JetBlue's Building Projects

[Juan Tugo]

From JetBlue's Press Releases Page(http://www.jetblue.com/learnmore/pressDetail.asp?newsId=194)

"JetBlue Selects Orlando International Airport For New Training Center And Maintenance/LiveTV Hangar

-- Low-Fare Airline's New Facilities to Cost Up to $160 Million and
Create More Than 150 Jobs --
New York, NY (August 6, 2003) -- JetBlue Airways (Nasdaq: JBLU) today announced that Orlando International Airport, FL will be the location for its first flight training center and a new hangar for aircraft maintenance and LiveTV installation and maintenance. The new facilities, which will cover 150,000 square feet, and associated training equipment are expected to require a capital investment of up to $160 million and to create more than 150 jobs in Orlando.

JetBlue's new training center will encompass an 80,000 square foot building with the capacity for eight flight simulators and two cabin simulators, plus classrooms, cabin crew training equipment, a training pool, a fire-fighting training station and administration areas. JetBlue will use this new facility for the initial and continuous training of all JetBlue pilots and inflight crew, plus support training for its technical operations and customer service crew. Construction of the training center is scheduled to be completed in late 2005.

The low-fare carrier's new maintenance hangar will cover approximately 70,000 square feet and have the capacity to accommodate three Airbus A320 aircraft. The hangar, which is expected to be completed by early 2005, will be used for aircraft maintenance as well as the installation and maintenance of the airline's LiveTV inflight satellite television system. LiveTV is the wholly owned subsidiary of JetBlue that provides the inflight satellite television system available on all JetBlue aircraft.

"Building on our long-standing partnership with the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, Governor Bush, Mayor Buddy Dyer and County Chairman Rich Crotty have all stepped up to the plate to help take JetBlue's commitment to Central Florida to a new level," said Dave Barger, President and COO of JetBlue Airways. "We were also fortunate to have the support of a variety of community organizations such as the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission, Enterprise Florida, the University of Central Florida and Valencia Community College."

"JetBlue had a choice in where to locate their first-ever flight training center and maintenance hanger, and they picked Florida," said Governor Bush. "This is a major victory for Florida and Orlando as it lends to our efforts to diversify Florida's economy. These technology, training facilities, and jobs brought here by JetBlue only add to Orlando's reputation as the world's hub for simulation and modeling activities."

"As Mayor of Orlando, I am proud that JetBlue has selected the City of Orlando and Metro Orlando community for this expansion project. JetBlue assists the City and Metro Orlando community in our efforts to diversify our economy, create high paying jobs, and grow our simulation industry. The City of Orlando, in cooperation with Orange County and the State of Florida, looks forward to a long mutually beneficial partnership with JetBlue," said City of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer.

"This is excellent news! We are honored to have been selected by this great company as the location for their expansion. Working with Mayor Buddy Dyer and Governor Jeb Bush we believe we have responded to the company's needs while providing our citizens with great opportunities. JetBlue will become a great corporate partner and I am excited about the synergy this move will bring to the region," said Orange County Chairman Richard T. Crotty.

"We are very pleased that an industry leader like JetBlue has chosen Orlando International Airport and Central Florida to play an important role in their corporate business plan," said C.William Jennings, Executive Director Greater Orlando Aviation Authority. "Their commitment to excellence in customer service is an important value that we look for in business partners and speaks to Orlando's position in the aviation industry."

"This is a great day for Metro Orlando, and is another indication of our region's dominance in the modeling, simulation and training sector," said Ray Gilley, president and CEO of the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission. "We look forward to continuing to work with JetBlue as they grow and become an integral part of our community.""

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They are also supposed to be breaking ground on a new maintenance facility and corporate headquarters at JFK...
This is of course awesome news but is JetBlue really in a position to lay out this kind of cash all at once?
Just curious...

 

[Redtails]

It was bound to happen soon. Our contract with the Miami Airbus training center will be up in 2005, therefore, this will be a smooth transition for a very needed facility. Currently, the training is split between NYC and Miami. Bringing the training under one roof will actually save money in the long run. Additionally, LIVETV was in desperate need of a hangar to conduct their operations and it was only fitting that we killed two ducks with one stone. Financing this was aided by the numerous tax breaks Orange County and the City of Orlando provided JBLU to lure us to MCO. I'm looking forward to the "for sure" lunch/break room overlooking RWY 17R once the new runway's in operation!!!

 

[Falcon Jet 1]

People Express???

 

[dgs]

Anybody who thinks jetBlue is anything like People's Express doesn't know much about either company. Sure there are similarities, but there are more differences.

If you don't think Dave & David have carefully studied where People's Express, and a handful of other now defunct carriers, went wrong (so as to avoid making the same mistakes), then you don't know much about D&D, either. David's goal is to make jetBlue the most successful airline EVER! He has been thinking about how to do that since his Morris Air days and he has seen a lot of ways NOT to do things.