Melbourne International Airport
Encyclopedia
Melbourne International Airport is a public airport
located 1 1/2 miles northwest of the downtown business district of Melbourne
, a city in Brevard County
, Florida
, United States
. Located on central Florida's Space Coast
, the airport is accessed via NASA
Boulevard (State Road 508
). It is governed by a seven-member board
which is appointed by the Melbourne City Council and the private sector. The airport budget is contained within the Melbourne municipal budget. The airport receives no local tax dollars. The projected expenses for 2010 is $14.1 million. The director of the airport is Richard Ennis.
Airmail service commenced in late 1928 when the airport was designated a fueling stop. In 1933, the City of Melbourne acquired 160 acres (65 ha) west of Indian River Bluff to develop as a new location for the airport, which was further developed and operated as Naval Air Station Melbourne
during World War II
.
Returned to the city as a Surplus Property Airport after the War, Melbourne Airport was deeded to the city in 1947. It was operated as a municipal airport until 1967 at which time the city created the Melbourne Airport Authority to plan, operate, maintain, and develop the airport.
In the early 1980s, filmmaker Jim Jarmusch
shot some ending scenes for his award-winning film Stranger Than Paradise
in the Melbourne area. This included several important plot scenes shot at the "Melbourne Regional Airport" (as listed in the credits).
The Authority operated a recreational vehicle site, "Port O' Call." This was closed and the tenants evicted in 2003. The intent was to use the property for commercial development.
The Melbourne Airport Authority operates Tropical Haven (formerly Trailer Haven), a 759-site manufactured home park.
As of 2010, the airport has non-stop service to Atlanta
via Delta Air Lines
and its regional partner Atlantic Southeast Airlines
, as well as non-stop service to Charlotte Douglas International Airport via US Airways
and its regional subsidiary PSA Airlines
. In the past, Delta has flown non-stop from Melbourne to its hubs in Cincinnati, New York-JFK and New York-La Guardia, as well as point-to-point routes to Washington-Dulles and Washington-Reagan; all of this service was discontinued. USA3000 Airlines also briefly served Melbourne with flights to Baltimore/Washington, American Airlines also serviced Melbourne with flights to Raleigh-Durham, and Continental serviced Melbourne as well with service to Newark-Liberty.
A high was experienced in March 2010 of 41,725. Total enplaned and deplaned passengers for 2008 numbered about 286,000.
229,000 used the airport in 2009, a 24% drop from the prior year.
Passengers rose 70% in 2010 over 2009, as US Airways restarted service and Delta expanded service.
Melbourne International Airport covers an area of 2450 acres (991.5 ha) which contains three asphalt
paved runway
s: 9R/27L measuring 10,181 x 150 ft (3,103 x 46 m), 9L/27R measuring 6,000 x 150 ft (1,829 x 46 m) and 5/23 measuring 3,001 x 75 ft (915 x 23 m).
For the 12-month period ending June 30, 2009, the airport had 133,576 aircraft operations, an average of 366 per day: 95% general aviation
, 3% scheduled commercial, 1% air taxi
and <1% military. There are 248 aircraft based at this airport: 77% single-engine, 16% multi-engine, 4% jet, 2% helicopter and <1% military.
The Airport Museum
is located inside the terminal building.
The Florida Institute of Technology Research, Science and Technology Park is located on approximately 100 acres (40.5 ha) surrounded by airport tenants such as Northrop Grumman
Joint Stars
, G.E Railway
, Rockwell Collins
, DRS Technologies
, L-3 and leases property to two hospitals and one hotel. A new Embraer
Business Jet Assembly Facility, intending to employ 200 workers, is currently under construction. In 2010, AAR Corporation
, intending to employ 225, and MidAirUSA, a small commercial jetliner service, intending to employ 300, have announced plans for facilities at the airport.
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 1 1/2 miles northwest of the downtown business district of Melbourne
Melbourne, Florida
Melbourne is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. As of 2009, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 78,323. The municipal area is the second largest by size and by population in the county. Melbourne is a principal city of the Palm Bay – Melbourne – Titusville, Florida...
, a city 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...
. Located on central Florida's Space Coast
Space Coast
The Space Coast is a region in the U.S. state of Florida around Kennedy Space Center , where NASA launched space shuttles until the last one on July 8th, 2011 at 11:29am; and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, site of unmanned civilian and military space launches...
