Italian aviation company to open facility in Kissimmee

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — The city of Kissimmee made a major announcement Tuesday involving an Italian aviation company that will move into the Kissimmee Airport, which will result in more jobs.

Kissimmee beat out Atlanta and a city in Wisconsin for the business, something the mayor said is a big step for the city because of what it could lead to in the long run.

Jonathan Johns, vice president at the Sport Pilot Training Center, said his business will get a big boost when Italico Aviation USA moves in.

“We thought it was a great move for Kissimmee to bring an international company to the airport and create jobs here,” Johns said.

The project will create 55 jobs with an average salary of $61,000, which is 200 percent higher than the average wage in Osceola County right now.

The company will manufacture light sport planes capable of water landings.  Once the planes are built, a distribution center at the airport will handle the delivery of the planes to clients all over the world.

An incentive package helped seal the deal with the company.  Italico Aviation got $500,000 from Enterprise Florida, plus a property tax exemption from the city, an investment Kissimmee leaders said will be worth it in the long run because of the potential for more companies to follow.

“More and more people are taking flying lessons, and there's an awful lot of related businesses that can move into and around our airport,” said Mayor Jim Swan.

Construction on the company's facility starts in January, and they hope to start building planes by March or April.

All the job openings will be posted through Workforce Central Florida.

WFTV