Where Businesses Take Off

Indian River County's aviation and aerospace industry represents a stable sector that is anchored by major manufacturers and supported by a robust aviation infrastructure. These features make it an attractive location for companies seeking to establish or expand operations in Florida's aerospace corridor and adjacent to the “Space Coast,” meaning it is in close proximity to major aerospace centers including Kennedy Space Center and Canaveral.

A qualified workforce, lower-than-average wages, extensive transportation networks, and available Opportunity Zone parcels provide a variety of options for growth and savings in the county. In addition to aviation and aerospace manufacturing, there are opportunities for aviation education, medical flight support, general aviation services, aerospace research and technologies, MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul, and more.

Other regional advantages include aviation and aerospace incentives for:

• Local jobs and training grant programs
• Incentives granted by the Board of County Commissioners
• Waived county utility deposits
• Research and development tax exemptions

The region offers abundant high-quality aviation support services and infrastructure. Airports and service facilities in the area include:

• Vero Beach Regional Airport (VRB) is a publicly owned general aviation airport and has three active runways.
• Sebastian Municipal Airport is a general aviation facility that serves small personal and corporate aircraft and two active runways.
• Fixed-base operators (FBOs) offer aviation services. FBOs include Sun Aviation, Paris Air, Corporate Air, and others.
• Aviation training and education providers include Skyborne Airline and Academy in Vero Beach and Wings Airline Academy at Sebastian.

There are hundreds of aviation and aerospace entities in Florida, and Indian River is

• Piper Aircraft is a major employer in the county with 1,500 employees. The company manufactures personal, business, and trainer aircraft.
• Whelen Aerospace Technologies manufactures LED and other lighting products for aviation. The company is located in Sebastian.
• TrueAero Warehouse provides materials, leasing, technical services, and asset management for the aviation industry. Their warehouse is located in Indian River County.
• Velocity Aircraft is a composite aircraft kit manufacturer in Sebastian. They also offer flight training for their aircraft.