Orlando Executive Airport

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Orlando Executive Airport
28 Feb 1999
IATA: ORL – ICAO: KORL – FAA: ORL
Summary
Airport type		Public
Owner		Greater Orlando Aviation Authority
Location		Orlando, Florida
Elevation AMSL		113 ft / 34.4 m
Coordinates		28°32′43.67″N, 81°19′58.57″W
Website		Official site
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
Direction	ft	m	Surface
7/25	6,003	1,830	Asphalt
13/31	4,638	1,414	Asphalt

Orlando Executive Airport (IATA: ORL, ICAO: KORL, FAA LID: ORL) is a public airport located 3 miles (5 km) east of the city of Orlando in Orange County, Florida, USA. It primarily serves the general aviation community. The airport sits on 1,056 acres (4.3 km²) of land.

1 History
2 Present day
3 See Also
4 External links

[edit] 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 Air Force 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 National Airlines and Eastern Air Lines 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 at McCoy AFB, 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 of Orlando 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 as Orlando Executive Airport in 1982 and renamed it again to its present name of Executive Airport in 1998.

[edit] Present day

ORL as seen from a commercial airliner, 3-20-2008.

Today, Executive Airport serves as a general aviation and corporate aviation airport for the greater Orlando area. Its proximity to the Florida State Road 408 East-West Expressway as well as downtown Orlando makes it a popular airport for private 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.

The airport has been used for special air industry events and showcases included the National Business Aviation Convention which be held again in 2008. The airport has also been used as landing site for the Marine One helicopter with President Bush onboard when visiting Orlando. However the primary arrival method for Presidential visits is still via Air Force One, which lands at Orlando International Airport (MCO).