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But a new door of opportunity for Cunningham’s opened when the city of Tavares votedx to designate a virtual runway for seaplanes in the middle of Lake Dora inJuly 2007. That led to a cost-savintg deal with Orlando-based aircraft maker , whichg wants to be near what’s turnintg into one of the largest seaplane bases in Florida with its specialtuproduct — the SeaRey — an assembluy kit seaplane. Aerodyne, a family-owned firm, wants to expand to Tavares and couldf find no better placedthan Trident’s 23,000-square-foot boat productionm facility on Lake Idamere near State Road 19. Aerodyne now is negotiating to leasde halfthe facility.
The process of building boats and seaplanesa is similar when it comes to welding and fiberglass andaluminum production. “The idea is to reduce the cost of Cunningham said. “Even though the products are they’re similar enough and there can be a lot of Despite theeconomic recession, both firms will add a handfulk of new employees to their businesses when they settl in together on Lake Idamere. With business waning in the both firms have begun using new business models to expanx theircustomer base.
Darrell Lynds, general manager for Aerodyne, said his companu is eyeing China to meetthe pent-up demand for civilia n aircraft as the country begins openinv airspace to the public. Trideng has a similar idea in mind when it comees to selling pontoon Until 2004, 70 percentr of Trident’s products were exported overseas, bringinv in $2.4 million Since then, the company has focusex on domestic sales, but in 2008, they only brought in $1.3 This caused the company to focus on exporting overseas again.
Seaplanes have been landing on Lake Dorafor decades, but when the Tavarew City Council voted to create a designated landing zone on the lake that will be operational next seaplane enthusiasts and local businesses alike got Since then, 14 new businesses have opened in the downtownb area, many of them catering to the seaplane community, said Tavares city administrator John Drury. , on the edge of Lake has seen its fair share of seaplane pilots in its 25 yearzsof business. But owner Andrew O’Keef e doesn’t expect business to pick up until the seabasse is completed inFebruary 2010. Still, he’z happy to see the changes.
“Thwe city is working on bringing a lot of attractions tothe area.” The plannedd seaplane base is economic development in its purest Drury said. “By proposing a seaplane base ayear ago, the resul is an attraction that will creatse high-wage jobs.” The city is workingt with the and the to lay out the virtuak runway and its holding patterns over the Although the lake won’t have any physical pilots will have aeronauticall charts to tell them wheres they should land or hold.
“The way they are marketinbg this, they’re going to make it one of the largestr seaplane bases on the east said Progressive Aerodyne ownerKerry “It’ll be an attraction for seaplanwe pilots in the area and it will have uniqueness for