...The gathering in October in Bay Minette, Ala., seemed at times like a pep
rally as speaker after speaker talked about the tanker contest pitting Boeing
against the Northrop Grumman/EADS team. The message was clear:
Northrop/EADS – and by virtue of that, Mobile, Ala. – would again win the
contest.
...The jury, of course, is still out on the $40 billion Air Force tanker contest.
In fact, Northrop in early December threatened to pull out of the competition
altogether on grounds the requirements are tilted in Boeing’s favor. But no
matter how the tanker fight ends, the gathering marked an escalation in the
region’s bid to become an aerospace powerhouse.
...Call it the mobilization of the Gulf Coast.
...The October event was to announce the formation of the Aerospace
Alliance, a public/private organization designed to promote a four-state region’
s aerospace capabilities. The 501(c)(6) group says it will advocate for policies,
programs and specific projects on the local, state and national level to enhance
growth of the aerospace sector.
...With formation of the Aerospace Alliance, there are now at least five
regional initiatives focusing on aerospace in the region. The efforts vary in
scope, agenda and method, but share the common theme of telling the Gulf
Coast aerospace story.
...And that’s good, says George Freeland, executive director of the Jackson
County Economic Development Foundation. He’s been involved for years in
cooperative projects focusing on the aerospace region, and sees the state-level
effort as a natural progression.
...“Multi-state regionalism has expanded and increased in scope, particularly in
the aerospace sector,” said Freeland. “It is extraordinarily important. It
demonstrates a continued evolution of the region. It wasn’t all that long ago
that South Mississippi wasn’t even connecting its own dots.”
Mississippi efforts
...Six counties from the Mississippi Gulf Coast Alliance for Economic
Development have been “connecting the dots” through a regional aerospace
program for nearly four years now.
...In May 2006 the group launched a Web site, Mississippi Gulf Coast
Aerospace Corridor, which highlights aerospace activities in South Mississippi
and the broader Gulf Coast. In the summer of 2010 it will publish the fifth
edition of an annual 50-page reference book. They also have sites and books
on shipbuilding, advanced materials, marine science and geospatial
technologies - and a quarterly sci-tech newsletter.
...That they found common ground is remarkable, considering the five sectors
do not impact them equally. Though each member of a regional group
naturally places a priority on jobs in its own back yard, this group concluded
they all benefits in the larger scheme of things.
...“Our Gulf Coast Alliance has matured. It’s evolved to a point that it’s
intelligent, thoughtful, and pursues meaningful regional cooperation. We have
taken it upon ourselves to document and create an inventory and promote the
region in a meaningful way. We will continue to do that,” said Freeland.
...Since the group’s aerospace Web site was launched, other initiatives have
launched. In Mobile there’s the Mobile County Commission’s “Keep Our
Tanker” project, notable for mustering regional support for Northrop’s tanker
bid. In Northwest Florida there’s the three-county Gulf Coast Aerospace and
Defense Coalition, designed to promote Northwest Florida as a location for
aerospace companies.
...There’s also the Stennis-Michoud Aerospace Corridor Alliance, formed by
the office of Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana, which is exploring ways to
promote Stennis Space Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility in New
Orleans. There’s also privately run Gulf Coast Aerospace Corridor Web site,
which highlights aerospace news and data from New Orleans to Northwest
Florida.
...Freeland doesn’t see the other initiatives as competition, but rather as an
indication of the growing understanding that aerospace is important for the
region’s future. Creation of the Aerospace Alliance is just another step up the
regional ladder from the more local levels.
Getting the word out
...Alabama Gov. Bob Riley sees the Aerospace Alliance as a way to tell the
South’s aerospace story. In his remarks during the Bay Minette event, Riley
alluded to the sometimes negative comments made about the region by Boeing
supporters.
...“Last year taught us something: While we all know about our long tradition
of aerospace excellence and the quality and skill sets of our work force,
obviously some parts of the country might not be aware. We are going to
educate them,” he said.
...Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour reiterated the publicity aspect, saying the
group “will go far in promoting our region for what it is – one of the largest
aerospace corridors in the world and a great place for companies in this sector
to do business.”
...According to its Web site, the Aerospace Alliance’s mission is “to establish
the Southeast region as a world-class aerospace and aviation corridor.” It says
members share the goal “of promoting the region’s common assets and long-
standing tradition of excellence in the aerospace industry to take advantage of
opportunities to grow the sector in the region.”
...There’s little doubt the South and Gulf Coast are on the radar of the
aerospace industry, and have been for quite some time. If there’s any group
that isn’t aware, it may be politicians and the general public.
...It’s a good bet the formation of the Aerospace Alliance was noted by the
Pacific Northwest. Not only has Washington been in a dogfight with Alabama
for the tanker project, but it has a broader concern about the South in general.
Boeing’s decision to set up a second assembly line for the 787 in South
Carolina has caused concern, and this just adds to the grief.
...The Aerospace Alliance seems to be a work in progress. At this writing,
members are the states of Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana. Florida isn’t a
member, but an economic group of 16 counties in the Panhandle, Florida’s
Great Northwest, is.
...Neal Wade, director of the Alabama Development Office and the chief
contact for the Aerospace Alliance, said he hopes that at some point all of
Florida will be involved. As he sees it, the group is an umbrella organization
interested in aerospace activities in any of the four states. But for now, the
focus is on winning the tanker.
...“The thing that’s on the front burner is the tanker,” said Wade, adding that
the group wants to ensure the tanker competition is fair. “We also recognize
that, were we to win, it’s an important cornerstone.”
...The project would bring thousands of direct/indirect jobs to the region, and
lead to the assembly of Airbus freighters. With the tanker program, the Gulf
Coast would be one of the few locations in the world that build large-body
aircraft.
...But win or lose, Wade said the group will have a life beyond that. - David
Tortorano
January 2010
rally as speaker after speaker talked about the tanker contest pitting Boeing
against the Northrop Grumman/EADS team. The message was clear:
Northrop/EADS – and by virtue of that, Mobile, Ala. – would again win the
contest.
...The jury, of course, is still out on the $40 billion Air Force tanker contest.
In fact, Northrop in early December threatened to pull out of the competition
altogether on grounds the requirements are tilted in Boeing’s favor. But no
matter how the tanker fight ends, the gathering marked an escalation in the
region’s bid to become an aerospace powerhouse.
...Call it the mobilization of the Gulf Coast.
...The October event was to announce the formation of the Aerospace
Alliance, a public/private organization designed to promote a four-state region’
s aerospace capabilities. The 501(c)(6) group says it will advocate for policies,
programs and specific projects on the local, state and national level to enhance
growth of the aerospace sector.
...With formation of the Aerospace Alliance, there are now at least five
regional initiatives focusing on aerospace in the region. The efforts vary in
scope, agenda and method, but share the common theme of telling the Gulf
Coast aerospace story.
...And that’s good, says George Freeland, executive director of the Jackson
County Economic Development Foundation. He’s been involved for years in
cooperative projects focusing on the aerospace region, and sees the state-level
effort as a natural progression.
...“Multi-state regionalism has expanded and increased in scope, particularly in
the aerospace sector,” said Freeland. “It is extraordinarily important. It
demonstrates a continued evolution of the region. It wasn’t all that long ago
that South Mississippi wasn’t even connecting its own dots.”
Mississippi efforts
...Six counties from the Mississippi Gulf Coast Alliance for Economic
Development have been “connecting the dots” through a regional aerospace
program for nearly four years now.
...In May 2006 the group launched a Web site, Mississippi Gulf Coast
Aerospace Corridor, which highlights aerospace activities in South Mississippi
and the broader Gulf Coast. In the summer of 2010 it will publish the fifth
edition of an annual 50-page reference book. They also have sites and books
on shipbuilding, advanced materials, marine science and geospatial
technologies - and a quarterly sci-tech newsletter.
