Arthur Dunn Airpark
Encyclopedia
Arthur Dunn Airpark is a public-use airport
located 2 miles (3.2 km) northwest of the central business district
of the city of Titusville
in Brevard County
, Florida
, United States
. The airport is publicly owned and is administered under the cognizance of the Titusville-Cocoa Airport Authority. The airport has one paved runway that is 2,961 feet in length and a turf runway that is 1,805 feet in length.
In addition to general aviation
activity, a skydiving operator is also located on the field.
During the initial term of the 45 acre lease, Arthur Dunn, a prominent Brevard County Commissioner, supported the acquisition of an additional 40-acre tract located north of the 40 acre airmail emergency landing field. These two parcels, along with the 45 acre parcels purchased from the three local families, became Arthur Dunn Airpark as it exists today.
In December of 1939, the Arthur Dunn Airpark was leased to the U.S. Government for use as an auxiliary outlying field (OLF) for U.S. Navy pilots operating out of Naval Air Station Sanford and OLF Titusville, now known as Space Coast Regional Airport
. In 1945, the field returned to civilian use and control.
When the County originally acquired the airpark, the property consisted of a two-runway layout. Both of these runways were grass and were aligned in east-west and northeast-southwest orientations.
In December of 1965, the Brevard County Flying Posse, Inc., a non-profit corporation whose membership consisted primarily of aircraft owners and pilots, entered into a ten year lease with the Brevard Board of County Commissioners to use a portion of the Airpark primarily for aircraft hangars and tie-downs. Prior to this lease, most of the Flying Posse members had constructed hangars on the leased premises. During the Flying Posse’s lease of the airpark, runway 15/33 was constructed. This runway was paved with a bituminous asphalt material, at a length of 3,000 feet and a width of 50 feet. At the same time, a parallel taxiway, connectors, the FBO ramp, and most other paved areas on the airpark were also constructed at a cost of $3,000. This is the same system that exists today.
During their leasehold (1965-1975), the Flying Posse reportedly was the prime factor in keeping Arthur Dunn Airpark operational. Shortly after the Flying Posse’s lease, the County transferred ownership of Arthur Dunn to the Titusville-Cocoa Airport District. This transfer occurred on March 10, 1966.
On December 15, 1967, a three-party operations agreement was executed between the Titusville-Cocoa Airport District, the Brevard County Flying Posse, Inc., and Dunn’s Flying Service. The essence of this agreement was for Dunn’s Flying Service to be able to operate the Radio Aeronautical Advisory Service under the FCC license of the Flying Posse to provide aeronautical advisory to local pilots (UNICOM service). The term of this operations agreement was set at eight years, so as to expire at the same time that the Flying Posse land lease expired in 1975. Prior to and during the term of the Flying Posse’s lease, all of the wooden hangars that exist today, including "The Posse Shack", were constructed by Flying Posse members. Those structures became the property of the airpark at the expiration of the Flying Posse lease.
The current FBO building was constructed in the early 1960’s and was operated by Taylor Dunn, son of Arthur Dunn. In 1964, an additional 1,850 square yards of apron pavement was placed adjacent to the original apron to create the apron as it exists today. The current FBO operation is being conducted by Walkwitz Aviation, Inc.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located 2 miles (3.2 km) northwest of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of the city of Titusville
Titusville, Florida
Titusville is a city in Brevard County, Florida in the United States. It is the county seat of Brevard County. Nicknamed Space City, USA, Titusville is on the Indian River, west of Merritt Island and the Kennedy Space Center and south-southwest of the Canaveral National Seashore...
in Brevard County
Brevard County, Florida
Brevard County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the population is 536,521, making it the 10th most populous county in the state. Influenced by the presence of the John F. Kennedy Space Center, Brevard...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The airport is publicly owned and is administered under the cognizance of the Titusville-Cocoa Airport Authority. The airport has one paved runway that is 2,961 feet in length and a turf runway that is 1,805 feet in length.
In addition to general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
activity, a skydiving operator is also located on the field.
History
Historical research indicates that the Arthur Dunn Airpark came into existence as a county airport in late 1927. Leases between Brevard County and three local families indicate that these families leased a total of approximately 45 acres to the County to be used as an aircraft landing field in conjunction with the 40-acre emergency landing field already in use. These leases remained in effect until 1947, at which time these properties were sold in fee to Brevard County. The County operated the airpark primarily as a base for its mosquito control organizations until March of 1966.During the initial term of the 45 acre lease, Arthur Dunn, a prominent Brevard County Commissioner, supported the acquisition of an additional 40-acre tract located north of the 40 acre airmail emergency landing field. These two parcels, along with the 45 acre parcels purchased from the three local families, became Arthur Dunn Airpark as it exists today.
In December of 1939, the Arthur Dunn Airpark was leased to the U.S. Government for use as an auxiliary outlying field (OLF) for U.S. Navy pilots operating out of Naval Air Station Sanford and OLF Titusville, now known as Space Coast Regional Airport
Space Coast Regional Airport
Space Coast Regional Airport is located in the city of Titusville, Florida on Columbia Boulevard and Washington Avenue in Brevard County. Formerly known as Ti-Co Airport, it is the nearest commercial airport to the Kennedy Space Center.- History :In 1943, the U.S. Government constructed the...
. In 1945, the field returned to civilian use and control.
When the County originally acquired the airpark, the property consisted of a two-runway layout. Both of these runways were grass and were aligned in east-west and northeast-southwest orientations.
In December of 1965, the Brevard County Flying Posse, Inc., a non-profit corporation whose membership consisted primarily of aircraft owners and pilots, entered into a ten year lease with the Brevard Board of County Commissioners to use a portion of the Airpark primarily for aircraft hangars and tie-downs. Prior to this lease, most of the Flying Posse members had constructed hangars on the leased premises. During the Flying Posse’s lease of the airpark, runway 15/33 was constructed. This runway was paved with a bituminous asphalt material, at a length of 3,000 feet and a width of 50 feet. At the same time, a parallel taxiway, connectors, the FBO ramp, and most other paved areas on the airpark were also constructed at a cost of $3,000. This is the same system that exists today.
During their leasehold (1965-1975), the Flying Posse reportedly was the prime factor in keeping Arthur Dunn Airpark operational. Shortly after the Flying Posse’s lease, the County transferred ownership of Arthur Dunn to the Titusville-Cocoa Airport District. This transfer occurred on March 10, 1966.
On December 15, 1967, a three-party operations agreement was executed between the Titusville-Cocoa Airport District, the Brevard County Flying Posse, Inc., and Dunn’s Flying Service. The essence of this agreement was for Dunn’s Flying Service to be able to operate the Radio Aeronautical Advisory Service under the FCC license of the Flying Posse to provide aeronautical advisory to local pilots (UNICOM service). The term of this operations agreement was set at eight years, so as to expire at the same time that the Flying Posse land lease expired in 1975. Prior to and during the term of the Flying Posse’s lease, all of the wooden hangars that exist today, including "The Posse Shack", were constructed by Flying Posse members. Those structures became the property of the airpark at the expiration of the Flying Posse lease.
The current FBO building was constructed in the early 1960’s and was operated by Taylor Dunn, son of Arthur Dunn. In 1964, an additional 1,850 square yards of apron pavement was placed adjacent to the original apron to create the apron as it exists today. The current FBO operation is being conducted by Walkwitz Aviation, Inc.