{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox airport | name = Cecil Airport | image = Cecil-airport-logo.PNG | IATA = VQQ | ICAO = KVQQ | FAA = VQQ | type = Public | owner = Jacksonville Aviation Authority | operator = Jacksonville Aviation Authority | city-served = | location = Jacksonville, Florida | elevation-f = 80 | elevation-m = 24 | coordinates = {{coord|30|13|07|N|081|52|36|W|type:airport_region:US|display=inline,title}} | website = https://cecilspaceport.com/ | r1-number = 18L/36R | r1-length-f = 12,503 | r1-length-m = 3,811 | r1-surface = Asphalt/concrete | r2-number = 18R/36L | r2-length-f = 8,002 | r2-length-m = 2,439 | r2-surface = Asphalt/concrete | r3-number = 9R/27L | r3-length-f = 8,003 | r3-length-m = 2,439 | r3-surface = Asphalt/concrete | r4-number = 9L/27R | r4-length-f = 4,439 | r4-length-m = 1,353 | r4-surface = Asphalt/concrete | h1-number = H1 | h1-length-f = 70 | h1-length-m = 21 | h1-surface = Concrete | h2-number = H2 | h2-length-f = 70 | h2-length-m = 21 | h2-surface = Concrete | stat-year = 2018 | stat1-header = Aircraft operations (year ending 2/5/2018) | stat1-data = 104,361 | stat2-header = Based aircraft | stat2-data = 84 | footnotes = Source: Federal Aviation Administration<ref name=FAA>{{FAA-airport|ID=VQQ|use=PU|own=PU|site=03250.3*A}}, effective 2024-7-11</ref> }}
'''Cecil Airport''' {{Airport codes|VQQ|KVQQ|VQQ}} is a public airport and commercial spaceport located in Jacksonville, Florida, United States.<ref name=FAA /> It is owned by the Jacksonville Aviation Authority and services military aircraft, corporate aircraft, general aviation, and air cargo. The Florida Army National Guard's primary Army Aviation Support Facility and the U.S. Coast Guard's Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON) are also located here, the former operating CH-47 Chinook, UH-60 Blackhawk, UH-72 Lakota and C-12 Huron aircraft, and the latter operating the MH-65C Dolphin helicopter.
The airport has ARFF and structural fire protection provided by Jacksonville Fire/Rescue Station 56. Fire Station 73 (under construction) will be located on the airfield as well and will include ARFF, structural and rescue (ambulance) protection. A back-up, citywide 911 call/training center will also be located at Station 73.
In 2010, Cecil Airport became the United States' eighth licensed commercial spaceport and the first in Florida authorized to fly space vehicles that take off and land horizontally.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60A5KE20100111|title = Florida airport gets commercial spaceport license|newspaper = Reuters|date = 11 January 2010}}</ref> As of 2025, the Jacksonville Aviation Authority has applied to certify the airport to allow space vehicles to land there as well.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Will |first=Chris |last2=Terry |first2=J. Brooks |last3=Smith |first3=Christopher |date=2025-08-08 |title=JAA backs reentry license at Cecil Spaceport to support Jacksonville’s Mayo Clinic medical research |url=https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2025/08/08/jaa-approves-resolution-supporting-development-of-space-vehicle-facility-at-cecil-spaceport/ |access-date=2025-11-05 |website=WJXT |language=en}}</ref>
The '''<s>NZC</s>''' identifier was the airport's previous FAA identifier when it was Naval Air Station Cecil Field, its former name until its closure as a naval air station in 1999. The '''NZC''' IATA code is now allocated to Maria Reiche Neuman Airport serving Nazca, Peru {{airport codes|NZC|SPZA}}.
