Orlando Sanford International Airport
Encyclopedia
Orlando-Sanford International Airport is a public commercial air service airport in Sanford, Florida
, near Orlando
. It was originally constructed as a military installation known as Naval Air Station Sanford that was in operation as a Master Jet Base for carrier-based attack and reconnaissance aircraft until 1969.
Due to heavy flight training operations at the airport, it is consistently in the top 30 busiest airports in the world in terms of total flight operations (takeoff and landings). It functions as the Orlando area's secondary commercial airport, but is located farther away from downtown Orlando and the attraction areas of Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Florida
and SeaWorld Orlando
than the larger, primary airport, Orlando International Airport
(MCO/KMCO).
The airport is owned by the Sanford Airport Authority and managed by TBI plc
, one of the world's leading airport operators, which owns London Luton Airport
, Cardiff Airport, and Belfast International Airport
in the United Kingdom, as well as Stockholm-Skavsta Airport
in Sweden, and operates airports in South America. Because of that affiliation, Orlando Sanford International Airport is served primarily by British charter air carriers servicing the European market for leisure travel to Central Florida. TBI is also the provider of ground handling services for airlines. Although it is primarily a landing point for European travel, Sanford is also the second largest focus city
for Las Vegas
-based Allegiant Air
and the smallest focus city for Myrtle Beach
-based Direct Air.
Sanford with the airport codes NRJ and KNRJ. Commissioned on November 3, 1942, the base initially concentrated on advanced land-based patrol plane training, operating PV-1 Venturas
, PBO Hudsons
and SNB-2 Kansans. Peak wartime complement reached approximately 360 officers and 1400 enlisted men with 150 officer and enlisted WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) during 1943-1945. In 1944, training at NAS Sanford shifted to carrier-based fighter aircraft using the F4F and FM-1 Wildcat
and F6F Hellcat
. The air station also held oversight of an auxiliary airfield known as Outlying Field Osceola (OLF Osceola) approximately 6 nautical miles (11.1 km) east-southeast of NAS Sanford.
Decommissioned in 1946 and placed in a caretaker status, the base was recommissioned as Naval Auxiliary Air Station Sanford (NAAS Sanford) in 1950 in response to both the Korean War
and the Cold War
. Subsequently redesignated as a full naval air station
and renamed NAS Sanford, the installation initially served as a base for the AJ Savage
attack aircraft. Substantial upgrades followed in order to turn the air station into a Master Jet Base for the carrier-based Douglas A-3 Skywarrior
(at the time, designated A3D) nuclear attack aircraft of Heavy Attack Wing ONE (HATWING ONE). In addition to the Skywarrior, other associated land-based training aircraft supporting A3D training, such as the P2V-3W Neptune
, were also assigned.
The upgrades to the former NAAS to achieve status as a full-fledged NAS and Master Jet Base included lengthening of the main runway to 8000 feet (2,438.4 m) with additional overruns of approximately 2000 feet (609.6 m) on both ends; construction of additional new hangars; barracks and administrative support buildings for the air station, heavy attack wing, heavy attack squadrons, and Marine Barracks; installation or upgrades to precision approach radar
/ground controlled approach (PAR/GCA), non-directional beacon
(NDB) and tactical air navigation (TACAN) navigational aids; a robust storage and distribution system for JP-5
jet fuel (which relied on resupply via a railroad spur into the base); a Navy Dispensary; a Navy Exchange complex and garage/service station/MiniMart; and morale, welfare and recreation facilities that included a base theater, two swimming pools, lakeside recreational facilities and separate clubs for officers, chief petty officer
s and enlisted personnel. Like Pinecastle AFB (later renamed McCoy AFB), a Strategic Air Command
installation approximately 25 miles (40.2 km) to the south, a commissary and full-fledged Naval Hospital facilities were not considered necessary at NAS Sanford due to the relatively close proximity of a commissary and USAF Hospital at Central Florida's other major military installation at the time, the nearby Orlando AFB
(which was transferred to the U.S. Navy control in 1968 and renamed Naval Training Center Orlando), approximately 12 miles (19.3 km) miles to the south.
NAAS / NAS Sanford also retained control of OLF Osceola into the early 1960s. However, OLF Osceola's 4000 to 5000 feet (1,524 m) runways lacked sufficient length and pavement strength for contemporary carrier-based jet aircraft like the A3D. As a result, no improvements were made to the OLF's infrastructure and it was effectively abandoned as an operational facility.
HATWING ONE consisted of nine Heavy Attack Squadrons (VAH), also known as HATRONs: VAH-1, VAH-3, VAH-5, VAH-6, VAH-7, VAH-9, VAH-11, VAH-12 and VAH-13. All were Fleet deployable units with the exception of VAH-3, which conducted Replacement Air Group (RAG) functions. In addition to the HATWING ONE squadrons, Air Development Squadron FIVE (VX-5
), based at NAWS China Lake, California also maintained a detachment at NAS Sanford.
Due to the Skywarrior's nuclear strike mission and the presence of an associated special weapons storage area at NAS Sanford, Marine Corps
personnel provided both base security and special weapons storage area security, leading to the establishment of Marine Corps Barracks Sanford.
