Press

Aviation consultants have high hopes for Waco
December 2, 2005

By Mike Copeland
Tribune-Herald business editor

One serves as president of a company in Morristown, N.J., the other travels the country from his corporate headquarters in Albuquerque, N.M.

Both have had high-profile careers in aviation and view Waco's potential in that area as outstanding.

That's why the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce has bought the services of Jack Olcott, president of New Jersey's General Aero Company, and Marshall Puckett, owner of AvReps International in New Mexico.

"I want to get an aircraft manufacturing operation in Waco, and I think it's very doable," said Puckett, 65, speaking Thursday by phone. "I'm talking with two manufacturers right now, and I'm getting very serious with one."

Waco chamber officials say they believe the expertise and industry contacts that Puckett and Olcott have could prove invaluable as the city tries to develop an aviation park on 327 acres next to Texas State Technical College.

Local leaders envision at least 10 hangars of at least 70,000 square feet each, used by companies wanting access to TSTC's runway.

Sarah Roberts, with the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce, has estimated that the park eventually could employ 2,000 "when totally built out."

"I'm going to represent (Waco's) interests in attempting to work with the government, the Federal Aviation Administration, at the federal level and the local level," said Olcott, 69, speaking by phone. "There are regulations that need to be followed when you are relating something off airport (an air park, for example) to an airport. I'll make the chamber aware of those rules."

Olcott said he also will comb federal government agencies in search of money that might be available for development of an air park.

The project recently received a $1.25 million boost when the U.S. House of Representatives passed a transportation bill that included money for the air park. U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, pushed the legislation.

"I'll also keep my eye out for companies that want to be located in a vibrant area," said Olcott, who believes that describes Waco. "I'll use my network, so to speak, to keep abreast of what's happening in general aviation."

Olcott and Puckett have visited Waco on several occasions. They know that more than 30 aviation- and-defense-related companies have formed an alliance to push growth in those fields. Waco's largest industry, L-3 Communications, modifies military and commercial aircraft.

Scott Connell, a spokesman for the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber would prefer not to discuss how much Olcott and Puckett are being paid.

"That figure is somewhat performance driven," Connell said, adding that Puckett had been working for the chamber even before he entered into a formal contract. "We appreciate the work he's done with us so far."

Said Puckett: "I've been in this business 40 years, and I've never seen any city as organized, committed and on the same page as Waco is in its quest to become a center of aviation excellence. I couldn't be happier to be involved."

Olcott, past president of the National Business Aviation Association, has a lot of experience in general aviation.

He created a flight research laboratory at the Indian Institute of Technology/Kanpur, where he also conducted flight tests of aircraft designed by the Indian Department of Civil Aviation Technical Center.

He has served as an adviser to NASA, a flight instructor, and editor and publisher of Business & Commercial Aviation magazine.

mcopeland@wacotrib.com
1 (254) 757-5736

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