BOSTON – Today, an interested Indonesian investor and the Aviation Management and Industrial Drone Franchise Company, East West Aeronautical (EWA), announced a $200 million investment proposition for “Project EWA Expansion,” which will dramatically expand the Air Cargo Logistics capability at Pease International Airport, Portsmouth, NH, starting by January 2021.
The EWA expansion is spearheaded by the ever-growing freight demands due to increased online purchasing and the fact that consumers do not want to wait. The online selling and buying process, otherwise known as (e-commerce) is busting out at the seams. Most products are flown by air and temporarily stored in a warehouse (Cross-Dock) facility until bought by the customer. EWA is developing a cross-dock facility at Pease International, with space to unload cargo airplanes inside, out of the weather, with space remaining to manufacture its industrial size Areal Drones.
Portsmouth, NH, is a logical alternative to Boston for cargo operations. Only 60 miles from the major hub, Portsmouth’s quaint city is connected to Boston by rail and interstate highway and has a vibrant seaport. More on the Seaport in a subsequent article later. The Pease Airport is in an entirely unique position; Pease has one of the longest runways in America as it was once the home of the United States Air Force 509 Bomb Wing and designated as a NASA Space Shuttle emergency landing base. Pease can accept the largest cargo airplanes globally, including the Russian Antonov 225 cargo giant plane, larger than a 747.
After a successful career as a Pilot, Test Pilot, Aviation Technician, and Aircraft Manager, East West Aeronautical CEO, Captain Eric Robinson, is now expanding into Logistics, blending his technical and aviation knowledge into multiple endeavors. Captain Robinson got his first job on Pease AFB at the age of 14 before enlisting in the Air Force at 17, traveling the world, and returning to Pease AFB as an entrepreneur after being away for 25 years. Captain Robinson is in earnest talks with a group of focused investors wanting to support EWA programs for $200,000,000.
Pease is a sizeable airport where much of the flight line is unused since the Air Force left years ago; the Air Force Reserves remain active but only use a fraction of what was once needed. Featuring ample space to park large airplanes, it only costs 12 dollars to park your 747 overnight—less money than it cost to park a passenger car for a few hours in the downtown parking garage. Pease is very accommodating to big airplanes. The airport is designated as a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) and a HUB-Z, significantly reducing cargo processing costs. With its lower costs and fees, Pease International is more attractive to cargo customers than other big city airports.
These statements are confirmed by Pease International Airport Executive Director Paul Brean. Brean was recently interviewed in the July 2020 Seacoastonline.com publication “Busier Future Envisioned for Portsmouth International Airport.” He believes low-cost international service is possible, as well as making the Portsmouth International Airport at Pease home to an air cargo logistics center and home to an airplane maintenance and overhaul facility.
“We are extremely fortunate to have this opportunity, and I am hopeful we can bring at least 150 new technical and administrative jobs to the New England Seacoast area, not including peripheral support jobs,” said Robinson.
Besides air cargo logistics, UAV industrial drones, East West uses its technical capabilities to convert passenger airplanes into cargo airplanes. “We are strategic in that we don’t depend on one stream of income but have multiple areas of expertise,” says Robinson.
East West Aeronautical (EWA), located at the former U.S. Air Force Base (509th Bomb Wing) in Portsmouth NH, is in partnership with Arcadia Aerospace from Belgium; both companies are growing more prominent. East West is a Safety Awarded aircraft management company, offering a wide range of aviation services. EWA has an impressive background in supporting the airline industry, moving air cargo, and extensive experience in developing aviation technologies. Visit eastwestaero.com.
