Fernandina airport seeks citizens' input on future plans

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• RobertR

  The City will do as the City will do and the opinions of the taxpayers be dammed. Case in point, the very photo you posted of the "Welcome Center". Started as a $1 Million upgrade that morphed into a $5 million? $6million(who really knows) taxpayer obligation. Next came the Sadler Road Firehouse which needed a bathroom for female firefighters. Study came up with $350,000.00 for the bathroom upgrade. No the City went with a $5million?(again who believes what figures are supplied) for a new firehouse at the airport. Taxpayer input? Why ? They don't know what's good for them. Once the weather warms up we the taxpayers will be treated to endless loops every 12 minutes (or so) of take offs and landings by in 2 cases planes with manifolds that should have been replaced years ago. Take exception or complain? FAA says "we were here first". I can assure you these flight instruction vendors were NOT here first. They've worked their way into the use quite nicely. When are the regional jets coming? Maybe right around the time the TDC slips in "small" river cruiser ships. Thinking of City planning? Remember greed is good Folks.

  Monday, December 22, 2025 Report this

• Prof____H

  The flight schools with the noisy planes are my only complaint. A take-off every couple of minutes makes it difficult to hear in your own yard. Please adopt a noise standard appropriate for municipal airports.

  Monday, December 22, 2025 Report this

• JofusD

  I am not against having a small municipal airport. I have friends in flying school and I think that's great.

  My main concern is the noise. There are HUGE jets that fly in and out. They are so Extremely Loud it's hard to believe that this is allowed and that these jets are not rerouted to Jax Airport.

  Take the example of automobiles for instance... some are loud and some are not. If I drive around in my car with the headers uncapped or with a thrush muffler I will likely get pulled over by the police because I am disturbing the peace. Comparatively alot of the single and double engine airplanes could use a muffler that actually keeps the sound at a lower level.

  If I am standing 8 ft away from somebody trying to have a conversation outdoors and we cannot hear each other because of an overhead flight, then the airplane is too loud.

  This is common sense and frankly common decency.

  Fernandina Beach is a bedroom community - a retirement community. It is not a travel hub. Why does the airport have to be here in a bedroom community? Can it be moved out to a rural area? I cannot be the …

  Monday, December 22, 2025 Report this

• kt22mike

  Anytime I see a free survey monkey questionnaire I know the questions are always biased toward the party doing the survey. For example had they added a question "save the soccer fields" or "stop the takeoff and landings" the responses would have been overwhelming. Instead they politely insert a blank question for "more feedback" which intentionally dilutes any serious response. Next wait for the published results which will overwhelming be in favor of their "intended" objectives.

  Tuesday, December 23, 2025 Report this

• DanGroth

  I understand there is a long waiting list for plane owners who would like hangar space. The "long range plan" is not about decibels but dollars. Hangars cost a lot to construct...and of course lead to more air traffic. Who will pay for that? Is an airport restaurant in our future? More impervious blacktop runways and parking lots?

  The airport presently is very busy. Sky-diving, parachuting and ultra-lights are becoming more popular. The population of Nassau County will increase by 25% or more by 2050, leading to yet more demand for recreational and perhaps scheduled air services. Inevitably, that means "expansion" of the airport and its facilities. How do we minimize the negative aspects of that while responding to residents' needs and concerns. I think that is what the long-range plan should be about.

  Tuesday, December 23, 2025 Report this

• MaydayFO

  If the planes doing practice landings would follow the rules it wouldn't be so bad. The pattern altitude is 1000ft, meaning you fly straight ahead after takeoff until you get to 1000 ft then turn downwind. You then stay at 1000ft until you begin your approach turn. But, if you only climb to 400-500ft and fly the pattern at that altitude, you burn less gas and can make more practice landings in the time and fuel allotted. I swear these guys aren't much above 400ft when they pass overhead on the downwind leg.

  Tuesday, December 23, 2025 Report this

• FunnyGirl4615

  Any expansion of the airport or development plans will only further add to our traffic and the increase noise over our homes. Both have been steadily on the rise since I moved here some 14 years ago because of contracts accepted from flight schools, among others. Expansion will also encroach on wildlife, their habitat and our trees as well as things like the Ybor Alvarez fields. Thanks but, no thanks. JIA is only 25 minutes away.

  Tuesday, December 23, 2025 Report this