== History == {{Main|Naval Air Station Cecil Field}} The airport is located on the site of the former Naval Air Station Cecil Field, which opened in 1941 and closed in 1999 following the 1993 Base Realignment and Closure Commission decision. Covering a total area of {{convert|22,939|acre|km2}}, it was the largest military base in the Jacksonville area and supported all Atlantic Fleet F/A-18 Hornet strike fighter squadrons and S-3 Viking sea control squadrons.<ref>[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/cecil-field.htm GlobalSecurity.org: NAS Cecil Field]</ref>
== Facilities and aircraft ==
=== Facilities ===
==== Runways ==== Cecil Airport covers an area of {{convert|6,082|acre|km2|lk=in}} and contains four runways and two helipads:<ref name=FAA />
* Runway 18L/36R: {{convert|12,503|x|200|ft|m|abbr=on}}, surface: asphalt/concrete * Runway 18R/36L: {{convert|8,002|x|200|ft|m|abbr=on}}, surface: asphalt/concrete * Runway 9R/27L: {{convert|8,003|x|200|ft|m|abbr=on}}, surface: asphalt/concrete * Runway 9L/27R: {{convert|4,439|x|200|ft|m|abbr=on}}, surface: asphalt/concrete * H1: {{convert|70|x|70|ft|m|abbr=on}}, surface: concrete * H2: {{convert|70|x|70|ft|m|abbr=on}}, surface: concrete
==== FBOs ==== The airport has a fixed-base operator that sells fuel. It offers services such as catering, hangars, courtesy cars, and rental cars; there are also amenities such as internet, conference rooms, vending machines, a crew lounge, and showers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Million Air Jacksonville - Cecil FBO Info & Fuel Prices at Cecil (KVQQ) |url=http://www.flightaware.com/resources/airport/KVQQ/services/FBO/Million_Air_Jacksonville_-_Cecil |access-date=2025-11-05 |website=FlightAware |language=en}}</ref>
==== Private entities ==== Cecil Airport houses the FSCJ (Florida State College Jacksonville) aviation course hangar and associated training aircraft. Sunrise Aviation, a flight training school and pilot supplies vendor is the flight training provider for FSCJ's aviation program. Facilities operated by major aerospace firms such as Logistic Services International (LSI), Boeing and Flightstar Aircraft Services are also located at Cecil, providing major training, maintenance and overhaul services for a variety of U.S. military aircraft.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jacksonville Airport Authority: Cecil Field |url=http://www.jaa.aero/as/cf.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070517193520/http://www.jaa.aero/as/cf.asp |archive-date=2007-05-17 |access-date=2007-05-05}}</ref>
In September 2024, ground broke on a new testing facility for hypersonic aircraft. The company running the facility aims to develop an aircraft that could travel from New York to London in 90 minutes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Will |first=Chris |date=2024-09-09 |title=Company breaking ground in Jacksonville wants to build an airplane that can go from NYC to London in 90 minutes |url=https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2024/09/09/company-breaking-ground-in-jacksonville-wants-to-build-an-airplane-that-can-go-from-nyc-to-london-in-90-minutes/ |access-date=2025-11-05 |website=WJXT |language=en}}</ref>
=== Aircraft === For the 12-month period ending February 5, 2018, the airport had 104,361 aircraft operations, an average of 286 per day: 52% military, 47% general aviation, <1% air carrier, and <1% air taxi. There were 84 aircraft based at this airport: 69 military, 12 single-engine, 1 multi-engine, 1 jet, and 1 helicopter.<ref name="FAA" />
==Accidents and incidents== * On July 1, 2002, a Piper PA-22 Pacer crashed during a touch-and-go at the Cecil Airport. The probable cause of the accident was found to be the failure of the solo student/owner to maintain directional control of the airplane during takeoff in a crosswind, which resulted in the airplane veering off the runway, a collision with a runway light, and a ground loop.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ranter |first=Harro |title=Accident Piper PA-22-20 N1693A, Monday 1 July 2002 |url=https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/297044 |access-date=2025-11-05 |website=Aviation Safety Network |publisher=Flight Safety Foundation}}</ref> * On July 31, 2014, a Piper PA-44 Seminole experienced a nose gear collapse while landing at the Cecil airport.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-07-31 |title=Plane lands without front landing gear at Cecil Airport |url=https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/local/plane-lands-without-front-landing-gear-cecil-airpo/83293886/ |access-date=2025-11-05 |website=Action News Jax |language=en}}</ref> * On June 9, 2025, a Delta Air Lines Boeing 757 bound from Atlanta to Orlando made an emergency landing at Cecil due to a "pressurization issue."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Willis |first=Andrew |last2=Perkins |first2=Tobie |date=2025-06-09 |title=Delta flight makes emergency landing in Jacksonville after 'smoky conditions' in cabin |url=https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/local/delta-plane-emergency-landing-jacksonville/77-67eb566a-48be-4343-b41a-a519adccb666 |access-date=2025-11-05 |website=First Coast News |language=en-US}}</ref>
==See also== * List of airports in Florida
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == {{Commons category|Naval Air Station Cecil Field}} * [http://www.flyjacksonville.com/contactus.aspx?smp=cecil Cecil Field] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604224231/http://www.flyjacksonville.com/contactus.aspx?smp=cecil |date=June 4, 2021 }} page at the Jacksonville Aviation Authority website * {{cite web|url= http://www.cfaspp.com/PopUps/DownloadDocument.aspx?doctype=facilityinfo&uaid=FL000455 |title=Cecil Airport }} brochure from [http://www.cfaspp.com/ CFASPP] * [http://www.CecilSpaceport.com Cecil Spaceport] Cecil Spaceport in Jacksonville website * [http://www.jaxjetport.aero/ Jacksonville JetPort] FBO at Cecil Airport * {{FAA-diagram|00998}} * {{FAA-procedures|VQQ}} {{US-airport-ga|VQQ|VQQ}}
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Category:Airports in Jacksonville, Florida Category:Westside, Jacksonville