The Jacksonville Aviation Authority (JAA) is the independent government agency that owns and operates the four airport

Airport

An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...

s of Jacksonville, Florida

Jacksonville, Florida

Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...

. It was established in 2001 after being branched off of the Jacksonville Port Authority

Jacksonville Port Authority

The Jacksonville Port Authority also known by its brand name, JAXPORT, is the independent government agency in Jacksonville, Florida that owns and operates much of the seaport system at the Port of Jacksonville.-History:...

. The airports it oversees are Jacksonville International Airport

Jacksonville International Airport

Jacksonville International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located 13 miles north of downtown Jacksonville, a city in Duval County, Florida...

, Jacksonville Executive at Craig Airport, Herlong Recreational Airport, and Cecil Airport.

History

Jacksonville airports were under the purview of the Port Authority since the Jacksonville Port Authority

Jacksonville Port Authority

The Jacksonville Port Authority also known by its brand name, JAXPORT, is the independent government agency in Jacksonville, Florida that owns and operates much of the seaport system at the Port of Jacksonville.-History:...

 (JPA) was created by a special act of the Florida Legislature

Florida Legislature

The Florida State Legislature is the term often used to refer to the two houses that act as the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The Florida Constitution states that "The legislative power of the state shall be vested in a legislature of the State of Florida," composed of a Senate...

 in 1963. Their charter directed the authority to develop, maintain and market Jacksonville's port facilities while operating like a business. In May 2001, the Florida Legislature approved the restructuring of the Jacksonville Port Authority into two separate entities (City J-Bill-1104): the Jacksonville Aviation Authority (JAA) and the Jacksonville Seaport Authority, effective October 1, 2001.

The JAA is controlled by a seven-member Board of Directors. Three are appointed by the Mayor of Jacksonville, and four are selected by the Florida Governor. Board members are limited to two consecutive terms of four years. The board meets monthly in open meetings. Day-to-day operations are handled by a management team consisting of an Executive Director/CEO, a Chief Operating Officer, and a Chief Financial Officer.

Airports

	Jacksonville International Airport Jacksonville International Airport Jacksonville International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located 13 miles north of downtown Jacksonville, a city in Duval County, Florida...  is the major regional passenger air service provider, featuring non-stop flights to dozens of major U.S. cities. The facility was opened in 1968 as a replacement for Imeson Field Imeson Field Imeson Field, also known as Jacksonville Imeson Airport, was the original airport serving Jacksonville, Florida from 1927 until its closing in 1967... . A major renovation was begun in 2007.
	Jacksonville Executive at Craig Airport, also known as Jacksonville Executive Airport, is centrally located near Jacksonville's suburban business centers, and is a general aviation field used by corporate aircraft travelers and small aircraft. However, the 4,000 foot runways are considered small for jets, and plans to extend them have been opposed by nearby residents for years.
	Herlong Recreational Airport, on the city's west side, is a general aviation field and the primary site of recreational activity for private planes, gliders, ultralights, helicopters and parachuting.
	Cecil Airport, the air station that the Navy closed in 1999 as part of the Military base closures of 1993, is located approximately 15 miles west of downtown Jacksonville. The newest addition to the Jacksonville airport system, Cecil Field is an integral component of the Cecil Commerce Center Cecil Commerce Center Cecil Commerce Center is a significant, long-term economic development asset to the City of Jacksonville, representing more than 3 percent of the land area in Duval County . It is promoted as one of the most sought after locations in the Southeastern United States for manufacturing, supply chain... , and an ideal site for aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul operations Maintenance, repair, and operations Maintenance, repair, and operations or maintenance, repair, and overhaul involves fixing any sort of mechanical or electrical device should it become out of order or broken... .

Scope

Jacksonville’s airport system, including the runways, hangars, terminal buildings, air cargo areas, airport grounds and road connections to the public highway system is owned and maintained by JAA, which also manages their overall use. The airlines, rental car companies and terminal concessionaires pay lease and rental fees to JAA for the right to operate out of the airport. This revenue funds the day-to-day operations so that public tax dollars are not required. For fiscal year 2010, they reported net income of $20.4 million and assets of $436.7 million.

Security

JAA also has its own airport security department that included 26 sworn officers in 2010. The JAA briefly considered disbanding its' internal force in 2009, asking Sheriff John Rutherford

John Rutherford (sheriff)

John Henry Rutherford is a career law enforcement officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. He has served as Duval County Sheriff since his election to the office in 2003; his current term expires in 2014.-Education:...

 for cost estimates if the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is a joint city-county law enforcement agency, which has primary responsibility for law enforcement, investigation, and corrections within the consolidated City of Jacksonville and Duval County, Florida, United States...

 began patrolling airport properties. The following year, the JAA board of directors chose to expand their own police department by hiring 9 more officers.
They also work together with the Transportation Security Administration

Transportation Security Administration

The Transportation Security Administration is an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that exercises authority over the safety and security of the traveling public in the United States....

, the Federal Aviation Administration

Federal Aviation Administration

The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...

, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Homeland Security , responsible for identifying, investigating, and dismantling vulnerabilities regarding the nation's border, economic, transportation, and infrastructure security...

 and the Drug Enforcement Administration

Drug Enforcement Administration

The Drug Enforcement Administration is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Justice, tasked with combating drug smuggling and use within the United States...

to provide safe and secure facilities for all aviation users.

Volunteers

The Airport Ambassador Program is a service established in 1998. It is staffed by volunteers who provide information to travelers and directions around the airport facility.
Beginning in 2009, Ambassadors began a project to hand out flowers to travelers on Valentine's Day and Mothers Day. On February 14, 2011, over a thousand red, white and pink carnations were
given as a gesture of goodwill for Jacksonville.

Rebranding

2011 marks the 10th anniversary of the authority, which announced a major public relations campaign in late 2010 to bring attention to Jacksonville's airport system. The authority's logo was changed dramatically, as was the logo for all four airports, three of which were renamed.

• Herlong Airport --> Herlong Recreational Airport
• Cecil Field --> Cecil Airport
• Craig Municipal Airport --> Jacksonville Executive at Craig Airport

The websites for all JAA entities were redesigned as well.