Merritt Island Airport is a general aviation airport serving the local aviation needs of Merritt Island, Cocoa, and the rest of Brevard County, Florida.

Merritt Island Airport is located on the southern peninsula of Merritt Island between the Indian River and the Banana River. The airport’s single runway extends into Newfound Harbor, which is part of the Banana River.

The airport is located near the well-known beaches of Melbourne and Cocoa Beach. In addition to the regional beaches, nearby Kennedy Space Center and Port Canaveral also attract a large tourist market to the Brevard County area. Port Canaveral is located within minutes of Merritt Island Airport and contains landing terminals for ships and various cruise lines.

Brevard County also enjoys pleasant temperatures and a comfortable climate, which provides an environment encouraging year-round aviation activities at the airport.

A survey conducted for the Master Plan indicated 145 general aviation airplanes currently based at Merritt Island Airport. The based aircraft are chiefly light, single-engine aircraft, however the airport periodically accommodates larger, heavier aircraft.

The airport property and facilities are owned, operated, and maintained by the Titusville-Cocoa Airport Authority under the administration of the Brevard County Board of County Commissioners. In addition, the Titusville-Cocoa Airport Authority also currently owns and operates Arthur Dunn Airpark and Space Coast Regional Airport, both in Brevard County.

Historical Information:

The historical background of Merritt Island Airport is provided to highlight previous improvements and to indicate the general direction of the development at the airport.

In the early 1940’s, the Brevard County Mosquito Control District constructed the Central Brevard Airport. The airfield included two sod landing strips:

(1) a north-south strip measuring approximately 1,800 feet in length; and,
(2) a northwest southeast strip measuring approximately 3,000 feet in length.

An operations building and maintenance hangar were located on the south side of the airfield. The Mosquito Control District had a maintenance hangar on the north side of the airfield. The north-south landing strip was eventually abandoned. Various facilities including the T-hangars currently occupy this area.

The Brevard County Mosquito Control District deeded the airport property over to the Titusville-Cocoa Airport Authority in exchange for ten acres of land located within Space Coast Regional Airport. This land is currently used by Brevard County as headquarters for the Mosquito Control District.

Subsequent development at Merritt Island Airport include the following Federal Aid to Airports Program (FAAP), Airport Development Aid Program (ADAP), and Airport Improvement Program (AIP) projects:

– FAAP 9-08-064-6501: Project included grading and drainage of the unpaved runway and taxiway and placing 400,000 square feet of hydraulic fill into Newfound Harbor.

– FAAP 9-05-064-6502: Project consisted of paving Runway 11-29 and constructing a parallel taxiway with connectors. Medium intensity runway and taxiway lighting was also included.

– FAAP 9-08-064-6603: Developments included construction of a new stub taxiway, a 150 ft x 400 ft north parking apron, and perimeter fencing.

– ADAP 5-12-0013-01: Project included land acquisition, reconstruction of Runway 11-29, reconstruction of access taxiways to T-hangars, relocation of airport service road, and installation of visual approach slope indicators (VASI) at each end of the runway.

– ADAP 5-12-0013-02: Project involved the construction of additional apron, connecting taxiways, and a southern entrance road.

– ADAP 5-12-0013-04: Developments consisted of the construction of an exit taxiway, a portion of the parallel taxiway, and installation of additional security fencing.

– AIP 3-12-0013-01: Project included construction of additional taxiway and apron pavement.

– AIP 3-12-0013-02: Project included additional apron pavement and installation of floodlights and tie-down anchors.

– AIP 3-12-0013-03: Project provided for a new airport lighting system including runway and taxiway lights, VASI’s, lighted wind cones, rotating beacon, guidance signs, and a new electrical vault.

– AIP 3-12-0013-07: Project included the overlay and marking of the northern parallel taxiway and north apron in 1991.

Airport Management:

The Titusville-Cocoa Airport Authority was created to service the local, commercial, and corporate aviation needs as well as to stimulate economic growth in the local communities. The Authority was formed by the "Titusville-Cocoa Airport District Act of 1963" and replaced the original airport authority established in 1959.

This legislation also formed the Airport District, currently including the Merritt Island Airport, Space Coast Regional Airport, and Arthur Dunn Airpark, and commissioned the Authority to govern the affairs of the district.

The act established policies for the funding of authority activities, including an ad valorem tax not to exceed 1_ mils on all taxable property within the geographical bounds of the district. The current annual tax for the Airport Authority is $0.1504 per $1,000 of assessed value. Also included was the authorization of the district to issue general obligation bonds and revenue bonds to finance the acquisition, construction, or development of airport property or facilities.

The current Titusville-Cocoa Airport Authority consists of seven members. Two members are appointed from Districts I, II, and IV and one member is appointed at-large by the Board of County Commission of Brevard County.