On February 6, 1959, NAS Sanford was dedicated as Ramey Field in honor of Lieutenant Commander Robert W. Ramey, USN, who lost his life by electing to guide his crippled A3D Skywarrior away from a residential area. By staying with the aircraft, LCDR Ramey not only gave his flight crew time to bail out of the aircraft, but also saved the lives of numerous families in the residential community.
In the early 1960s, the A-3 aircraft began to be replaced by the Mach 2+ North American A-5A Vigilante
aircraft. But by 1964, the strategic nuclear strike mission for carrier-based aircraft was eliminated and the Navy's nuclear strike mission under the SIOP
was transferred to the Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) nuclear submarine force. As a result, all Vigilante squadrons were converted to a carrier-based tactical reconnaissance mission and redesignated as Reconnaissance Attack Squadrons (RVAH). Existing A-5A and A-5B aircraft were modified to the RA-5C Vigilante configuration and the North American production line shifted to producing all subsequent aircraft as RA-5Cs. Heavy Attack Wing ONE was renamed Reconnaissance Attack Wing ONE and NAS Sanford-based squadrons routinely deployed aboard both Atlantic and Pacific Fleet aircraft carriers of the FORRESTAL, KITTY HAWK and ENTERPRISE classes, seeing extensive action during the Vietnam War
. Numerous RA-5C flight crews and aircraft were lost to enemy action, with several Sanford-based Naval Aviator
s and Naval Flight Officer
s becoming prisoners of war in Vietnam until repatriation in 1973. In addition to RA-5C aircraft, NAS Sanford also continued to operate the TA-3B variant of the Skywarrior, several examples of which were attached to the RA-5C Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS), Reconnaissance Attack Squadron THREE (RVAH-3) for training Naval Flight Officers as Reconnaissance Attack Navigators (RAN) in the RA-5C. NAS Sanford also operated the R4D-8/C-117 Skytrain as an operational support aircraft assigned to the air station proper.
Congress closed NAS Sanford in 1968 due to funding constraints caused by the Vietnam War, transferring the wing and squadrons to the former Turner AFB, renamed as NAS Albany, Georgia. The wing and squadrons subsequently relocated to NAS Key West, Florida
during 1974-75 and continued to deploy to both the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Pacific aboard FORRESTAL, KITTY HAWK, ENTERPRISE and NIMITZ class aircraft carriers. RA-5C units remained operational at NAS Key West until the RA-5C's retirement from active service in 1980. A commemorative NAS Sanford Memorial Park, along with plaques and a retired RA-5C Vigilante aircraft on loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation
were dedicated in May 2003 and are positioned on the main entrance road within the Orlando Sanford International Airport perimeter in memory to NAS Sanford personnel who served their country during World War II, Vietnam and the Cold War. A PV-1 Ventura, also on loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation
, is in the process of being restored at the airport and will join the RA-5C on display. An A-3 Skywarrior
has also been requested from the Navy for future restoration and display.
Additional name changes followed, to include Sanford Regional Airport, Central Florida Regional Airport, Orlando Sanford Regional Airport and the current Orlando Sanford International Airport. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, many of the former Navy buildings that had been constructed during World War II had reached the end of their useful service life and were demolished, while those constructed by the Navy in the 1950s and 1960s were renovated and improved for civilian use. Additional construction of new buildings and hangars also took place.
OLF Osceola was transferred to the control of Seminole County, Florida but was never officially recommissioned as an active airfield. In the 1970s, the former OLF began to be used by general aviation drug smuggling aircraft as a transshipment point. Following a major drug interdiction by local and federal law enforcement agencies, Seminole County placed large "speed bumps at various intervals across the runway to deter future illegal use. By the 1980s, the county began to utilize the site as a landfill and dump, demolishing remaining runway infrastructure.
In 1992, major portions of the action film Passenger 57
, starring Wesley Snipes
, were filmed at the then-Orlando Sanford Regional Airport, where it represented a small airport in Louisiana. Shortly after filming, a new control tower was constructed and air traffic control operations assumed by the FAA. The former Navy control tower and the large former Navy hangar to which it had been attached were then demolished.
In the mid-1990s, a new passenger terminal capable of accommodating commercial jet airline service, was constructed and charter airlines catering to the heavy British tourist demographic that had previously been utilizing Orlando International Airport
were offered greatly reduced landing fees if they would use Orlando Sanford International Airport and many of these carriers subsequently relocated their operations. Scheduled international and domestic air service soon followed, as reflected by current operations by Icelandair
and Allegiant Air
.
The airport is also home to Aerosim Flight Academy, formerly Delta Connection Academy
, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines
, which provides ab initio
flight training for prospective regional airline and international pilots. The Seminole County Sheriff's Office also maintains a hangar and support facility at the airport for aviation elements of the agency's Special Operations Division.
The dominant runway is 9L/27R. This was constructed from the naval air station's original Runway 9/27, which was an 8000 ft (2,438.4 m) x 200 ft (61 m) landing area with overruns of 2145 ft (653.8 m) and 1985 ft (605 m), respectively. Parallel Runways 9C/27C and 9R/27L were later constructed, the former on a previous taxiway and the latter as new construction runway, to support light general aviation aircraft. The airport also has available Runway 18/36, another Navy-constructed runway, for rare northerly fronts that occur in the winter, although at 6002 feet (1,829.4 m) in length, this runway is not used for normal commercial traffic.
