Orlando Executive Airport Marks 95 Years of Aviation History
ORLANDO, FL. – Orlando’s first airfield is celebrating nearly a century of aviation. On October 4, 1928, Orlando Municipal Airport, later renamed Orlando Executive Airport (ORL), was officially dedicated. Two days of celebration attracted approximately 40,000 people from all over the state.
Ninety-five years later, Orlando Executive is among the country’s busiest General Aviation (GA) airports that continues to prove itself a valuable economic and transportation asset. According to the Florida Department of Transportation’s 2022 Aviation Economic Impact Study, Orlando Executive Airport supports 4,078 jobs and contributes $ 577M to the state’s economy.
“Our prime location in close proximity to downtown Orlando and the region’s top attractions is an important advantage, but our reputation as a premier GA airport has been achieved as a result of performance,” said Judith-Ann Jarrette, Vice President-ORL Operations. “A combination of personnel, facilities and amenities make the airport a favorite of corporate aviation departments and private pilots alike.”
Highlights of ORL’s 95-year history include:
- 1951 New passenger terminal opens
- 1982 Renamed Orlando Executive Airport
- 1995 New FAA-operated air traffic control tower built
- 2007 U.S. Customs and Border Patrol facility opens
- 2022 Hosted National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) static display for 12th time
Orlando Executive is among a select group of General Aviation airports to serve as a port of entry with a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facility. This enables ORL to provide global access to the most visited region in the United States. So far in 2023, international activity has increased for every month but one and CBP has processed 246 more flights through August than the same time frame in 2022. FAA-reported operations total nearly 172,000 on a rolling 12-month basis.