"Airport Brings Big Benefits"

Cedar Key Airport Brings Big Benefits to Cedar Key
By Walter Kraujalis, Director, Friends of the Cedar Key Airport

The Friends of the Cedar Key Airport held its first anniversary meeting Sunday, March 18th at the Cedar Key Library at which the results of their year-long pilot survey were presented. The Friends of the Cedar Key Airport is an unincorporated association of local and visiting pilots and aircraft owners, as well as local property owners, business owners and interested citizens who are supportive of the airport. Their stated goals are to help keep the Cedar Key Airport open, help its operational safety, and to help it provide safety and economic benefits to Cedar Key and Levy County. 

For the past year, the group conducted a survey of pilots landing at Cedar Key which asked several questions including why they came here, where they came from, had they been here before and did they plan to come back, and also provide an estimate of the amount of money they spent during their visit. Respondents were also asked to give their comments about the airport and ideas to improve it.  This was the first time such information had been gathered. A total of 231 responses were received which is presumed to be 10% of the total number of pilots landing during the year.  The group’s director, Walter Kraujalis, presented the following results: 

• An estimated 2,230 aircraft landed at the Cedar Key Airport during the survey year.
• 63% of the respondents came from within the State of Florida.
• 91% of the respondents came to the Cedar Key Airport for “pleasure” purposes.
• 73% of the respondents had been to the Cedar Key Airport before.
• For 27% of the respondents, this was their first visit to Cedar Key.
• 95% of the respondents said they would come back to Cedar Key again.
• An estimated total of $647,500 was spent by the pilots and their guests during their visit to Cedar Key during the survey year.

The top comments from the respondents included:

• More aircraft parking tie-down areas
• A public use rest room or port-a-potty
• Better signage and sign repairs

As a result of this report, the Friends of the Cedar Key Airport has committed to sponsoring a port-a-potty for use at the airport and is working with the county on this. This survey shows that the Cedar Key Airport brings a big economic benefit to the town as well as vital strategic safety benefits such as a landing area for EMS helicopters and disaster relief.

The full survey report, and more information about the Friends of the Cedar Key Airport, as well as a way for interested persons to provide monetary support for the group’s efforts to help the airport, on their website at www.CedarKeyAirport.org.