Orlando Executive Airport
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The Orlando Executive Airport is an airport located in Orlando, Florida primarily serving the general aviation community. The airport sits on 1,056 acres (4.3 kmē) of land, and its IATA Airport Code is ORL.
History
Opened in 1928 as the Orlando Municipal Airport, the airport was the first commercial airport in central Florida. The United States Postal Service started airmail service to Orlando the following year.
The United States Army took control of the airport in 1940 for use as a training facility and renamed it the Orlando Air Base. For six years, the airport remained under military control until 1946, when it was released back to the city of Orlando. The same year, commercial service with Delta Air Lines and Eastern Airlines began. Just five years later, the airport built its main terminal, a two-story structure with a built-in control tower. The terminal stood until 1999.
In 1961 the airport was renamed again, this time called the Herndon Airport. The name change was in preparation for moving commercial air service to the new Orlando Jetport, which is today the Orlando International Airport. By 1968, commercial airlines no longer served Herndon and it became primarily a general and corporate aviation facility.
In 1976, the city gave up control of the airport and transferred the property and all operational responsibilities to the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority or GOAA. GOAA renamed the airport to its present-day name of Orlando Executive Airport in 1982.
Present day
Today, the Orlando Executive Airport serves as a general aviation and corporate aviation airport for the greater Orlando area. Its proximity to the East-West Expressway as well as downtown Orlando makes it a popular airport for business and pleasure travelers alike. In 2003, the airport had 240,000 operations (takeoffs and landings) on its two runways. However, the airport is still considered the "minor" airport of Orlando, Florida, as the Orlando International Airport remains the primary airport for both domestic and international flights, drawing significantly more passengers every year.
In August 2004, the airport suffered significant damage when Hurricane Charley overturned airplanes and damaged hangars.
External link
- Orlando Executive Airport Homepage (http://www.orlandoairports.net/goaa/orl/index.htm)