During 2010, Allegiant Air
had announced it was moving many of its flights to larger, and more centrally located Orlando International Airport
to compete directly with Airtran Airways
. However, in October 2010, Allegiant announced that due to passenger's comments, they would be shifting all flights back to Sanford on February 1, 2011.
and Thomas Cook Airlines
also make a fuel stop here on the way to Acapulco.
The NTSB factual report dated December 2007 indicates that the accident was caused by an electrical malfunction, including smoke in the cockpit, that occurred on the previous flight and that was not rectified prior to the accident flight, resulting in the subsequent fire. The accident pilot was informed about the known problem prior to flight, but elected to fly the aircraft regardless.
Sanford, Florida
Sanford is a city in, and the county seat of, Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 38,291 at the 2000 census. As of 2009, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 50,998...
, near Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. It was originally constructed as a military installation known as Naval Air Station Sanford that was in operation as a Master Jet Base for carrier-based attack and reconnaissance aircraft until 1969.
Due to heavy flight training operations at the airport, it is consistently in the top 30 busiest airports in the world in terms of total flight operations (takeoff and landings). It functions as the Orlando area's secondary commercial airport, but is located farther away from downtown Orlando and the attraction areas of Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Florida
Universal Studios Florida
Universal Studios Florida is an American theme park located in Orlando, Florida. Opened on June 7, 1990, the park's theme is the entertainment industry, in particular movies and television. Universal Studios Florida inspires its guests to "ride the movies," and it features numerous attractions and...
and SeaWorld Orlando
SeaWorld Orlando
SeaWorld Orlando is a theme park, and marine-life based zoological park, near Orlando, Florida. It is owned and operated by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, a subsidiary of The Blackstone Group...
than the larger, primary airport, Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport is a major international airport located southeast of the central business district of Orlando. It is the second busiest airport in Florida, after Miami International Airport...
(MCO/KMCO).
The airport is owned by the Sanford Airport Authority and managed by TBI plc
TBI plc
TBI Limited is an airport owner and operator, incorporated in the United Kingdom in 1972.-History:The company changed name to TBI plc in March, 1994 and to TBI Limited in 2009.TBI bought Cardiff Airport in 1995....
, one of the world's leading airport operators, which owns London Luton Airport
London Luton Airport
London Luton Airport is an international airport located east of the town centre in the Borough of Luton in Bedfordshire, England and is north of Central London. The airport is from Junction 10a of the M1 motorway...
, Cardiff Airport, and Belfast International Airport
Belfast International Airport
Belfast International Airport is a major airport located northwest of Belfast in Northern Ireland. It was formerly known and is still referred to as Aldergrove Airport, after the village of the same name lying immediately to the west of the airport. Belfast International shares its runways with...
in the United Kingdom, as well as Stockholm-Skavsta Airport
Stockholm-Skavsta Airport
Stockholm-Skavsta Airport , or Nyköping Airport is an international airport near Nyköping, Sweden, approximately southwest of Stockholm. It is served by low-cost airlines and cargo operators...
in Sweden, and operates airports in South America. Because of that affiliation, Orlando Sanford International Airport is served primarily by British charter air carriers servicing the European market for leisure travel to Central Florida. TBI is also the provider of ground handling services for airlines. Although it is primarily a landing point for European travel, Sanford is also the second largest focus city
Focus city
In the airline industry, a focus city is a location that is not a hub, but from which the airline has non-stop flights to several destinations other than its hubs...
for Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
-based Allegiant Air
Allegiant Air
Allegiant Air is an American low-cost airline owned by Allegiant Travel Co. that operates scheduled and charter flights. Allegiant Travel Company is a publicly traded company with 1,300 employees and one billion USD market capitalization...
and the smallest focus city for Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach is a coastal city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is situated on the center of a large and continuous stretch of beach known as the Grand Strand in northeastern South Carolina. It is considered to be a major tourist destination in the...
-based Direct Air.
Naval Air Station Sanford
Orlando-Sanford International Airport started life as Naval Air StationNaval 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...
Sanford with the airport codes NRJ and KNRJ. Commissioned on November 3, 1942, the base initially concentrated on advanced land-based patrol plane training, operating PV-1 Venturas
Lockheed Ventura
The Lockheed Ventura was a bomber and patrol aircraft of World War II, used by United States and British Commonwealth forces in several guises...
, PBO Hudsons
Lockheed Hudson
The Lockheed Hudson was an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by the RAF thereafter...
and SNB-2 Kansans. Peak wartime complement reached approximately 360 officers and 1400 enlisted men with 150 officer and enlisted WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) during 1943-1945. In 1944, training at NAS Sanford shifted to carrier-based fighter aircraft using the F4F and FM-1 Wildcat
F4F Wildcat
The Grumman F4F Wildcat was an American carrier-based fighter aircraft that began service with both the United States Navy and the British Royal Navy in 1940...
and F6F Hellcat
F6F Hellcat
The Grumman F6F Hellcat was a carrier-based fighter aircraft developed to replace the earlier F4F Wildcat in United States Navy service. Although the F6F resembled the Wildcat, it was a completely new design powered by a 2,000 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800. Some tagged it as the "Wildcat's big...
