Author Description

This is a history of the airport in Melbourne, Florida, currently known as Melbourne Orlando International Airport. It begins with the establishment of the airport in a field west of town in 1928, continues through the Navy's use of the airport as a fighter training base during World War II, and describes its development since the airport was returned to the city after the war. Through the efforts of a long line of civic leaders and public officials, the airport has become the center of one of the largest concentrations of aerospace and defense industries in the United States. It describes the challenges that the airport has faced as a result of its proximity to Orlando International Airport as well as the dramatic changes that have occurred in the airline industry. It further relates how the development of the airport has been influenced by activities at the nearby Space Center at Cape Canaveral. It also explores issues relating to the governance of the airport and, particularly, the relationship between the airport and the City of Melbourne.