Plan outlines options to expand airport for economic initiatives

Eastport resident Ron DeFilippo's early love of all things aviation didn't lead to a career path, but now that he's retired and has time and energy on his hands he's returned to that early interest with a proposal for the Eastport City Council to consider for the Eastport Municipal Airport. The revitalization business plan for the airport is now before the councillors and City Manager Ross Argir for their review.
DeFilippo grew up on Long Island, N.Y., around airports and aviation hubs that were at the forefront of aviation innovation starting in the late 19th century and continuing today. DeFilippo's son caught the aviation bug at 15 and is now a commercial pilot who has flown chartered flights for the likes of President Bill Clinton. With the discussions surrounding the funding of the Eastport airport's runway upgrades hovering in the air, DeFilippo heard about a charter air company, Cape Air, from his son and began formulating a plan for the city. Charter air service is just one part of six possible areas to expand the airport into a regional hub of economic development.
"I realized I wasn't authorized" to talk about the airport's future, DeFilippo explains, as he delved into researching charter companies, flight school satellites and aviation research and development technology hubs -- all possibilities for the airport's future. With his research compiled and neatly outlined with proposed action steps, the Eastport Municipal Airport Revitalization Business Plan was born.

First step is committee formation
The plan suggests forming an airport revitalization task force that would work for a few years to research, develop and implement the plan's actions, with city council input and approval. DeFilippo suggests a task force rather than a city committee. "It's a job for two to three years to make it happen," he explains.
However, Argir thinks that a committee would better serve the city than a task force. During his time as city manager he has seen how committees work to advise the council. "They have a very specific role with the city. There's more accountability and credibility." Argir adds that while only residents can be appointed to city committees, a number of committees have non‑residents or part‑time residents who play significant roles within a committee's work.
Whether a committee or task force, the group would work closely with the Maine Aviation and Business Association, an organization formed in 2013 to "promote Maine's airports as vital economic engines for the state and their host communities," the report states. The group's work plan would focus on six areas: charter airline service; flight school satellite location; technology incubator, with an emphasis on aviation technology; air charter vacations, with Eastport and possibly the area marketed as a destination; support and development of the Eastport Airplane Owners Association; and active promotion of the airport's fuel sales.
"I agree with Ron that the airport could be marketed more," says Argir. Getting the word out is possibly the most important function of the city, Argir adds. Both his parents are pilots and have noted that there are additional resources in place at the airport that could use more marketing. To that end, Argir is working to upgrade the city's airport webpage to immediately bring to the fore the airport's assets already in place for the aviation world. "The city's main role is promotion of the airport and making opportunities available," he explains.

Satellite flight school, aviation technology hub
Argir is particularly interested in the satellite flight school. Both of his parents started their careers with flight school. "It's a great idea." The hurdle, he points out, is the financial feasibility. "It's a unique opportunity for students in Washington County."
DeFilippo has reached out to Calais school system Superintendent Ron Jenkins, who has expressed his enthusiasm for the concept. Argir suggests that the Eastport school system might be on board with the idea as well, having just opened up its industrial arts program as a unique offering, "and having the flight school would be another." DeFilippo says, "It would be a great vocational opportunity for students."
A technology incubator "would put Eastport on the map as a research and development technology center," DeFilippo says. He cites radio‑to‑radio communications from plane‑to‑plane as an example of the kind of aviation technology that could be developed in Eastport because of proximity to the airfield for testing.

Charter flights dependent on grant funding
Charter flights would be a more complex endeavor, Argir says. "I reviewed the grant directly referenced" in the business plan, he says, along with checking grant publications and reaching out to consultants. The Small Community Air Service Development Program awards grants "that can be used as a revenue guarantee to an air carrier to establish service," he explains. The carrier would establish a revenue threshold for the year. If it doesn't reach its goal, it would receive reimbursement for the loss from the grant through the city. The grant is for three years and once over cannot be applied for within a 10-year period. "It's highly competitive," Argir says. The program receives from 250 to 400 applications a year and makes 40 grants between $20,000 and $1.6 million.
While the grant program doesn't require a monetary match from the city, it's "highly suggested," says Argir, and at no less than 20% and it cannot be in‑kind. The one positive point about the need for a match is that it would not be required in a lump some. Argir explains that it could be coordinated as reimbursements on a rolling basis with the grant funds. In addition, the grant requires a market analysis. "We'd need to look into costs [of the analysis]" and partner with economic development organizations to help, Argir says.
"Success isn't automatic," says DeFilippo. He should know. He worked for years as part of a team that turned around large dealerships that weren't doing well. "We can't repair and then sit back and wait for business. We have to go after it."