tour of 10 different FBOs in Florida to get an idea of what we
wanted," Davidson said.

The state tax on fuel sales helped pay for the upgrades to the terminal,
Davidson said. The state Department of Transportation paid for half of the
upgrades with the tax money, he said. The JPA paid the other $125,000.

Besides Herlong, other airports operated by JPA include Jacksonville
International Airport for commercial airline flights, Craig Airport for
private corporate pilots, and the former Naval Air Station Cecil Field,
which the JPA and the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission are
redeveloping for aviation companies. Herlong is the smallest of the four
airports.

Herlong is the only Duval County airport in which JPA serves as the
fixed-base operator. AirKaman is the fixed base operator at JIA and Cecil
Field, now called Cecil Commerce Center. Two other companies are the fixed
base operators at Craig, Davidson said.

Herlong Airport employs 99 full-time employees and contributes $9 million
annually to the Jacksonville economy, according to a recent economic impact
study. About 140 aircraft are based at Herlong.


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