. The air station also held oversight of an auxiliary airfield known as Outlying Field Osceola (OLF Osceola) approximately 6 nautical miles (11.1 km) east-southeast of NAS Sanford.
Decommissioned in 1946 and placed in a caretaker status, the base was recommissioned as Naval Auxiliary Air Station Sanford (NAAS Sanford) in 1950 in response to both the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
and the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. Subsequently redesignated as a full 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 renamed NAS Sanford, the installation initially served as a base for the AJ Savage
AJ Savage
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Grossnick, Roy A. . Washington, DC:Naval Historical Center, 1995. ISBN 0-945274-29-7.* Swanborough, Gordon and Peter M. Bowers. United States Navy Aircraft since 1911. London:Putnam, Second edition, 1976. ISBN 0 370 10054 9.* Wilson, Stewart. Combat...
attack aircraft. Substantial upgrades followed in order to turn the air station into a Master Jet Base for the carrier-based Douglas A-3 Skywarrior
A-3 Skywarrior
The Douglas A-3 Skywarrior was originally designed as a strategic bomber for the United States Navy and was among the longest serving carrier-based jet aircraft in history. It entered service in the mid-1950s and was retired in 1991...
(at the time, designated A3D) nuclear attack aircraft of Heavy Attack Wing ONE (HATWING ONE). In addition to the Skywarrior, other associated land-based training aircraft supporting A3D training, such as the P2V-3W Neptune
P-2 Neptune
The Lockheed P-2 Neptune was a Maritime patrol and ASW aircraft. It was developed for the United States Navy by Lockheed to replace the Lockheed PV-1 Ventura and PV-2 Harpoon, and being replaced in turn with the Lockheed P-3 Orion...
, were also assigned.
The upgrades to the former NAAS to achieve status as a full-fledged NAS and Master Jet Base included lengthening of the main runway to 8000 feet (2,438.4 m) with additional overruns of approximately 2000 feet (609.6 m) on both ends; construction of additional new hangars; barracks and administrative support buildings for the air station, heavy attack wing, heavy attack squadrons, and Marine Barracks; installation or upgrades to precision approach radar
Precision Approach Radar
Precision approach radar is a type of radar guidance system designed to provide lateral and vertical guidance to an aircraft pilot for landing, until the landing threshold is reached. After the aircraft reaches the decision height or decision altitude , guidance is advisory only...
/ground controlled approach (PAR/GCA), non-directional beacon
Non-directional beacon
A non-directional beacon is a radio transmitter at a known location, used as an aviation or marine navigational aid. As the name implies, the signal transmitted does not include inherent directional information, in contrast to other navigational aids such as low frequency radio range, VHF...
(NDB) and tactical air navigation (TACAN) navigational aids; a robust storage and distribution system for JP-5
JP-5
JP-5 or JP5 is a yellow, kerosene-based jet fuel developed in 1952 for use in aircraft stationed aboard aircraft carriers, where the risk from fire is particularly great. JP-5 is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons, containing alkanes, naphthenes, and aromatic hydrocarbons that weighs and has a...
jet fuel (which relied on resupply via a railroad spur into the base); a Navy Dispensary; a Navy Exchange complex and garage/service station/MiniMart; and morale, welfare and recreation facilities that included a base theater, two swimming pools, lakeside recreational facilities and separate clubs for officers, chief petty officer
Chief Petty Officer
A chief petty officer is a senior non-commissioned officer in many navies and coast guards.-Canada:"Chief Petty Officer" refers to two ranks in the Canadian Navy...
s and enlisted personnel. Like Pinecastle AFB (later renamed McCoy AFB), a Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
installation approximately 25 miles (40.2 km) to the south, a commissary and full-fledged Naval Hospital facilities were not considered necessary at NAS Sanford due to the relatively close proximity of a commissary and USAF Hospital at Central Florida's other major military installation at the time, the nearby Orlando AFB
Orlando Air Force Base
Orlando Air Force Base is a closed United States Air Force facility, located in Orlando, Florida. It was established in 1940 as a World War II training base and was also used for coastal patrols during World War II....
(which was transferred to the U.S. Navy control in 1968 and renamed Naval Training Center Orlando), approximately 12 miles (19.3 km) miles to the south.
NAAS / NAS Sanford also retained control of OLF Osceola into the early 1960s. However, OLF Osceola's 4000 to 5000 feet (1,524 m) runways lacked sufficient length and pavement strength for contemporary carrier-based jet aircraft like the A3D. As a result, no improvements were made to the OLF's infrastructure and it was effectively abandoned as an operational facility.
HATWING ONE consisted of nine Heavy Attack Squadrons (VAH), also known as HATRONs: VAH-1, VAH-3, VAH-5, VAH-6, VAH-7, VAH-9, VAH-11, VAH-12 and VAH-13. All were Fleet deployable units with the exception of VAH-3, which conducted Replacement Air Group (RAG) functions. In addition to the HATWING ONE squadrons, Air Development Squadron FIVE (VX-5
VX-9
VX-9. Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Nine, is a United States Navy air test and evaluation squadron based at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California...
), based at NAWS China Lake, California also maintained a detachment at NAS Sanford.
