Clark Regional director says it’s the third busiest regional airport in Indiana
JEFFERSONVILLE
— Clark County Regional Airport contributes more than $234 million in
economic output to the region and sustains the existence of 1,121 jobs
in Clark County, according to a study published by the Aviation
Association of Indiana and Conexus Indiana in November in partnership
with the Indiana Department of Transportation.
“According to
INDOT records, Clark Regional Airport is the third-busiest [regional]
airport in the state,” Airport Manager Melodee McNames said. “Only
Valparaiso and Indianapolis Regional have more based aircraft than us,
so the $235-million impact doesn’t surprise me.”
Clark County
Regional Airport has 131 full-time employees with a payroll of about $7
million, while an additional 714 jobs with a payroll of $44.8 million
exist as a direct result of the airport’s existence, according to the
report. Additionally, the report figures in “multiplier” affects to both
jobs and payroll.
“These multiplier impacts are the result of
either the business itself or the business employee spending money in
the local economy,” according to the report. “For example, if a flight
instructor takes his or her paycheck and buys lunch at a local
restaurant, that money supports the payroll for the waiter, cook and
busboy at the restaurant who, in turn, may spend their paychecks on
childcare, groceries or other items, continuing the cycle until those
dollars may eventually leave the community.”
The report’s
multiplier impact for jobs stemming from Clark County Regional Airport
is 275 with a payroll of $10.4 million, for an average salary of
$37,880. The multiplier effect for economic output is $32.5 million,
according to the report.
Operators at each of Indiana’s 69
airports were surveyed between 2011-12. The respondents provided data
about their businesses, employees and what percentage of sales or output
was directly attributable to their use of their local airport. After
all key information was gathered, Conexus Indiana input the information
into IMPLAN, an economic-impact analysis software recognized by the
Federal Aviation Administration, which combines employment data with
location- and industry-specific economic data to calculate each
airport’s economic impact, according to the report.
“We’re
helping the economy grow and prosper one flight at a time,” said Tom
Galligan, president of the Clark County Board of Aviation Commissioners.
“Most people don’t realize that we have inbound flights from
practically every state in the country. Business moves through this
airport every day. Whether it’s transporting products, customers, sales
staff or company executives, Clark Regional keeps this county in pace
with the global economy.”
Statewide, airports serve the
transportation needs of more than 6.5 million Hoosiers, according to the
report, and account for 69,149 jobs and a total payroll of $4.1
billion.
“These study results paint a clear picture of the value
of Indiana’s airports, not only to residents who rely on air travel for
business and pleasure, but to the thousands of businesses that rely on
airport services to move people and products,” said Bart Geisler,
executive director of the Aviation Association of Indiana. “This backs
our continued assertion that aviation investment by the state creates
jobs in the private sector. Airports connect Hoosier businesses to their
customers, and this connection means jobs.”
The Aviation
Association of Indiana lobbies the Indiana General Assembly and other
state and local units of government on behalf of public-use airports
across the state. Conexus Indiana is the Central Indiana Corporate
Partnership’s advanced manufacturing and logistics initiative.
Source: http://newsandtribune.com
http://www.airnav.com/airport/KJVY