MANATEE — Rectrix Aviation Inc., a provider of private jet service with operations at the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, announced Tuesday the company has acquired New World Jet Corp., an FAA-approved air carrier operator based in Long Island, N.Y.
But the head of the company said he will likely put off expanding the business locally because of a disagreement over impact fees.
Richard Cawley, chief executive officer of Rectrix, said the acquisition could generate as many as 100 new jobs, but most of those jobs will remain in New York because of the dispute, Cawley said.
“It’s really the impact fees in Manatee County,” Cawley said. “It just doesn’t make any business sense to expand in an area where they are charging these impact fees that they have no basis for. They sent us a bill for $772,000 and said if we didn’t pay it they were going to shut us down. There were so many mistakes in that invoice that it was ridiculous. We ended up paying $286,000.”
John Barnott, director of the Manatee County Building Department, said he did not believe Rectrix was being treated unfairly or differently from other businesses.
“Rectrix felt that they were exempt from impact fees when in reality they’re not, and they didn’t like having to pay impact fees,” Barnott said. “We did everything we could to bend over backwards to help Rectrix.”
Hyannis, Mass.-based Rectrix will employ roughly 20 people locally, Cawley said.
The company recently hired a director of operations, a director of maintenance, a chief pilot, a captain and a ground support worker, he said. Salaries for the jobs at Rectrix will range from $30,000 to $150,000, he said.
Frederick “Rick” Piccolo, president and chief executive officer of Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, believes the Rectrix acquisition will be an asset for the airport.
“I think that it just brings a little bit of increased activity to the airport and it further solidifies Rectrix’s presence here,” Piccolo said. “Hopefully it helps with the economy.”
The acquisition of New World Jet Corp., the financial details of which were not disclosed, will allow Rectrix to expand its domestic and international flight offerings, Cawley said. He hopes to eventually add direct flights between here and New York and Boston.
In March, Rectrix announced it had purchased a $20 million, 10-seat jet made by Canada’s Bombardier Inc. that was capable of domestic and international charter flights.
Cawley said the company hopes to add a new aircraft every month or so for the next year with a goal of growing the total number of aircraft to 12.
He said the current state of the economy was not a deterrent to growing a charter jet service.
“It’s like anything else, you buy at the right time — you buy at the bottom — and then you ramp up, Cawley said.
“It’s a perfect time. You’re buying low and you’re creating a business at a very difficult time, but you can watch it grow as things get better.”
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