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The state's airport system pumps approxi- mately $4.3 billion and 49,000 jobs into the Minnesota economy. Businesses Ask: How Far To The Airport? Airport sites and capacity affect busine.ss Idea!ion decisions. With execuwees' tmle al a premium, close proximity to an airport is desirable. A sludy developing long-term guide- lines for the state's aviation system is under ',.,,'ay, according to Lee Munn/ch, assistant commissioner of the Mtn nesol,'a Department of Trade and Economic Development's (DTED) Policy Analy- sis, Science and Technology DMsion. Munnich is a member of the slate aviation advisory committee that includes representatives from federal, stale and local governments, avialJon users and private industry. Results of the economic impact segment of the study should be available later this year, Munnich said, bul Minnesota Depart- ment of Transportation (MnDOT) offi- cials estimate that the stale's airporl system pumps approximately $4.3 billion and 49.000 jobs into the Minnesota economy. Currently, there are 141 publicly- owned airports in Minnesota. Approxi- mately 90 percent of the state's popu- lation is wiihin 30 minutes driving time to an airport, and within 60 minutes drMng time to an airport with scheduled service, according to task force member Ken Hoeper of the MnDOT Office of Aeronautics. Airport service affects job creation. MunnJch cited a national survey conducted by McGraw-Hill Research Approximately 90 percent of the state's population is within 30 minutes driving time lo an airport and within 60 minutes driving time to an airport with sCheduled sefvice. for Business Week which showed that being near an airport is becoming more important in plant location decisions. }n 1987.42 percent of the manufacturers surveyed said thai proximity lo an airport was important in choosing a plant site. compared with 26 percenl in 1976. Service industries placed even higher importance on nearness to an airport, with more than 45 percent citing it as vital in location decisions. Scheduled service is currently avail- able in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Rochester, Worthington. Fairmont, Mankato. Duluth, Brainerd. Bemidji, Fargo/ Moorhead, Grand Rapids, Marshall, Thief River Falls. Chisholm/Hibbing, Winona (through La Crosse, Wis,), International Falls and Grand Forks/ East Grand Forks. Scheduled service is important, Hoeper said, because it is the most efficient form of transportation for business. When the costs of driving. overnight room and board, and lost working hours are totaled up, Hoeper said. it's often cheaper to fly on a scheduled or charter flight. Another area to be explore&accord- lng to Munnich. is whether state govern- ment can effectively market Minnesota airports. DTED hopes to work closely with the Office of Aeronautics at MnDOT and with local communities to find better ways to market airports as economic development assets.