Due to the Skywarrior's nuclear strike mission and the presence of an associated special weapons storage area at NAS Sanford, Marine Corps
Marine corps
A marine is a member of a force that specializes in expeditionary operations such as amphibious assault and occupation. The marines traditionally have strong links with the country's navy...
personnel provided both base security and special weapons storage area security, leading to the establishment of Marine Corps Barracks Sanford.
On February 6, 1959, NAS Sanford was dedicated as Ramey Field in honor of Lieutenant Commander Robert W. Ramey, USN, who lost his life by electing to guide his crippled A3D Skywarrior away from a residential area. By staying with the aircraft, LCDR Ramey not only gave his flight crew time to bail out of the aircraft, but also saved the lives of numerous families in the residential community.
A-5 Vigilante
The North American A-5 Vigilante was a carrier-based supersonic bomber designed for the United States Navy. Its service in the nuclear strike role to replace the A-3 Skywarrior was very short; however, as the RA-5C, it saw extensive service during the Vietnam War in the tactical strike...
aircraft. But by 1964, the strategic nuclear strike mission for carrier-based aircraft was eliminated and the Navy's nuclear strike mission under the SIOP
SIOP
SIOP may refer to:*International Society of Paediatric Oncology*Sales Inventory Operations Planning, an integrated business management process...
was transferred to the Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) nuclear submarine force. As a result, all Vigilante squadrons were converted to a carrier-based tactical reconnaissance mission and redesignated as Reconnaissance Attack Squadrons (RVAH). Existing A-5A and A-5B aircraft were modified to the RA-5C Vigilante configuration and the North American production line shifted to producing all subsequent aircraft as RA-5Cs. Heavy Attack Wing ONE was renamed Reconnaissance Attack Wing ONE and NAS Sanford-based squadrons routinely deployed aboard both Atlantic and Pacific Fleet aircraft carriers of the FORRESTAL, KITTY HAWK and ENTERPRISE classes, seeing extensive action during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Numerous RA-5C flight crews and aircraft were lost to enemy action, with several Sanford-based Naval Aviator
Naval Aviator
A United States Naval Aviator is a qualified pilot in the United States Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard.-Naming Conventions:Most Naval Aviators are Unrestricted Line Officers; however, a small number of Limited Duty Officers and Chief Warrant Officers are also trained as Naval Aviators.Until 1981...
s and Naval Flight Officer
Naval Flight Officer
A Naval Flight Officer is an aeronautically designated commissioned officer in the United States Navy or United States Marine Corps that specializes in airborne weapons and sensor systems. NFOs are not pilots per se, but they may perform many "co-pilot" functions, depending on the type of aircraft...
s becoming prisoners of war in Vietnam until repatriation in 1973. In addition to RA-5C aircraft, NAS Sanford also continued to operate the TA-3B variant of the Skywarrior, several examples of which were attached to the RA-5C Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS), Reconnaissance Attack Squadron THREE (RVAH-3) for training Naval Flight Officers as Reconnaissance Attack Navigators (RAN) in the RA-5C. NAS Sanford also operated the R4D-8/C-117 Skytrain as an operational support aircraft assigned to the air station proper.
Congress closed NAS Sanford in 1968 due to funding constraints caused by the Vietnam War, transferring the wing and squadrons to the former Turner AFB, renamed as NAS Albany, Georgia. The wing and squadrons subsequently relocated to NAS Key West, 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...
during 1974-75 and continued to deploy to both the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Pacific aboard FORRESTAL, KITTY HAWK, ENTERPRISE and NIMITZ class aircraft carriers. RA-5C units remained operational at NAS Key West until the RA-5C's retirement from active service in 1980. A commemorative NAS Sanford Memorial Park, along with plaques and a retired RA-5C Vigilante aircraft on loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation
National Museum of Naval Aviation
The National Museum of Naval Aviation is a military and aerospace museum located at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. The museum opened in 1962....
were dedicated in May 2003 and are positioned on the main entrance road within the Orlando Sanford International Airport perimeter in memory to NAS Sanford personnel who served their country during World War II, Vietnam and the Cold War. A PV-1 Ventura, also on loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation
National Museum of Naval Aviation
The National Museum of Naval Aviation is a military and aerospace museum located at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. The museum opened in 1962....
, is in the process of being restored at the airport and will join the RA-5C on display. An A-3 Skywarrior
A-3 Skywarrior
The Douglas A-3 Skywarrior was originally designed as a strategic bomber for the United States Navy and was among the longest serving carrier-based jet aircraft in history. It entered service in the mid-1950s and was retired in 1991...
has also been requested from the Navy for future restoration and display.
Airport Name
The City of Sanford assumed control of the former NAS Sanford in 1969 and renamed the facility Sanford Airport, hiring the air station's recently retired Executive Officer, Commander J. S. "Red" Cleveland, USN (Ret.), as the first Airport Manager. The city concurrently established the Sanford Airport Authority as its policy and oversight body. For the next twenty-five years, the airport was a general aviation facility, supporting numerous locally-based and transient private and corporate aircraft and periodically hosting combined civilian/military air shows and associated static displays. Initially functioning as an uncontrolled airfield, the former Navy control tower was reactivated in the early 1970s as a non-FAA facility, employing a number of retired enlisted Navy air traffic controllers who had previously served at NAS Sanford.Additional name changes followed, to include Sanford Regional Airport, Central Florida Regional Airport, Orlando Sanford Regional Airport and the current Orlando Sanford International Airport. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, many of the former Navy buildings that had been constructed during World War II had reached the end of their useful service life and were demolished, while those constructed by the Navy in the 1950s and 1960s were renovated and improved for civilian use. Additional construction of new buildings and hangars also took place.
