Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Florida - Northern Miami Area
© 2002, © 2008 by Paul Freeman. Revised 5/15/08.
All American Field / Master Airport / South Field #1 / Navy Master Field (revised 11/4/07)
Everglades Jetport / Dade-Collier Training & Transition Airport (revised 5/15/08)
Miami Municipal Airport / South Field #2 / Navy Municipal Field / Amelia Earhart Field (revised 11/4/07)
Opa-Locka West Airport (revised 11/17/07) - Sunnyside Airport / Sunny South Airport (revised 4/3/05)
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Opa-Locka West Airport, Miami, FL
25.95 North / 80.42 West (Northwest of Miami, FL)
A 1970 aerial photo (unfortunately overlaid with lettering right over the airport)
depicted Opa-Locka West as having 2 paved runways.
According to a FL Department of Transportation report, this small airport on the edge of the Everglades
was opened in 1970 with the primary purpose of relieving flight congestion of nearby Opa-locka Airport,
which in the late 1960s was one of the busiest civilian airports in the world due to flight training activity.
Opa-locka West was designed specifically for touch & go training
and consisted of two 3,000' paved runways with turnarounds at the ends and a small ramp area to park or check an aircraft.
Limited landside access & a lack of airside facilities for based aircraft were a result of the airport’s designed function.
The earliest depiction of Opa-Locka West Airport which has been located was a 1970 aerial photo.
It depicted the field as consisting of 2 paved runways.
However, the assertion about an intentional lack of landside access
was obviously contradicted by this photo (and by subsequent depictions),
which clearly showed a road leading onto the airport from the adjacent West Okeechobee Road.
The airport consisted of a 420 acre property.
The 1988 USGS topo map depicted Opa-Locka West Airport as having 2 paved runways.
Note the appearance of the quarry to the southwest (not yet present in the 1970 photo).
This quarry would grow over the subsequent years, and eventually provide the “rationale” for closing the airport.
The March 1993 Miami Terminal Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Charles Taylor)
depicted Opa Lock West as having 2 paved runways, with the longest being 3,000'.
According to an April 2005 FL Department of Transportation report,
“The top projects identified by management as being needed in the near term are:
1. Runway lighting & lighting vault - Equipment Project, and 2. Parallel taxiways - Capital Project.”
The largest aircraft that use Opa-locka West Airport regularly are light twin-engine aircraft such as Cessna 310s.
The current Airport Reference Code for Opa-locka West Airport is B-II.
There are no based aircraft & no storage facilities at the airport.
Opa-locka West Airport has limits to growth because of the presence of wetlands on the property.
However, the Aviation Department is planning to enhance the facility with an electrical vault
and parallel taxiway to Runway 9/27 in anticipation of future landside development for FBO & flight school activity.
Currently, the airport does not have a master plan.
Opa-locka West Airport accommodates high training activity & limited military activity.
Historic & and forecast FDOT aviation activity information on file for the airport are as follows:
General aviation operations [takeoffs & landings], 2002: 12,100, 2007: 12,406, 2012: 12,719, 2022: 13,369.
There are no buildings or facilities, and there is no public access to the airfield by land.
The airport serves as a remote area for training flights to practice touch & gos,
easing the burden of these flights on Opa-locka Airport & other nearby general aviation airports in Miami-Dade & Broward Counties.”
Opa-locka West Airport was reportedly damaged by Hurricane Wilma in October 2005.
A circa 2006 aerial photo looking south along Opa-Locka West Airport's former Runway 18.
A circa 2006 aerial photo looking east along Opa-Locka West Airport's former Runway 9,
with the traffic pattern circle on the north side, and a small ramp on the south side.
In spite of the assertion that the airport had been damaged by the hurricane in 2005,
the pictures from 2006 did not show any apparent damage.
Miami-Dade County announced in June 2006 that the airport would be decommissioned.
The real reason for the county's closure of the airport soon became apparent – greed.
