Aviation View | Volume 2, Issue 1

189 AVIATION VIEW VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1 FORT LAUDERDALE , FLOR IDA AND FXE Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE) Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE) is located on 1,000 acres in the heart of the city’s Uptown Business District, just minutes from downtown. Owned and operated by the City of Fort Lauderdale, the Airport oversees the administration of land leases, development of airport property, as well as operates, maintains, and promotes the Executive Airport, Airport Industrial Airpark, and the Fort Lauderdale Downtown Helistop (DT1), which serves as a multimodal connection to and from the downtown business area. Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport serves a variety of general aviation needs including aircraft refueling and parking, corporate aviation, air ambulance, air charter, maintenance, avionics, flight training, and aircraft refurbishing. FXE also features an array of outstanding amenities including a 24-hour FAA Air Traffic Control Tower, U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility, 24-hour Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting services, 24-hour airport security, a Fort Lauderdale Police Substation, and four Fixed- Base Operators (FBOs). FXE is designated by the FAA as a general aviation reliever airport to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. A large asset at FXE, Makers Air is the premier airline with daily Bahamas flights from Fort Lauderdale Executive. Their goal is to “connect passengers to paradise, crafting a flight experience that brings reliable, memorable, and convenient getaways.” The state-of-the-art Makers Air facility welcomes passengers to relax before taking a casual stroll to one of their well- appointed planes. According to the Florida Department of Transportation’s 2019 Statewide Economic Impact Study, the Executive Airport supports 12,708 jobs, with a payroll of $578,721,000 benefiting the local economy. Fort Lauderdale Mayor, Dean Trantalis, reports, “We initiated a program two years ago with Atlantic Technical College to create a workforce program for apprenticeships and job opportunities for people in the avionics industry. FXE is our own private airport, and there is a huge demand for mechanics and pilots and people from all levels of employment in that industry. So we have a waiting list to get into the program now.” Indeed, the City of Fort Lauderdale and FXE benefit each other and the local economy in a myriad of ways. Long may they soar!