OLF Osceola was transferred to the control of Seminole County, Florida but was never officially recommissioned as an active airfield. In the 1970s, the former OLF began to be used by general aviation drug smuggling aircraft as a transshipment point. Following a major drug interdiction by local and federal law enforcement agencies, Seminole County placed large "speed bumps at various intervals across the runway to deter future illegal use. By the 1980s, the county began to utilize the site as a landfill and dump, demolishing remaining runway infrastructure.
In 1992, major portions of the action film Passenger 57
Passenger 57
Passenger 57 is a 1992 American action film starring Wesley Snipes and Bruce Payne. The film's success made Snipes a popular action hero icon.-Plot:...
, starring Wesley Snipes
Wesley Snipes
Wesley Trent Snipes is an American actor, film producer, and martial artist, who has starred in numerous action films, thrillers, and dramatic feature films. Snipes is known for playing the Marvel Comics character Blade in the Blade film trilogy, among various other high profile roles...
, were filmed at the then-Orlando Sanford Regional Airport, where it represented a small airport in Louisiana. Shortly after filming, a new control tower was constructed and air traffic control operations assumed by the FAA. The former Navy control tower and the large former Navy hangar to which it had been attached were then demolished.
In the mid-1990s, a new passenger terminal capable of accommodating commercial jet airline service, was constructed and charter airlines catering to the heavy British tourist demographic that had previously been utilizing Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport is a major international airport located southeast of the central business district of Orlando. It is the second busiest airport in Florida, after Miami International Airport...
were offered greatly reduced landing fees if they would use Orlando Sanford International Airport and many of these carriers subsequently relocated their operations. Scheduled international and domestic air service soon followed, as reflected by current operations by Icelandair
Icelandair
Icelandair ehf is the flag carrier airline of Iceland, based on the grounds of Reykjavík Airport in Reykjavík. It is part of the Icelandair Group and currently operates scheduled services to 31 cities in 13 countries on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean out of its hub at Keflavík International Airport...
and Allegiant Air
Allegiant Air
Allegiant Air is an American low-cost airline owned by Allegiant Travel Co. that operates scheduled and charter flights. Allegiant Travel Company is a publicly traded company with 1,300 employees and one billion USD market capitalization...
.
The airport is also home to Aerosim Flight Academy, formerly Delta Connection Academy
Delta Connection Academy
The Aerosim Flight Academy, formerly the Delta Connection Academy, a former subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, is a flight school for prospective pilots wishing to enter a career as a commercial airline pilot. As of August 2, 2010, Delta Connection Academy changed names to Aerosim Flight Academy. It...
, a subsidiary of 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...
, which provides ab initio
Ab initio
ab initio is a Latin term used in English, meaning from the beginning.ab initio may also refer to:* Ab Initio , a leading ETL Tool Software Company in the field of Data Warehousing.* ab initio quantum chemistry methods...
flight training for prospective regional airline and international pilots. The Seminole County Sheriff's Office also maintains a hangar and support facility at the airport for aviation elements of the agency's Special Operations Division.
Facilities
Orlando Sanford International Airport covers 2010 acres (813 ha) and has four runways:- Runway 9L/27R: 9,600 x 150 ft. (2,926 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt
- Runway 9C/27C: 3,578 x 75 ft. (1,091 x 23 m), Surface: Asphalt
- Runway 9R/27L: 6,647 x 75 ft. (2,026 x 23 m), Surface: Asphalt
- Runway 18/36: 6,002 x 150 ft. (1,829 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt/Concrete
The dominant runway is 9L/27R. This was constructed from the naval air station's original Runway 9/27, which was an 8000 ft (2,438.4 m) x 200 ft (61 m) landing area with overruns of 2145 ft (653.8 m) and 1985 ft (605 m), respectively. Parallel Runways 9C/27C and 9R/27L were later constructed, the former on a previous taxiway and the latter as new construction runway, to support light general aviation aircraft. The airport also has available Runway 18/36, another Navy-constructed runway, for rare northerly fronts that occur in the winter, although at 6002 feet (1,829.4 m) in length, this runway is not used for normal commercial traffic.
During 2010, Allegiant Air
Allegiant Air
Allegiant Air is an American low-cost airline owned by Allegiant Travel Co. that operates scheduled and charter flights. Allegiant Travel Company is a publicly traded company with 1,300 employees and one billion USD market capitalization...
had announced it was moving many of its flights to larger, and more centrally located Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport is a major international airport located southeast of the central business district of Orlando. It is the second busiest airport in Florida, after Miami International Airport...
to compete directly with Airtran Airways
AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of the Dallas, Texas-based Southwest Airlines, is an American low-cost airline headquartered in Orlando, Florida. AirTran operates over 650 daily flights , primarily in the eastern and midwestern United States...