, the airport is accessed via NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
Boulevard (State Road 508
State Road 508 (Florida)
State Road 508, also known as NASA Boulevard, is a 1.3 mile long east–west road in Melbourne. Its eastern terminus is at an intersection with U.S. Route 1 ; its western terminus is at the entrance to the terminal of Melbourne International Airport...
). It is governed by a seven-member board
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
which is appointed by the Melbourne City Council and the private sector. The airport budget is contained within the Melbourne municipal budget. The airport receives no local tax dollars. The projected expenses for 2010 is $14.1 million. The director of the airport is Richard Ennis.
History
Melbourne International Airport began in 1928 when a Pitcairn Aircraft landed on a cow pasture strip north of Kissimmee Highway.Airmail service commenced in late 1928 when the airport was designated a fueling stop. In 1933, the City of Melbourne acquired 160 acres (65 ha) west of Indian River Bluff to develop as a new location for the airport, which was further developed and operated as Naval Air Station Melbourne
Naval Air Station Melbourne
Naval Air Station Melbourne was a United States Naval Base in Melbourne, Florida. The Navy used NAS Melbourne for gunnery training and as a base for WAVES during World War II...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Returned to the city as a Surplus Property Airport after the War, Melbourne Airport was deeded to the city in 1947. It was operated as a municipal airport until 1967 at which time the city created the Melbourne Airport Authority to plan, operate, maintain, and develop the airport.
In the early 1980s, filmmaker Jim Jarmusch
Jim Jarmusch
James R. "Jim" Jarmusch is an American independent film director, screenwriter, actor, producer, editor and composer. Jarmusch has been a major proponent of independent cinema, particularly during the 1980s and 1990s.-Early life:...
shot some ending scenes for his award-winning film Stranger Than Paradise
Stranger Than Paradise
Stranger Than Paradise is a 1984 American absurdist/deadpan comedy film. It was written and directed by Jim Jarmusch and stars jazz musician John Lurie, former Sonic Youth drummer-turned-actor Richard Edson, and Hungarian-born actress Eszter Balint...
in the Melbourne area. This included several important plot scenes shot at the "Melbourne Regional Airport" (as listed in the credits).
The Authority operated a recreational vehicle site, "Port O' Call." This was closed and the tenants evicted in 2003. The intent was to use the property for commercial development.
The Melbourne Airport Authority operates Tropical Haven (formerly Trailer Haven), a 759-site manufactured home park.
As of 2010, the airport has non-stop service to Atlanta
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, and Hartsfield–Jackson, is located seven miles south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
via Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
and its regional partner Atlantic Southeast Airlines
Atlantic Southeast Airlines
Atlantic Southeast Airlines is an American airline based in the A-Tech Center in College Park, Georgia, flying to 144 destinations as a Delta Connection carrier and, as of February 2010, commenced service as a United Express carrier. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of SkyWest, Inc. ASA operates...
, as well as non-stop service to Charlotte Douglas International Airport via US Airways
US Airways
US Airways, Inc. is a major airline based in the U.S. city of Tempe, Arizona. The airline is an operating unit of US Airways Group and is the sixth largest airline by traffic and eighth largest by market value in the country....
and its regional subsidiary PSA Airlines
PSA Airlines
PSA Airlines is an American regional airline headquartered at Dayton International Airport in Vandalia, Ohio, that flies under US Airways Express brand for US Airways. PSA is wholly owned by US Airways Group. PSA has crew bases in Knoxville, Tennessee, Charlotte, North Carolina and Dayton, Ohio...
. In the past, Delta has flown non-stop from Melbourne to its hubs in Cincinnati, New York-JFK and New York-La Guardia, as well as point-to-point routes to Washington-Dulles and Washington-Reagan; all of this service was discontinued. USA3000 Airlines also briefly served Melbourne with flights to Baltimore/Washington, American Airlines also serviced Melbourne with flights to Raleigh-Durham, and Continental serviced Melbourne as well with service to Newark-Liberty.
Statistics
Monthly passengers were at a seasonal low in September 2007 at 14,083.A high was experienced in March 2010 of 41,725. Total enplaned and deplaned passengers for 2008 numbered about 286,000.
229,000 used the airport in 2009, a 24% drop from the prior year.
Passengers rose 70% in 2010 over 2009, as US Airways restarted service and Delta expanded service.
