A proposal for the Jacksonville Aviation Authority to spend $30 million expanding an aircraft mechanic training program at Cecil Airport has turned into a dispute over FAA spending rules and the authority’s role in aviation workforce development. Jacksonville City Councilman Nick Howland presented the airport funding proposal for Florida State College at Jacksonville’s aviation maintenance program, later scaling the request back to $10 million, according to The Florida Times-Union and The Florida Trib.
The proposal included lab equipment, hangar updates, furniture, personnel and equipment maintenance. Howland has said the expansion is needed to support aviation tenants at Cecil, a former Navy base on Jacksonville’s Westside with one of the longest runways on the East Coast. He has also pushed JAA to help secure hangar space for the program and seek a direct FAA review of what support the authority can legally provide.
JAA officials have said they support workforce development but must comply with federal restrictions on the use of airport revenue. FAA officials previously told the authority its role may be limited to providing hangar space at reduced rental rates, according to the Times-Union. JAA met with FSCJ officials in May and offered to help the college pursue FAA grants, while FSCJ has said additional hangar space at Cecil would be needed to add aircraft and training equipment.
The disagreement has also produced pointed exchanges between Howland and JAA officials. Board member Andy Hofheimer said in a May email that he shared Howland’s goal of expanding mechanic training, but objected to his approach.
“But Nick — you need to let more of JAA work continue without the overt intimidation and threats I’ve heard directly come out of your mouth, in public, and in private,” Hofheimer wrote, according to the The Florida Trib. “At this point, it’s pervasive, and I hear it as harassment.”
Howland denied trying to force JAA to violate FAA rules and said the authority was mischaracterizing his position.
“It’s deeply disappointing that the Board has let JAA leadership ignore me … and also to continue to spread these false accusations that I am trying to force them to violate FAA revenue diversion law,” Howland wrote, according to Florida Trib. “That’s incorrect.”
0 replies