The county planned to use the land as a quarry,
with an estimated yield of 47 million cubic feet of limestone worth between $500 million - $1.2 billion.
Countyline Dragway, a 1/8-mile drag racing strip sanctioned by the International Hot Rod Association
opened at the former airport site in January 2007.
The August 2007 Miami Terminal Aeronautical Chart depicted the site of Opa-Locka West Airport
as an abandoned airfield.
A circa 2007 aerial photo depicted the former Opa-Locka West Airport after its closure,
with the former Runway 18/36 having been reused as a drag strip,
and cars parked on the former Runway 9/27.
Note how much bigger the quarry (filled with water) had become, compared to its depiction on the 1988 topo map.
The site of Opa-Locka West Airport is located east of the intersection of West Okeechobee Road & North Krome Avenue.
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Sunnyside Airport / Sunny South Airport, Miami, FL
25.86 North / 80.21 West (Northeast of Miami International Airport, FL)
Sunnyside was depicted as a commercial airport
on the April 1937 Miami Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
This little general aviation airport was located was located on the north side of the Little River Canal
in what eventually became the center of Miami.
Sunnyside Airport was evidently established at some point between 1935-37,
as it was not yet depicted on the December 1935 Miami Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The earliest depiction of field which has been located
was on the April 1937 Miami Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Sunnyside as a commercial airport.
The airport was evidently renamed “Sunny South” at some point in 1937,
as that is how it was listed in The Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airport Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
It described Sunny South as a commercial airport
having a single 2,640' east/west sod runway.
The May 3, 1940 USDA aerial photo (courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel)
depicted Sunny South Airport as consisting of a very simple grass landing area, oriented east/west,
with possibly a single hangar & some other small buildings on the east side of the field.
The May 1941 17M Regional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel)
depicted Sunny South as a commercial airport.
Sunny South Airport was most likely temporarily closed at some point between 1941-44
(like many other small civilian airports along the coasts,
due to wartime security concerns & fuel rationing),
as it was not listed among active airfields in the April 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer).
Sunny South Airport also still was not depicted on the 1944 Miami Sectional Chart (according to Brian Rehwinkel)
or the 1946 Miami Local Aeronautical Chart (according to Brian Rehwinkel).
Sunny South Airport was evidently reopened at some point during 1946,
as the July 1, 1946 FL DOT aerial photo of Sunny South Airport (courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel)
showed the field to be quite well-used.
Like many other general aviation fields, it served many returning veterans during this port-war aviation boom.
As seen in this photo, the airfield consisted of an east/west grass runway,
with a single hangar at the east side of the field.
A close-up from the July 1, 1946 FL DOT aerial photo of Sunny South Airport (courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel),
showing the hangar & a total of 37 light general aviation aircraft.
A May 7, 1951 FL DOT aerial photo of Sunny South Airport (courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel).
The airfield had been improved in contrast to the 1946 aerial photo,
with a paved taxiway having been added, running to a paved takeoff strip which had been added over the western third of the grass runway.
Strangely, it appears as if the hangar seen in the 1946 photo had been removed at some point.
Note also the "Sunny South Airport" lettering in between the runway & the canal bordering the south side of the field.
A close-up from the May 7, 1951 FL DOT aerial photo of Sunny South Airport (courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel),
showing a total of 32 light general aviation aircraft parked at the field,
along with a few small buildings.
The last reference to the Sunny South Airport which has been located
was in the 1952 Aviation Week Airport Directory (according to Brian Rehwinkel),
which described Sunny South as having a 3,800' unpaved runway.
Sunny South Airport presumably closed at some point between 1952-54,
as it was no longer depicted at all on the August 1954 Miami Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It presumably succumbed to the explosive post-war urban growth in the Miami metropolitan area.
As seen in the 1999 USGS aerial view,
the site of the former Sunny South Airport consists of residential housing & some commercial development.