. However, in October 2010, Allegiant announced that due to passenger's comments, they would be shifting all flights back to Sanford on February 1, 2011.
Airlines and destinations
Several Airlines serve from Europe and the rest of America serve Orlando Sanford. Thomson AirwaysThomson Airways
Thomson Airways is the world's largest charter airline, offering scheduled and charter flights from the UK to destinations across Europe, Africa, Asia and North America. The company commenced operations on 1 November 2008, following the merger and subsequent re-branding of Thomsonfly and First...
and Thomas Cook Airlines
Thomas Cook Airlines
Thomas Cook Airlines is a British charter airline based in Manchester, England. It serves main holiday resorts worldwide, from its main bases at Manchester and Gatwick.The airline also operates services from nine other bases in the United Kingdom....
also make a fuel stop here on the way to Acapulco.
Top Destinations
| Rank | City | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Plattsburgh, NYPlattsburgh International Airport -Top Destinations:-References:Other sources:*. Press-Republican, 2005-07-13.*. Press-Republican, 2007-05-30.*. Press-Republican, 2007-12-19.* The Montreal Gazette, 2008-07-05.-External links:*, official site at New York State DOT website... |
23,000 | Allegiant |
| 2 |  Rockford, IL |
21,000 | Allegiant |
| 3 |  Chattanooga, TNChattanooga Metropolitan Airport -Top Destinations:-Cargo:- Accidents and incidents:On November 27, 1973, Delta Air Lines Flight 516, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9, crashed short of the runway on approach to the airport... |
20,000 | Allegiant |
| 4 |  Bangor, MEBangor International Airport Bangor International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located west of the city of Bangor, in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. It is owned and operated by the City of Bangor and was formerly a military installation known as Dow Air Force Base. The airport possesses a single... |
20,000 | Allegiant |
| 5 |  South Bend, INSouth Bend Regional Airport South Bend Regional Airport is a public airport located three miles northwest of the central business district of South Bend, a city in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States. This airport is publicly owned by St. Joseph County Airport Authority... |
19,000 | Allegiant |
| 6 | Fort Wayne, IN Fort Wayne International Airport -Top Destinations:-Airfield infrastructure:As of 2006, the airport's main Runway 5/23's usable dimensions are long and wide while the grooved-surface dimensions are long and wide, large enough to accommodate the NASA Space Shuttle orbiter, Boeing 747s, and military air mobility and aerial... |
18,000 | Allegiant |
| 7 |  Greensboro, NCPiedmont Triad International Airport Piedmont Triad International Airport is an airport just west of Greensboro, serving Greensboro, High Point and Winston-Salem as well as the entire Piedmont Triad Region in North Carolina. The airport has 3 runways; the third opened January 27, 2010 for traffic. The airport is located just off... |
17,000 | Allegiant |
| 8 |  Allentown, PALehigh Valley International Airport Lehigh Valley International Airport , formerly Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton International Airport, is a public airport in Hanover Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.... |
16,000 | Allegiant |
| 9 |  Roanoke, VARoanoke Regional Airport Roanoke Regional Airport , also known as Woodrum Field, is a public airport located approximately north of downtown Roanoke, Virginia, United States. It has two runways and over 60 scheduled flights each day... |
16,000 | Allegiant |
| 10 | Elmira, NY |
16,000 | Allegiant |
Incidents and accidents
- Numerous aircraft mishaps occurred during the World War II years, but detailed data is not readily available. In late 1970, wreckage of an FM-1 Wildcat was located by hunters near the south shore of nearby Lake Jessup. Subsequent contact with and investigation by USN authorities indicated that the pilot had safely bailed out of the aircraft during this circa 1944 mishap.
- In October 1961, A3D-2 (A-3A-3 SkywarriorThe Douglas A-3 Skywarrior was originally designed as a strategic bomber for the United States Navy and was among the longest serving carrier-based jet aircraft in history. It entered service in the mid-1950s and was retired in 1991...
B) Bureau Number (BuNo) 142663, assigned to Heavy Attack Squadron FIVE (VAH-5), crashed near NAS Sanford following a mid-air collision with another A3D-2 (A-3B) assigned to Heavy Attack Squadron ELEVEN (VAH-11). All four crewmen in the VAH-5 aircraft were killed. - In January 1962, A3D-2 (A-3B) BuNo 142243, assigned to Heavy Attack Squadron ELEVEN (VAH-11), crashed near NAS Sanford following an in-flight emergency. All crewmen bailed out safely.
- On November 27, 1962, A-5A-5 VigilanteThe North American A-5 Vigilante was a carrier-based supersonic bomber designed for the United States Navy. Its service in the nuclear strike role to replace the A-3 Skywarrior was very short; however, as the RA-5C, it saw extensive service during the Vietnam War in the tactical strike...
A BuNo 148927 was stricken at NAS Sanford following a ground mishap. No flight crew were aboard during the mishap. - On September 5, 1963, A-5A-5 VigilanteThe North American A-5 Vigilante was a carrier-based supersonic bomber designed for the United States Navy. Its service in the nuclear strike role to replace the A-3 Skywarrior was very short; however, as the RA-5C, it saw extensive service during the Vietnam War in the tactical strike...
