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I4.E.I <br />April 2, 2019 <br />ITEM 14.E.1 <br />INDIAN RIVER COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />INTER -OFFICE MEMORANDUM <br />TO: Members of the Board of County Commissioners <br />DATE: March 27, 2019 <br />SUBJECT: Letter of support for Piper Aircraft to supply Governor DeSantis' new <br />business aircraft <br />FROM: Tim Zorc <br />Commissioner, <br />sioner, District 3 <br />Discussion Item: <br />Governor DeSantis is in need of one or more aircraft to conduct state business. I'd like <br />to request a letter of support for Piper Aircraft be sent to the Governor, the House and <br />Senate Appropriations Committees, and any other party(s) that will be involved in the <br />funding to purchase these new aircraft. <br />Piper Aircraft has been a Florida -based manufacturer since 1961 and is over 90% <br />vertically integrated, meaning that Piper builds over 90% of the components needed for <br />their aircraft in Vero Beach; they are not an "aircraft assembler" like other, foreign <br />manufacturers in Florida. Since 2010, Piper's employment levels have grown 67% and <br />production has increased from 126 units in 2010 to over 300 this year. <br />Piper's M -Class family of products are ideally suited to business operations and offer the <br />best operating economics and safety features of any new cabin class aircraft. The M600 <br />provides 274 knots true airspeed (KTAS), more than 1,600 nautical miles of range, and <br />can carry 5 passengers and a pilot. The M600 also features state-of-the-art cockpit and <br />cabin innovations with the latest safety features available for general aviation aircraft. <br />Finally, Piper offers service centers and support throughout the United States, including <br />one in Tallahassee. <br />57 <br />