In July, representatives from Florida participated in the Farnborough International Air Show in England. A record number of 29 firms, economic development organizations, university representatives and airport and aviation authorities participated in the event.

During the show, a number of Florida firms met with 127 companies from the United States and abroad, resulting in sales of more than $101 million. According to a press release from the State of Florida, the investment by 21 firms is expected to create 2,245 high-tech jobs in Florida’s aviation and aerospace and defense industries.

“During challenging economic times, Floridians count on leadership to aggressively seek new opportunities to strengthen our economy and create jobs for our people,” Governor Charlie Crist said in the press release. “I am honored that companies are eager to explore ways to tap into Florida’s extraordinary expertise and talented workforce in the aerospace and aviation industry.”

The five-day show hosted 1,500 exhibitors from 38 countries. While in Farnborough, Crist also met with representatives from Boeing, Northrup Grumman, Lockheed Martin and Embraer. Florida is known as being home to NASA Merritt Island launch sites, including Kennedy Space Center.

In 2006 the aviation and aerospace industry was made up of 1,819 establishments and provided for 84,099 Florida jobs, an increase of 886 jobs from 2005. However, the industry as a whole has lost 10,484 jobs, an 11.1 percent increase, since 2001.

In 2005, the average annual wage for a Florida worker in the aviation and aerospace industry was $53,211, higher than the state’s overall average salary of $36,804. The largest occupation in the industry is air transportation, which employed 30,006 people in June 2006. This accounts for 35.7 percent of all aviation and aerospace employment. The second largest occupation in the industry is support activities for air transportation, with 20,700 jobs.