A BuNo 148930, assigned to Heavy Attack Squadron THREE (VAH-3), crashed at NAS Sanford. Both crewmen ejected. - On September 3, 1964, RA-5C BuNo 151616, assigned to Reconnaissance Attack Squadron ONE (RVAH-1), crashed at NAS Sanford. Both crewmen ejected.
- On September 8, 1964, RA-5C BuNo 149292, assigned to Reconnaissance Attack Squadron THREE (RVAH-3), crashed at NAS Sanford. Both crewmen ejected.
- On November 14, 1964, RA-5C BuNo 149308, assigned to Reconnaissance Attack Squadron NINE (RVAH-9), crashed at NAS Sanford. Both crewmen ejected.
- On December 23, 1964, RA-5C BuNo 151821, assigned to Reconnaissance Attack Squadron THIRTEEN (RVAH-13), crashed at NAS Sanford. Both crewmen ejected.
- On December 15, 1965, RA-5C BuNo 150827, assigned to Reconnaissance Attack Squadron THREE (RVAH-3), crashed at NAS Sanford. Both crewmen ejected.
- On June 14, 1967, RA-5C BuNo 149314, assigned to Reconnaissance Attack Squadron THREE (RVAH-3), crashed at NAS Sanford during Field Carrier Landing Practice. During a touch-and-go landing, aircraft sustained in-flight ingestion of a loose clamp into the starboard engine with subsequent foreign object damage (FOD) and fire. Both crewmen ejected. The pilot, LCDR Butler, was killed; the Naval Flight Officer/Reconnaissance Attack Navigator (NFO/RAN), ENS Smith, survived.
- On October 3, 1967, RA-5C BuNo 149315, assigned to Reconnaissance Attack Squadron THREE (RVAH-3), crashed at NAS Sanford. The pilot ejected; there was no NFO/RAN aboard.
- On March 29, 2007, Allegiant Air Flight 758, a McDonnell Douglas MD-80 aircraft which took off from Pease International AirportPease International AirportPortsmouth International Airport at Pease is a public-use joint civil-military airport located one nautical mile west of the central business district of Portsmouth, a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States...
in Portsmouth, New HampshirePortsmouth, New HampshirePortsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...
, experienced a hydraulic failure which prevented the nose landing gearLanding GearLanding Gear is Devin the Dude's fifth studio album. It was released on October 7, 2008. It was his first studio album since signing with the label Razor & Tie. It features a high-profile guest appearance from Snoop Dogg. As of October 30, 2008, the album has sold 18,906 copies.-Track...
from deploying. The plane made a safe landing at Orlando Sanford International Airport, with only one minor injury sustained in the aircraft evacuation. - On July 10, 2007, a Cessna 310Cessna 310The Cessna 310 is an American six-seat, low-wing, twin-engined monoplane that was produced by Cessna between 1954 and 1980. It was the first twin-engined aircraft that Cessna put into production after World War II.-Development:...
, originating from Daytona Beach International AirportDaytona Beach International AirportDaytona Beach International Airport is a public county-owned airport located three miles southwest of the central business district of Daytona Beach, adjacent to the Daytona International Speedway, in Volusia County, Florida, United States. The airport has 3 runways, a six-gate domestic terminal,...
, Florida en route to Lakeland Linder Regional AirportLakeland Linder Regional AirportLakeland Linder Regional Airport is a public airport located four miles southwest of the central business district of Lakeland, a city in Polk County, Florida, United States...
, Florida crashed into two homes in Sanford, Florida, killing five people—the pilot, his passenger, and three people inside the houses. The pilot reported smoke in the cockpit and attempted an emergency landing at nearby Orlando Sanford International Airport. NASCAR said the pilot of the plane was Michael Klemm, a senior captain with NASCAR Aviation. His passenger was Dr. Bruce Kennedy, husband of International Speedway Corporation president Lesa France Kennedy, the daughter of the longtime head of NASCAR, Bill France, Jr., who had died a month earlier in June, 2007. They were the only two people on the plane, according to both NASCAR and the NTSB. Four people also were injured, three of whom were critically burned, authorities said.
The NTSB factual report dated December 2007 indicates that the accident was caused by an electrical malfunction, including smoke in the cockpit, that occurred on the previous flight and that was not rectified prior to the accident flight, resulting in the subsequent fire. The accident pilot was informed about the known problem prior to flight, but elected to fly the aircraft regardless.
- On October 8, 2010, Allegiant AirAllegiant AirAllegiant Air is an American low-cost airline owned by Allegiant Travel Co. that operates scheduled and charter flights. Allegiant Travel Company is a publicly traded company with 1,300 employees and one billion USD market capitalization...
Flight 700, a Boeing MD-80, caught fire in the right engine shortly after departing the gate at Orlando Sanford International Airport. The fire was quickly extinguished, and the passengers safely exited the plane with no injuries being reported. The flight was scheduled to depart for Roanoke Regional AirportRoanoke Regional AirportRoanoke Regional Airport , also known as Woodrum Field, is a public airport located approximately north of downtown Roanoke, Virginia, United States. It has two runways and over 60 scheduled flights each day...
in Roanoke, VirginiaRoanoke, VirginiaRoanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
at 7 a.m.