Cessna Aircraft Plans $29 Mil, 402,000-SF Expansion

ORLANDO-Cessna Aircraft’s maintenance and repair operations at Orlando International Airport are growing at such a fast clip the company needs more office and plant space to work on the 3,000 Cessna Citation aircraft flown in annually from the Southeast, the Caribbean and Latin America.

The jet manufacturer plans to break ground next year on a 148,000-sf office and hangar building on 13 acres near Tradeport Drive at Orlando International Airport. The company will also build a 200,000-sf surface apron for maintenance. In the works for later is the construction of another 54,000-sf building on an adjacent four-acre parcel.

The entire expansion is budgeted for $29.4 million. About 200 new jobs will be created. The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority will assist the company with $1.8 million in road improvements, taxiway extensions and various upgrades. Most of this money will come from an Enterprise Florida grant.