Developing the region’s airports and available airspace to attract engineering, manufacturing, research and development of the aircraft and spacecraft industries.  Imperial County’s assets that support these industries are as follows:  

• Availability of uncongested airspace
   
• Proximity to restricted airspace
   
• Rural locations to facilitate rocket and jet testing
   
• An average of 360 days of clear flying weather per year
   
• Availability of affordable workforce
   
• Proximity to San Diego County’s $1.3 billion Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) industry
   
• Proximity to Mexicali, BC Mexico which currently has 25 aerospace related companies with a workforce of approximately 7,500 engineers, technicians and operators (2)  

Economic Impact that the Naval Air Facility (NAF) El Centro had on the regional economy of Imperial County during FY 2010 (1)

In FY 2010, NAF El Centro produced $105 million in economic benefit to Imperial County, plus $4.8 million in federal taxes for an overall economic impact of $110 million.

These contributions included:

• Over $77 million in industrial output - $54.2 million from operations, $11.6 million from payroll, and $11.3 million from visitor spending by transient personnel;
   
• Almost $24 million in direct payroll expenditures - for military and civilian personnel;
   
• Nearly 1,400 jobs - 597 military and civilian personnel directly employed and 801additional jobs related to NAF El Centro operations, payroll, and other spending;
   
• Over $4 million in state and local tax revenues - $2.2 million from operations, $1.0 million from payroll, and $0.9 million from transient personnel spending.  These activities generated an additional $4.8 million in federal taxes; and    
   
• $68,500 in Federal Impact Aid - to support local schools.