Updates about Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (NWFBIA)

[Kurt]

we were out on a boat south of Panama city the other day and watching a commercial jet with limited markings make runs north toward the airport and then pull up and come around and do it all over again? each time it would put down it's landing gear and then swing way out over the gulf and come back round. I kept thinking that all those golfers in Bay Point will be pissed off pretty fast!
if i was a betting man they are trying to see when/where the jets have to be on their flight path for landing procedure? Dry Runs on the runways possibly?

Probably part of FAA testing going on.

 

[GoodWitch58]

Finch says he'll walk from airport project | west, bay - Breaking News - The News Herald

Phoenix Construction president says he won't fix stormwater system problem

 

[Will B]

we were out on a boat south of Panama city the other day and watching a commercial jet with limited markings make runs north toward the airport and then pull up and come around and do it all over again? each time it would put down it's landing gear and then swing way out over the gulf and come back round. I kept thinking that all those golfers in Bay Point will be pissed off pretty fast!
if i was a betting man they are trying to see when/where the jets have to be on their flight path for landing procedure? Dry Runs on the runways possibly?

The FAA has a fleet of aircraft that they use to test the instrument landing systems at airports to make sure that they (A) work and (B) are accurate within the standards that are used to certify. They do this by shooting approaches down to the minimums and then going around. Typically, they never land at the airport. They are also validating the approach plates that show missed approach procedures.

The FAA's planes are typically light blue and white.

 

[Kurt]

Piloting Growth in NW Fla. - Northwest Fla. Beaches International Airport - from Florida Trend, Florida's Source For Business News

Set to open late this month, the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport is already showing promise as the economic catalyst that business leaders want for the region.

Janet Watermeier, executive director of the Bay County Economic Development Alliance, says one company, Coast WET of California, has already moved its headquarters to the area; two others are considering airport locations. "We're out in the market now talking to real estate and corporate executives," says Kevin Johnson, St. Joe vice president for economic development.



St. Joe itself is moving its headquarters to a site adjacent to the airport, relocating from its 75-year home in Jacksonville. The new headquarters, scheduled for completion by summer 2011, will also consolidate offices from Tallahassee, Port St. Joe and south Walton County.
Business leaders predict the airport eventually will form the nucleus of an entire new central business district. The facility also will help capture tourists from far outside the southeast market and lead to a surge in industrial development, they say. "It will be an airport city," says airport director Randy Curtis.



The airport, Florida's newest, encompasses 1,300 acres and a 130,000-sq.-ft. terminal, both twice the dimensions of the airport it replaces, and with room to grow. Service will include first-time daily non-stop flights to Houston, Nashville, Baltimore and Orlando by prized new connector Southwest Airlines.



"This will allow us to reach audiences that can come and experience Panama City Beach for the first time," says Bay County Tourist Development Council executive director Dan Rowe. Bay County and the Beaches of South Walton Tourist Development Council together have pledged more than $3 million per year from a fifth penny on bed taxes for use in joint marketing with low-fare airlines, 90% dedicated to Southwest.



The airport's West Bay site is part of 75,000 untapped acres owned by St. Joe Co., of which 40,000 acres are designated for preservation and more than 33,000 programmed for development; 1,000 acres are targeted to be occupant-ready within two years. Runway proximity gives the site appeal for aerospace, transportation and logistics industries.



Altogether, says Johnson, "I don't think there's another asset in our region remotely close to what we have."

Plans call for the airport to eventually form the nucleus of a new central business district.

 

[Kurt]

Free tickets are available for the May 22 community grand opening celebration of the new Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport.


Event coordinator Tammala Spencer said the day-long event will be free and open to the public, but tickets will be required. They will be available at several locations throughout Bay County, as well as one location in Walton County.
“We want to have as firm a count as we can of how many people will be coming,” Spencer said Thursday.

Spencer said the celebration, to be held at the new airport near West Bay just north of County 388, will include local and regional bands, including two local high school bands, food and drink vendors and tours of the new airport terminal building.
A grand opening ribbon-cutting will be held sometime between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. that Saturday, Spencer said. The first plane will land on the new 10,000-runway, although Spencer would not say whether it would be Southwest Airlines or Delta Air Lines, the carriers that will operate from the new airport. Water cannons will be deployed as part of the celebration, she said.

The first day of routine passenger operations for the new $318 million airport is set for May 23, with the first flight — a Southwest flight to Orlando — scheduled to depart at 7:25 a.m., according to Southwest’s website.

“We hope everyone comes and helps us celebrate,” she said.
A free parking pass for May 22 can be downloaded from the Web site North West Florida – Northwest Florida Airport & Map Northwest Florida.
​

 

[Kurt]

Free tickets are available for the May 22 community grand opening celebration of the new Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport.


Event coordinator Tammala Spencer said the day-long event will be free and open to the public, but tickets will be required. They will be available at several locations throughout Bay County, as well as one location in Walton County.
?We want to have as firm a count as we can of how many people will be coming,? Spencer said Thursday.

