Silver Airways announced Thursday that it is moving its maintenance facility to Gainesville from Fort Lauderdale and will be offering regional service linking Gainesville to other Florida destinations and beyond through its partnership with United Airlines.
In addition to providing new routes to Gainesville travelers and jobs at the maintenance facility, Silver Airways fills a need for the airport to lease the former Eclipse Aviation hangar that has been empty since the former New Mexico-based jet manufacturer closed the maintenance facility before going bankrupt in 2009.
At the Chamber's 2012 Toast to Business, Silver Airways CEO Darrell Richardson said the company’s relocation from Ft. Lauderdale will initially bring about 65 jobs to Gainesville, with another 40 jobs possible in the future. Silver Airways will also offer regional flights connecting Gainesville to other cities in Florida and the nation through its partnership with United Airlines.
Click here to read more about Silver Airway’s arrival in Gainesville last week from the Gainesville Sun.
Thomas McIntosh, 2011 Chairman of the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce, said: "We're thrilled that Silver Airways has chosen Gainesville as the site for its new service center, breathing new life into a state-of-the-art aviation facility. Silver carefully selected a home where the company could grow and provide centralized service to key markets. On behalf of the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce and Council for Economic Outreach, we stand poised and totally committed to helping this new company grow and thrive right here in our community."