The North Shore Medical Center is located adjacent to the north side of the airport site.
Not a trace appears to remain of the former airport.
The site of Sunny South Airport is located at the southwest corner of Northwest 7th Avenue & 91st Street. ____________________________________________________
Miami Municipal Airport / South Field #2 / Navy Municipal Field /
Amelia Earhart Field, Hialeah, FL
25.88 North / 80.26 West (Northeast of Miami International Airport, FL)
A November 4, 1929 photo of a groundbreaking ceremony
at the Miami Municipal Airport's Curtiss Flying Service / Pitcairn Aviation hangar (Florida State Archives photo).
The history of this airfield is intertwined with that of Master Field,
which sat adjacent to Miami Municipal to the east.
The fields were separated by a set of railroad tracks.
Both fields were located a mere 2 miles to the southeast of present-day Opa-Locka Airport.
Glenn Curtiss gave the City of Miami the site of this airfield in 1928
and the city created an Aviation Department to administer it (according to Antolin Carbonell).
According to Joe Benson, Miami Municipal Airport was used by Eastern & one or two other airlines early on.
Once Pan Am Field opened (in 1928), Municipal Airport was then left to general aviation.
The earliest depiction which has been located of Miami Municipal Airport
was a November 4, 1929 photo (Florida State Archives photo)
of a groundbreaking ceremony at the Curtiss Flying Service / Pitcairn Aviation hangar.
This groundbreaking presumably was for a 2nd hangar.
A 1930 photo of the Curtiss-Wright Corporation hangar at Miami Municipal Airport (Florida State Archives photo).
According to the state archives, this hangar was utilized by Pitcairn Aviation (the predecessor to Eastern Air Lines), and by Eastern Air Lines.
The small building on the right was the U. S. Weather Bureau Weather Station.
A February 11, 1930 photo of the Goodyear Blimp “Defender” at Miami Municipal Airport (Florida State Archives photo).
Before he died in 1930, Glenn Curtiss donated additional acreage to this field (according to Antolin Carbonell).
An aerial view looking northeast at Miami Municipal Airport
from the Airport Directory Company's 1933 Airports Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Note the large number of planes scattered around the hangar at the bottom of the photo.
The directory described Miami Municipal as having two 2,500' unpaved runways,
oriented northeast/southwest & northwest/southeast.
The aerial photo in the directory depicted 3 hangars on the southwest side of the field,
one of which had "Miami" painted on the roof.
The manager was listed as the Department of Aviation.
A 1933 photo of a dirigible & 18 biplanes at the 5th Annual Miami All American Air Races
held January 5-7 at Miami Municipal Airport (Florida State Archives photo).
The 1934 Department of Commerce Airport Directory (according to Chris Kennedy)
described Miami Municipal Airport as having 2 2,300' sandy runways, oriented northeast/southwest & northwest/southeast.
The hangars were said to have "Miami" painted on the roof.
Eastern & National Airlines both started operations out of this field
and by the mid 1930's it had several hangars (according to Antolin Carbonell).
One of the hangars built in the Pueblo style burned down in the 1930's.
Miami Municipal was depicted directly adjacent to All American Field
on the December 1935 Miami Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Amelia Earhart took off from Miami Municipal Airport on her ill-fated 1937 final flight (according to Antolin Carbonell).
An aerial view looking southeast at Miami Municipal Airport
from the Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airports Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
The directory described Miami Municipal as having 4 paved runways,
with the longest being the 3,500' northwest/southeast runway.
The aerial photo in the directory depicted a single hangar on the west side of the field.
A map of the airports within the Miami area,
from the Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airports Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
Miami Municipal was depicted as a municipal or commercial airport
on the April 1937 Miami Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
and the May 1941 Miami Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
A circa 1942 aerial view of Miami Municipal Airport (Florida State Archives photo),
showing the field to have 4 paved runway, with 2 hangars & 2 aircraft on the west side of the field,
and 3 aircraft along the southeast side of the field.
