Naples, Florida is a well-known tourist spot in the US. The place especially gets popular during the winter with visitors looking a way to escape all that snow. And with an enormous number of tourist means a busy local airport. The sheer number of visiting tourists that arrive by the millions annually are what keeps the Naples Municipal Airport (APF) loaded with traffic on a yearly basis and this is not to mention the luxury homeowners of Naples, Florida who fly in their swanky private jets. It is estimated that a single private jet takes off every two minutes daily in the Naples Municipal Airport.
With around 85 hundred aircraft operations per year, and pumping almost 300 million dollars in the local economy of Naples, Florida both directly and not, the Naples Municipal Airport surely has a lot in its hands. However, this does not stop them from being a model airport for keeping its daily operations quiet – literally. The APF strives to maintain to produce the least amount of noise possible in their everyday processes. A rather ambitious endeavor, however in a city that values peace and quite, almost as a part of their culture, in addition to the wetlands, marshlands and forests that is home to a diverse range of wildlife species, a quieter airport seems to be a reasonable gesture.
They did an unprecedented, if not controversial decision by banning Stage 1 and Stage 2 jets under 34,000 kilograms. They also set a limit to all aircraft going by the airport to not weigh more than a dual gear of 34,000 kilograms. Exceptions have been made for government aircraft, especially those ones used for emergency purposes such as hurricane rescue operations and other urgent matters. The airport also has a voluntary daily curfew that the airport’s administration implement. From 10pm to 7am, aircraft are highly discouraged to operate with the exception of medical services and mosquito control. According to airport officials, this curfew has been received very well with an overwhelming 98% compliance from all aircraft involved.
Despite the airport’s restrictions to conform to the noise-sensitive culture of Naples, Florida, there are perks and aviation services that APF is known for. For one, the airport administration sells fuel at very competitive prices which attracts aircraft from all over southwestern Florida. In fact, the revenue from the selling of fuel paved the way of the construction new U.S. Customs and Border Protection federal inspection station on the airport. Because of the revenue from fuel sales and others, the airport is fully self-supporting. And because of the great officiating practices plus the airport’s contribution to the local economy the Naples Municipal Airport was awarded the 2012 General Aviation Airport of the Year by the Florida Department of Transportation in 2012.
If you wish to know more about the airport, check out our other articles about APF and the other airports in southwestern Florida. In case you’re new to Naples, Florida and would perhaps need products and services from local businesses, visit our Business Directory section in divinenaples.com
