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Officials say local aerospace activity poised to grow as Boeing and Ora Aero plan facilities
Summary
At a board meeting, presenter Lou outlined county economic indicators and told members Boeing and Ora Aero expect local facilities near the airport, projecting initial hiring in the hundreds and longer-term aerospace job and GDP growth for Volusia County.
Lou, a presenter to the Economic Development Board, told members the county’s aerospace and aviation sectors have grown rapidly over the past decade and could be a major source of high-paying jobs.
Lou said national and state data show aviation and aerospace generate substantial GDP and employment; at the county level he highlighted 64 aerospace and aviation businesses and reported aerospace GDP and employment in Volusia have grown much faster than the county average over the last 10 years. He cautioned the sector is still smaller than healthcare locally but is expanding quickly.
During questions, Lou said Boeing plans to occupy a building adjacent to the airport and that its first phase could employ about 400 people and ramp up to as many as 1,000 at full scale. He said Ora Aero (also referenced in the meeting as a French-backed manufacturer) expects an on‑airport manufacturing site that would begin with a small number of jobs (roughly 60) and could expand to more than 500 over several years as the company ramps up. Lou said Ora Aero’s aircraft include a certified two-seat electric model and a proposed 19-seat commuter airplane that cruises and lands on electric power after combustion-assisted takeoff.
Lou pointed to local education and training partners — Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University and Daytona State College — as key assets for workforce pipeline development, and told the board that site readiness (utilities, shovel‑ready parcels) remains critical to secure new companies. He said one airport parcel has been prepared with EDA grant funds and is shovel‑ready for Ora Aero, but added that other sites will require additional infrastructure and environmental work.
Board members discussed use of a countywide space-industry overlay adopted by the county and three cities (New Smyrna Beach, Edgewater, Oak Hill). Lou said his office has not yet seen substantial activity in that overlay but agreed to follow up with city leaders and county staff to explore whether recent site conversations fall inside the overlay boundaries.
What happens next: Lou and staff will continue outreach and coordination with local governments and education partners to support site readiness and workforce training. Board members raised marketing and real-estate readiness as priorities to compete with other regions.