Facilities and aircraft
Asphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
paved runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
s: 9R/27L measuring 10,181 x 150 ft (3,103 x 46 m), 9L/27R measuring 6,000 x 150 ft (1,829 x 46 m) and 5/23 measuring 3,001 x 75 ft (915 x 23 m).
For the 12-month period ending June 30, 2009, the airport had 133,576 aircraft operations, an average of 366 per day: 95% 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...
, 3% scheduled commercial, 1% air taxi
Air taxi
An air taxi is an air charter passenger or cargo aircraft which operates on an on-demand basis.-Regulation:In the United States, air taxi and air charter operations are governed by Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations , unlike the larger scheduled air carriers which are governed by more...
and <1% military. There are 248 aircraft based at this airport: 77% single-engine, 16% multi-engine, 4% jet, 2% helicopter and <1% military.
The Airport Museum
Airport Museum (Melbourne, Florida)
The Airport Museum is located inside the Melbourne International Airport, One Air Terminal Parkway, Melbourne, Florida. It houses displays of the history of the Naval Air Station Melbourne and the Melbourne International Airport. It also contains a Link Trainer and aviation artwork....
is located inside the terminal building.
The Florida Institute of Technology Research, Science and Technology Park is located on approximately 100 acres (40.5 ha) surrounded by airport tenants such as Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American global aerospace and defense technology company formed by the 1994 purchase of Grumman by Northrop. The company was the fourth-largest defense contractor in the world as of 2010, and the largest builder of naval vessels. Northrop Grumman employs over...
Joint Stars
E-8 Joint STARS
The Northrop Grumman E-8 Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System is a battle management and command and control aircraft of the United States Air Force...
, G.E Railway
General Electric Railcar Services Corp.
GE Rail Services is a a business unit of GE Capital, a division of General Electric. It is a distinctive business unit from General Electric's railway locomotive manufacturer. The current Chief Executive is Joe Lattanzio....
, Rockwell Collins
Rockwell Collins
Rockwell Collins, Inc. is a large United States-based international company headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, primarily providing aviation and information technology systems and services to governmental agencies and aircraft manufacturers.- History :...
, DRS Technologies
DRS Technologies
DRS Technologies, Inc. is a US-based defense contractor. Previously traded on the NYSE, the company was purchased by the Italian firm Finmeccanica in October 2008.-History:...
, L-3 and leases property to two hospitals and one hotel. A new Embraer
Embraer
Embraer S.A. is a Brazilian aerospace conglomerate that produces commercial, military, and executive aircraft and provides aeronautical services....
Business Jet Assembly Facility, intending to employ 200 workers, is currently under construction. In 2010, AAR Corporation
AAR Corporation
AAR CORP. is an aviation support company. Founded in 1951, AAR provides a broad range of products and services to the aerospace and government/defense industries, with a nearly even split between them...
, intending to employ 225, and MidAirUSA, a small commercial jetliner service, intending to employ 300, have announced plans for facilities at the airport.
Scheduled airlines
Flight schools
- F.I.T. Aviation Flight School owned by Florida Institute of TechnologyFlorida Institute of TechnologyFlorida Institute of Technology, also known as Florida Tech, is an independent private technical research university located in Melbourne, Florida, United States. Founded in 1958 as Brevard Engineering College, the institute has been known by its present name since 1966. Florida Tech's curriculum...
for the College of Aeronautics. Offers flight training for fixed wing aircraft for the FAA Private Pilot Certification, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot Certification, Multi-Engine and Advanced Aircraft Training. In 1999, in order to match a grant for a new engineering building, Florida Tech sold nearly a third of its training fleet.
- Co-located with F.I.T Aviation School, The Pilot Training CollegePilot Training CollegeThe Pilot Training College is a JAR Flight Training Organisation fully approved for commercial pilot training.The training provided is in accordance with the European JAA requirements for commercial pilots....
(PTC) offers European flight training for fixed wing aircraft for the JAA Commercial Pilot Certification, Multi-Engine and Advanced Aircraft Training. PTC offers JAA flight training to airline transport pilot level either by integrated or modular training mode - as well as offering a full-time BSc. degree program in airline transport operations that includes a JAA commercial pilots license.
External links
- Melbourne International Airport, official site
- FIT Aviation, official site brochure from CFASPP (April 2005)