...That they found common ground is remarkable, considering the five sectors
do not impact them equally. Though each member of a regional group
naturally places a priority on jobs in its own back yard, this group concluded
they all benefits in the larger scheme of things.
...“Our Gulf Coast Alliance has matured. It’s evolved to a point that it’s
intelligent, thoughtful, and pursues meaningful regional cooperation. We have
taken it upon ourselves to document and create an inventory and promote the
region in a meaningful way. We will continue to do that,” said Freeland.
...Since the group’s aerospace Web site was launched, other initiatives have
launched. In Mobile there’s the Mobile County Commission’s “Keep Our
Tanker” project, notable for mustering regional support for Northrop’s tanker
bid. In Northwest Florida there’s the three-county Gulf Coast Aerospace and
Defense Coalition, designed to promote Northwest Florida as a location for
aerospace companies.
...There’s also the Stennis-Michoud Aerospace Corridor Alliance, formed by
the office of Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana, which is exploring ways to
promote Stennis Space Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility in New
Orleans. There’s also privately run Gulf Coast Aerospace Corridor Web site,
which highlights aerospace news and data from New Orleans to Northwest
Florida.
...Freeland doesn’t see the other initiatives as competition, but rather as an
indication of the growing understanding that aerospace is important for the
region’s future. Creation of the Aerospace Alliance is just another step up the
regional ladder from the more local levels.
Getting the word out
...Alabama Gov. Bob Riley sees the Aerospace Alliance as a way to tell the
South’s aerospace story. In his remarks during the Bay Minette event, Riley
alluded to the sometimes negative comments made about the region by Boeing
supporters.
...“Last year taught us something: While we all know about our long tradition
of aerospace excellence and the quality and skill sets of our work force,
obviously some parts of the country might not be aware. We are going to
educate them,” he said.
...Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour reiterated the publicity aspect, saying the
group “will go far in promoting our region for what it is – one of the largest
aerospace corridors in the world and a great place for companies in this sector
to do business.”
...According to its Web site, the Aerospace Alliance’s mission is “to establish
the Southeast region as a world-class aerospace and aviation corridor.” It says
members share the goal “of promoting the region’s common assets and long-
standing tradition of excellence in the aerospace industry to take advantage of
opportunities to grow the sector in the region.”
...There’s little doubt the South and Gulf Coast are on the radar of the
aerospace industry, and have been for quite some time. If there’s any group
that isn’t aware, it may be politicians and the general public.
...It’s a good bet the formation of the Aerospace Alliance was noted by the
Pacific Northwest. Not only has Washington been in a dogfight with Alabama
for the tanker project, but it has a broader concern about the South in general.
Boeing’s decision to set up a second assembly line for the 787 in South
Carolina has caused concern, and this just adds to the grief.
...The Aerospace Alliance seems to be a work in progress. At this writing,
members are the states of Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana. Florida isn’t a
member, but an economic group of 16 counties in the Panhandle, Florida’s
Great Northwest, is.
...Neal Wade, director of the Alabama Development Office and the chief
contact for the Aerospace Alliance, said he hopes that at some point all of
Florida will be involved. As he sees it, the group is an umbrella organization
interested in aerospace activities in any of the four states. But for now, the
focus is on winning the tanker.
...“The thing that’s on the front burner is the tanker,” said Wade, adding that
the group wants to ensure the tanker competition is fair. “We also recognize
that, were we to win, it’s an important cornerstone.”
...The project would bring thousands of direct/indirect jobs to the region, and
lead to the assembly of Airbus freighters. With the tanker program, the Gulf
Coast would be one of the few locations in the world that build large-body
aircraft.
...But win or lose, Wade said the group will have a life beyond that. - David
Tortorano
January 2010
Aerospace/regionalism
Mobilizing the Gulf Coast
Mobilizing the Gulf Coast
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