McGee said the airport also has scrapped plans to hire another marketing director, and won t hire a replacement for a facilities director who resigned last year. There probably won t be any new positions added in 2000, McGee said. If the airport fails to land another airline soon, more belt-tightening will probably be inevitable and taxpayer support could be necessary. But to make the debt payments, the airport relies on the expiring airline leases. Signs of life Despite the slump in air carrier service, there are signs of renewed energy at the airport.
Officials are optimistic the momentum is building to bigger and better things.
We re very hopeful this is going to be a better year for the airport, Northey said. The FAA recently doubled the airspace it controls from the air-traffic control tower, boosting its staff of controllers from 60 to 70. Daytona Beach is picking up area formerly handled by a deactivated tower at Patrick Air Force Base in Brevard County. Meanwhile, takeoffs and landings in Daytona Beach hit an all-time high of 362,862 in 1999, up nearly 19 percent from a year earlier, thanks largely to student and corporate flying. We expect it to continue to increase, said Burt Willis, the FAA s air traffic control tower manager.