Aviation & Aerospace
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Bartow Executive Airport and Industrial Complex
Bartow Executive Airport and Industrial Complex is a true multi-modal hub offering freight, truck freight and air transportation all in one central location. Its strategic position, coupled with modern facilities, enables efficient transportation of goods and services to international markets offering diverse access options. It features four-lane highway frontage, three active runways and a railroad spur. The current inter-modal area spans about 40 acres, with approximately 5,114 linear feet of rail spurs and around 380,000 square feet of warehouse, distribution and shed facilities. According to the Airport Master Plan, the inter-modal center is set to expand to roughly 70 acres. A longterm concept plan, spanning 10 to 20 years, outlines potential developments for the inter-modal center, including rail spur realignments with additional and expanded rail spurs. The adjacent land can support an additional 260,000 square feet of warehouse distribution facilities.
The airport offers manufacturing sites and manages over 60 buildings with a variety of tenants including cold storage, water treatment facility, trucking, as well as county and state offices. According to the latest Florida Department of Transportation Economic Impact study of the Bartow Executive Airport and Industrial Complex, the airport and industrial park produced nearly 111.9 million dollars in goods and services in 2018. The center offers the advantages of metro airports without the heavy traffic. Maintaining a runway longer than 4k feet, the airport also has a flying school for flight training.
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Local Avionics and Education Programs
Locally, there are three international airports within 60 miles of Bartow; 3 other regional airports within Polk County; 2 space ports in Florida; and 12 flight academies within the state of Florida. Polk County’s expertise in aviation and aerospace spans nearly 5,300 employees at an average wage of $57,000 including 12 flight schools in the region.
Polk State College offers an A.S. in Professional Pilot Science, A.S. in Aerospace Administration and a B.S. in Aerospace Sciences. Students can earn additional certifications as Certified Flight Instructors, Certified Instrument Flight Instructors and/or Certified Multi-Engine Flight Instructors. Southeastern University offers affordable and accessible degrees that prepare professional pilots. A student who begins this program with zero flight hours will earn their Commercial Pilot Certificate with Instrument and Multi-Engine Rating, Flight Instructor Certificate, and AAS degree in Professional Piloting Traviss Technical College has programs in Avionics and Airframe Mechanics. Students can earn an FAA certification as Aviation Maintenance Technicians.
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