Spencer said the celebration, to be held at the new airport near West Bay just north of County 388, will include local and regional bands, including two local high school bands, food and drink vendors and tours of the new airport terminal building.
A grand opening ribbon-cutting will be held sometime between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. that Saturday, Spencer said. The first plane will land on the new 10,000-runway, although Spencer would not say whether it would be Southwest Airlines or Delta Air Lines, the carriers that will operate from the new airport. Water cannons will be deployed as part of the celebration, she said.

The first day of routine passenger operations for the new $318 million airport is set for May 23, with the first flight ? a Southwest flight to Orlando ? scheduled to depart at 7:25 a.m., according to Southwest?s website.

?We hope everyone comes and helps us celebrate,? she said.
A free parking pass for May 22 can be downloaded from the Web site North West Florida – Northwest Florida Airport & Map Northwest Florida.
​

 

[Kurt]

Airport chairman: no “deal breaker” on the horizon | horizon, airport, west - News - The News Herald

With less than two weeks to go, Airport Authority board chairman Joe Tannehill said the planned May 23 opening of the new Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport is moving forward with no “deal breakers” on the horizon.

“I think as far as Delta goes, and as far as Southwest goes, and as far as the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) goes, and as far as the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) goes, everything that needs to be done is in good hands,” Tannehill said Monday.


Jeff Dealy of KBR, program manager for the airport relocation project, said one decisive milestone will be a final TSA inspection next week of the fencing and badging (area-access) system. The TSA already has approved the facility’s $4 million baggage-handling system.
FAA officials were at the site Friday and the airport is expected to receive a crucial commercial service certification this week, Dealy said. That certification involves a check of employee training and documentation, aircraft rescue and firefighting procedures and a review of the airport’s emergency plans.


Tannehill said the ticket counters, security, rental car counters and other crucial components “will all be completed and ready for business” by the planned opening.

 

[Kurt]

The Panama City Bay County Airport and Industrial District (Airport Authority) today announced that Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport has received its Part 139 Airport Operating Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration. The new airport is scheduled to begin service Sunday, May 23.

?This is a significant milestone in the development of Northwest Florida?s newest airport,? said Airport Authority Chairman Joe Tannehill. ?We want to thank our partners at the FAA in helping us to ensure that the new Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport meets all federal aviation safety requirements. This is indeed great news.?


As part of the certification process, FAA inspectors tested the new airport?s 10,000-foot runway, instrument landing equipment, navigational system, runway lighting and air traffic control tower. FAA air traffic controllers are now training in the control tower in preparation of the May 23rd opening.


Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport is still awaiting final approval from the Transportation Security Administration and a Certificate of Occupancy from Bay County for the 125,000-square-foot passenger terminal.


In other action today, the Airport Authority agreed to lease space at the new airport to Thrifty Car Rental. That brings to six the number of car rental companies that will be operating in the new airport. The others are: Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz and National.


The $318-million Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport is the first commercial-service international airport built in the U.S. in the past 15 years. The new airport and its 10,000-foot runway are built on approximately 1,300 acres of a 4,000-acre site. The 125,000-square-foot passenger terminal features seven gates, two restaurants, two retail shops and six car rental ticketing counters.


Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines will offer daily nonstop service to Atlanta, Memphis, Orlando, Cincinnati, Houston, Baltimore and Nashville.

 

[Kurt]

Anyone going to the grand opening today? Flying tomorrow?

Saturday, May 22 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m

Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport, the first commercial international airport to be built in the U.S. in past 15 years, begins operations Sunday, May 23. To celebrate this historic event, a ribbon-cutting grand opening celebration will be held this Saturday, May 22. The event is open to the public, and will feature live music, F-15 flyover, speeches and the arrival of the first Southwest Airlines plane.

 

[Matt J]

The Heat, my god the HEAT!

Seriously though, we arrived around 8:30AM. The festivities kicked off around 11AM with a very well choreographed Flash Mob. That was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and an incredibly well timed fly over of 3 F-15's. Lots of speakers followed by a ribbon cutting and another perfectly timed flyover of a F-22 by a native of Bay County and Bay County High School graduate. The feeding frenzy of media getting interviews with politicians began and it was time to go find liquid refreshment. Hung out until 1:40 when the Southwest flight arrived, Bay High School Band played "The Final Countdown" as it landed, and watched as it taxied through a perfect arch of water. One woman near us actually started crying. We ran up to the gate area to see the Southwest employees deplane. The first thing off was a camera crew, perhaps we'll see ourselves on the Southwest reality show?

I was overall impressed. While not huge it is a very large airport for our area and just the idea of flying on a Delta airplane instead of ASA is exciting. The art decorating the terminal is from only 3 artists and two of them call South Walton home. Congrats to Justin Gaffery and Teresa Cline!

I'll be happy to answer questions, but I'm whipped and need a nap.