Aerion To Build Florida HQ

Aerion Supersonic plans to move its headquarters from Reno, Nevada, to a $300 million campus at Florida’s Melbourne International Airport (MLB), bringing at least 675 jobs to the area, the company recently announced. The supersonic business jet developer lands at the same airport chosen in 2008 by Embraer Executive Jets, which now has a service center, customer delivery facilities, paint bays, and Phenom light jet assembly line there.

“The Space Coast has become a hub for the aviation and aerospace industry, and my administration continues to make it a priority to expand this high-wage and important business sector,” said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. 

Dubbed Aerion Park, the more than 60-acre site at the northwest corner of MLB will house Aerion’s global headquarters and integrated campus for research, design, build, and maintenance of its AS2 SSBJ. Aerion plans to break ground on the campus later this year, with manufacturing of the AS2 anticipated to start in 2023.

The company also expects Aerion Park to attract “key aerospace suppliers within the supersonic technology ecosystem to bring business to Florida, creating additional roles for scientists, designers, engineers, and aircraft builders.”

In 2015, Aerion told BJT that its U.S. manufacturing location for its Mach 1.4 AS2 would eventually be on the East or West Coast, within 200 nautical miles of an offshore supersonic flight-test area. At the time, it said it was seeking 100 acres on a major airport with a minimum 9,000-foot runway and “other special geophysical requirements.” MLB’s Runway 9L/27R is 10,181 feet long by 150 feet wide.

Other factors that Aerion previously said it was taking into consideration include airport suitability; road and rail infrastructure; proximity to a deep-water port for shipped structures and equipment; a local aerospace workforce; state and local regulations; quality of life; and regional educational institutions.