<h2 class="blog-hed2 pb-lg-4 pb-3 text-lg-center">History of Orlando Sanford International Airport</h2>
<p class="blog-para">Since 2008, however, a majority of its passenger traffic has been domestic; this is attributable to the entrance of Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air, for which Sanford is a focus city. Sanford was also a small focus city for the travel marketer Direct Air until the company's demise in 2012.</p>
<p class="blog-para">Orlando Sanford International Airport started life as Naval Air Station Sanford with the airport codes NRJ and KNRJ. Commissioned on November 3, 1942, the base initially concentrated on advanced land-based patrol plane training. It was used by the United States Navy until it closed in 1969.</p>
<p class="blog-para">In 2010, Allegiant Air announced it was moving many flights to the larger and more centrally located Orlando International Airport in order to compete with AirTran Airways. Owing to passenger feedback, all flights have returned to Orlando Sanford. In 2014, Thomas Cook Airlines moved their operations back to Orlando International Airport after almost a decade of serving Orlando Sanford with the operations of Airtours, JMC Air, and My Travel. In September 2019, Thomas Cook ceased all operations. Icelandair moved to Orlando International Airport in 2015.</p>
<p class="blog-para">In October 2017, Monarch Airlines ceased operations after entering administration, resulting in the termination of their flights to Sanford. All flights were operated using their Airbus A330 and served London Gatwick, Manchester, and Glasgow International.</p>
<p class="blog-para">In July 2021, Canadian low-cost carrier Flair Airlines announced they would launch service between Sanford and five Canadian destinations beginning in winter 2021. The airport is home to L3 Harris Airline Academy, which underwent several company changes and several name changes. The academy used to be known as L3 Commercial Training Solutions, Aerosim Flight Academy, and Delta Connection Academy, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines. It provides ab initio flight training for prospective regional airline and international pilots. The Seminole County Sheriff's Office has a hangar and support facility for aviation elements of the agency's Special Operations Division.</p>
<h2 class="blog-hed2 pb-lg-4 pb-3 text-lg-left">Facilities of Orlando Sanford International Airport</h2>
<p class="blog-para">The airport covers 3,000 acres (1,214 ha) and has four runways:</p>
<p class="blog-para">Runway 9L/27R: 11,002 x 150 ft. (3,353 x 46 m), asphalt</p>
<p class="blog-para">Runway 9C/27C: 3,578 x 75 ft. (1,091 x 23 m), asphalt</p>
<p class="blog-para">Runway 9R/27L: 5,839 x 75 ft. (1,780 x 23 m), asphalt</p>
<p class="blog-para">Runway 18/36: 6,002 x 150 ft. (1,829 x 46 m), asphalt/concrete</p>
<p class="blog-para">the dominant runway is 9L/27R. This was built from the naval air station's original runway 9/27, which was 8,000 feet (2,400 m) by 200 feet (61 m) with overruns of 2,145 feet (654 m) and 1,985 feet (605 m).</p>
<p class="blog-para">A project to extend runway 9L/27R by 1,400 ft (430 m) to 11,000 ft (3,400 m) was completed on April 1, 2013. Parallel Runways 9C/27C and 9R/27L were built later, the former on a previous taxiway and the latter all-new, for small aircraft. The airport also has Runway 18/36, another Navy runway, for rare northerly fronts in the winter, but this 6,000-foot runway is rarely used by airliners.</p>
<p class="blog-para">On December 31, 2019, there were 326 aircraft based at this airport: 221 single-engine, 53 multi-engine, 48 jet, and 4 helicopters.</p>
<p><img class="img-fluid p-lg-0 rounded w-100" title="Orlando Sanford International Airport" src="../../main/img/airport/orlando/1.webp" alt="Orlando Sanford International Airport" width="950px" height="500px"></p>