THE BENEFITS OF STAGING THE MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIR SHOW AT THE DADE-COLLIER TRAINING AND TRANSITION AIRPORT

The Miami International Air Show (MIAS) is primarily intended to be a trade event where aircraft, avionics and other aviation services are promoted to potential customers. However, MIAS will also consist of a spectator component whereby the capabilities of aircraft will be displayed in aerobatics. Albeit limited, this latter component poses some risk of accidents. For this important reason the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport (TNT) is ideal for hosting MIAS as it is the airport that best mitigates the risk of damage to residential and commercial property and injury to the people that live and work within them. Moreover, the 24,960-acre TNT premises, approximately 900 acres of which comprise the airport, already possess the requisite airport infrastructure and in particular a single 10,499 foot runway, sufficient to accommodate the shows aircraft activities, and a 170,000 square foot ramp that is easily expandable to accommodate additional aircraft parking. Additionally, the first major international eco-air-show of its kind, the TNT environs offers a unique opportunity for the MIAS to differentiate itself from all others.TNT is located approximately 45 miles west of Miami within the 720,000-acre Big Cypress National Preserve - the first national preserve adopted in the United States National Park System. The airport is an ideal location to host the MIAS for the following reasons:a) Owned and operated by Miami-Dade County, TNT is readily available to develop the air show.b) TNT is substantially a green field whereby the lack of existing obstacles reduces complexity in the development of the required facilities.c) MIAS would be staged at a safe distance from densely populated areas.d) The absence of residential and commercial neighborhoods in close proximity to TNT, MIAS would be void of noise impacts to any communitye) Yet the show would be within a reasonable driving distance from major Miami hotels, beaches and world-renowned nightlife.f) TNT is surrounded by many small, near-private, intimate lakes that with unconstrained imagination, could be utilized to establish a new, innovative, eco-standard and ambiance of a chalet village. Some improvements will be necessary to accommodate the MIAS at TNT. Among them runway shoulder improvements to accommodate Group VI (Airbus A380/B747-8) type aircraft operations; improvements or other solutions to Tamiami Trail (U.S. 41), the two- lane, main roadway access from Miami to TNT; and improvements to electrical, water and sewage utilities.