Vero Beach Municipal Airport
Encyclopedia
Vero Beach Municipal Airport is a public-use airport
located 1 miles (1.6 km) northwest of the central business district
of the city of Vero Beach
in Indian River County
, Florida
, United States
. The airport is publicly owned. Vero Beach Municipal Airport also is the home of Piper Aircraft.
(EAL) began using the airfield for refueling stops. In 1935, EAL instituted passenger and mail service from Vero Beach. AirportBy the end of the decade, war clouds were gathering and some far sighted local citizens initiated further development of the airport facility by installing permanent runway lights and adding radio and teletype machines. In 1939, using Public Assistance workers, the runways were extended and one year later the Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) spent an additional $250,000 on additional improvements. With the beginning of the 1940s, the airport would become a major player as the U.S. became involved in World War II.
In the early 1940s, the focus was on war. In 1942, the U.S. Navy notified Vero Beach officials that it had selected their municipal airport as the site for a naval air station
and purchased an additional 1500 acres (6.1 km²) surrounding Vero Beach Airport. The base was formally commissioned as Naval Air Station Vero Beach in 1942 and pilot training began at NAS Vero Beach in February 1943. At the peak of its activity, NAS Vero Beach was home to 1,400 U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps servicemen and 250 aircraft. After the war ended, NAS Vero Beach was reduced to a skeletal staff, and in 1947 the Navy closed NAS Vero Beach and returned the airport to the city.
In 1948, major league baseball came to Vero Beach as Bud Holman, a local businessman, invited the Brooklyn Dodgers to take over former barracks facilities from the closed naval air station as a winter and spring training facility. The Dodgers liked the area so much that Dodgertown was born, a 109 acre (0.44110774 km²) tract adjacent to the airport, as their winter and spring training grounds. The Dodgers continued to use the facility even after they moved to California and became the Los Angeles Dodgers
. This facility remained in operation until 2008, when the Dodgers moved to a new spring training facility in Glendale, Arizona
.
In 1957, Piper Aircraft selected Vero Beach for their research and development center, which was also built on part of the grounds of the former naval air station. In 1961, Piper moved its administrative and manufacturing operations here after completing building additions. By 1967, Piper had expanded its facility to 11 acres (44,515.5 m²) and its work force to over 2,000 employees. Manufacturing of Piper Aircraft at the Vero Beach facility ceased in the mid-1980s when, together with other sellers of light aircraft in the USA, as increasing product liability insurance premiums made continued operation financially impossible. Upon limitation of liability provided by new legislation by the U.S. Congress in the early 1990s, manufacturing re-commenced in 1995.
FlightSafety Academy, a leading flight training school and an integral part of FlightSafety International
, is also located at VRB. The facility's primary focus is on ab initio flight training for prospective U.S. and international commercial airline pilots who are not graduates of a military flight training program.
Today, VRB is a 1707 acres (6.9 km²) tower-controlled facility with a full FAR Part 139 operating certificate. Although the airport has had commercial service, primarily regional service, in the recent past, it currently has no scheduled commercial airline service.
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 miles (1.6 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 Vero Beach
Vero Beach, Florida
Vero Beach is a city in Indian River County, Florida, USA. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 estimates, the city had a population of 16,939. It is the county seat of Indian River County...
in Indian River County
Indian River County, Florida
Indian River County is a county located in the Treasure Coast region in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 112,947. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 128,594...
, 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. Vero Beach Municipal Airport also is the home of Piper Aircraft.
History
Vero Beach Municipal Airport was dedicated in 1930 and commercial airline service began in 1932 when Eastern Air LinesEastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
(EAL) began using the airfield for refueling stops. In 1935, EAL instituted passenger and mail service from Vero Beach. AirportBy the end of the decade, war clouds were gathering and some far sighted local citizens initiated further development of the airport facility by installing permanent runway lights and adding radio and teletype machines. In 1939, using Public Assistance workers, the runways were extended and one year later the Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) spent an additional $250,000 on additional improvements. With the beginning of the 1940s, the airport would become a major player as the U.S. became involved in World War II.
In the early 1940s, the focus was on war. In 1942, the U.S. Navy notified Vero Beach officials that it had selected their municipal airport as the site for a naval air station
Naval Air Station
A Naval Air Station is a military airbase, and consists of a permanent land-based operations locations for the military aviation division of the relevant branch of their Navy...
and purchased an additional 1500 acres (6.1 km²) surrounding Vero Beach Airport. The base was formally commissioned as Naval Air Station Vero Beach in 1942 and pilot training began at NAS Vero Beach in February 1943. At the peak of its activity, NAS Vero Beach was home to 1,400 U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps servicemen and 250 aircraft. After the war ended, NAS Vero Beach was reduced to a skeletal staff, and in 1947 the Navy closed NAS Vero Beach and returned the airport to the city.
In 1948, major league baseball came to Vero Beach as Bud Holman, a local businessman, invited the Brooklyn Dodgers to take over former barracks facilities from the closed naval air station as a winter and spring training facility. The Dodgers liked the area so much that Dodgertown was born, a 109 acre (0.44110774 km²) tract adjacent to the airport, as their winter and spring training grounds. The Dodgers continued to use the facility even after they moved to California and became the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
. This facility remained in operation until 2008, when the Dodgers moved to a new spring training facility in Glendale, Arizona
Glendale, Arizona
Glendale is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, located about nine miles northwest from Downtown Phoenix. According to 2010 Census Bureau, the population of the city is 226,721....
.
In 1957, Piper Aircraft selected Vero Beach for their research and development center, which was also built on part of the grounds of the former naval air station. In 1961, Piper moved its administrative and manufacturing operations here after completing building additions. By 1967, Piper had expanded its facility to 11 acres (44,515.5 m²) and its work force to over 2,000 employees. Manufacturing of Piper Aircraft at the Vero Beach facility ceased in the mid-1980s when, together with other sellers of light aircraft in the USA, as increasing product liability insurance premiums made continued operation financially impossible. Upon limitation of liability provided by new legislation by the U.S. Congress in the early 1990s, manufacturing re-commenced in 1995.
FlightSafety Academy, a leading flight training school and an integral part of FlightSafety International
FlightSafety International
FlightSafety International is a provider of professional aviation training, simulation equipment and software, operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, who has owned the company since 1996....
, is also located at VRB. The facility's primary focus is on ab initio flight training for prospective U.S. and international commercial airline pilots who are not graduates of a military flight training program.
Today, VRB is a 1707 acres (6.9 km²) tower-controlled facility with a full FAR Part 139 operating certificate. Although the airport has had commercial service, primarily regional service, in the recent past, it currently has no scheduled commercial airline service.