ANN is looking for a new home... a permanent one. We're
currently inviting proposals for a permanent airport office
facility to serve as home base for the Aero-News Network,
Inc., the Aviation World's Real-Time News and Information
Service.
The successful bid will require an airport friendly community
and a (preferably) airport based location where we can locate both
an office as well as a hangar capable of hosting at least two GA
aircraft. ANN is looking for at least 1500-2000 square feet (or
more... if the deal is right) of office space in a location with
access to high-speed data services (T1, or High-Speed DSL/Cable)
and close proximity to the aforementioned hangar. Special
consideration will be given to any building that either
includes a hangar or is otherwise attached to such a
structure. ANN's preferred home airport will offer IFR approaches,
preferably with precision approach capability, and will reside a
reasonable distance from a major airline destination for those
staff travel needs that require airline service (God help us).
Basic fuel and maintenance services are required at our new home
airport, as well, for our own aircraft as well as our visiting
guests and staffers.
ANN's new digs will not house our entire staff since we are an
electronic news service that allows staffers to work wherever they
have a stable high-speed connection... but initial local staff
needs should result in work for at least 6 local persons in the
near term and possibly as many as a dozen for
upcoming projects now undergoing planning and implementation.
ANN is undertaking a number of exciting new projects and current
growth dictates that a number of new staff slots will be
created to fill these needed positions. Various economic and other
incentives often offered to relocating businesses are certainly
welcome, but the primary factor in our eventual decision will
revolve around the suitability of the facility, and community, to
our interests and business preferences.
Our current digs in
Polk County, FL, were never meant to be a permanent gig, especially
since we live in a county that has revealed itself to
be a poor place to do business, and has proven (to us) to be
horribly unfriendly to aviation (as noted, in part, by the bill sent to a Sun 'n Fun crash
survivor for so-called "rescue" services, etc.). The
sad fact of the matter is that we simply can not sit idly by and
support (by default) a community that we believe to
have ignored a number of aviation safety issues and has taken
a seemingly hostile attitude to many aviation businesses and
users. ANN simply refuses to expend any more of our resources
(several million dollars since our inception) in such a place, and
to seek a home that not only appreciates the value of our
business but places value on being a community that recognizes the
importance of the aviation industry, aviation safety, and the
proper pursuit of both. As a result, ANN is committed to
finding a new home for our business in the coming year and to make
a permanent home there for our business and staffers.
Addendum: In light of recent lawmaking by the state of New York
that we consider to be highly prejudicial towards aviation
interests, namely the need for all new flight students
to take on the additional burden of passing a criminal background
check, airports in the State of New York will NOT be considered so
long as this questionable legislation is in effect. Aviation has
enough problems to contend with, without such questionable
legislation... and ANN will not support such narrow-minded
bureaucratic thinking in any way... hence our decision to remove
this state from any consideration for ANN HQ. -- Jim Campbell, ANN
Editor-In-Chief.
Interested parties are invited to send proposals via the email
link below...