Miami Municipal was purchased in 1942 by the Navy from the City of Miami.
It was used by the Navy for the duration of WW2
as among the 6 satellite airfields for Miami Naval Air Station (later to become Opa-Locka Airport),
which conducted training in SBD Dauntlesses, TBF Avengers & PB-4Y Privateers.
Miami Municipal & Master Field were connected by a taxiway running over the railroad tracks.
A WW2-era aerial view of Miami Municipal Airport (west) & Master Field (east).
National Archives photo.
During its period of Navy use, Miami Municipal Airport was also known as South Field #2 & Navy Municipal Field.
According to Benson, Miami Municipal was controlled from the tower at Master as an NOLF/MCOLF.
Master Tower controlled the gates for taxiing aircraft that had to cross the railroad between the 2 fields.
During World War II the Navy used the field for its personnel transport operations.
"Miami" was depicted as a military airfield on the 1943 Miami Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer).
described "Miami, Navy" airfield as having a 3,600' hard-surfaced runway.
The remarks included, "Restricted to training operations & scheduled Naval transports.
Serviced by International Airport Tower."
The airfield at Miami Municipal Airport eventually consisted of 4 asphalt runways
and a few small buildings west of the runways.
Miami Municipal Airport was rededicated on October 26, 1947 as Amelia Earhart Field
(her tragic final flight launched from Miami Municipal, thus the name).
Joe Benson noted, "They made sort of a tapered stone marker by taking chunks of coral rock
and stacking them & securing them with cement.
It was about 4' high I'd guess & they mounted the plaque on it's face.
It was there for years even when the field was abandoned.”
A 1948 aerial view looking east-northeast at Amelia Earhart Field, with the larger Master Field in the background (Florida State Archives photo).
Several aircraft were visible on the Amelia Earhart ramp at the bottom of the photo.
The taxiway over the Seaboard Air Line Railroad tracks connecting the 2 airports was still visible (but was eliminated later).
Miami Municipal Airport was no longer depicted at all on the August 1954 Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Joe Benson noted, "Municipal never saw another aircraft after Master closed [in 1954], that I've ever heard of.
I went to several drag racing events at the field during the 1950s."
The 1956 Layout of Miami Municipal Airport (labeled "Amelia Earhart Field")
and Master Airport (labeled "South Field #1").
Miami Municipal Airport, as depicted on a February 27 1956 US Government aerial photo (courtesy of the FL DOT).
In the above 1956 aerial photo, Miami Municipal airport appeared to be abandoned,
as there were no aircraft visible on the field, or any other indications of current usage.
The field remained completely intact, though,
with all 4 runways & 2 hangars still remaining in good condition.
Miami Municipal Airport was labeled “Closed” on on a 1956 Approach Plate (courtesy of Tom Beamer).
A 1959 advertisement for drag races at Amelia Earhart Field.
According to Dick Besoli, the drag races at Amelia Earhart were run by 3 members
of The Cabriolets car club, including Ernie Schorb & Harry Steele.
Miami Municipal Airport was used to stage war supplies during the 1962 Missile Crisis (according to Antolin Carbonell).
Joe Benson noted of the historical marker to Amelia Earhart which formerly stood on the site,
"when I went there to look around in the mid 1970s,
it was gone & the marker/pillar that it was mounted on was knocked down & just a pile of rocks."
According to Joe Benson, "There was an effort to try & save the field & put an aviation museum on it,
but the project fell through.
Meanwhile, Seaboard (CSX) bought the Miami Municipal property,
tore up all the runways & built an Intermodal freight yard in there."
Some traces of the former Miami Municipal Airport & Master Airport airfield were still visible in the above 1986 USGS aerial photo.
In
the circa 2001 aerial photo, the site of the former Miami Municipal
Airport had been completely redeveloped,
with no remaining indications of the airfield.
A park named Amelia Earhart Park has been built to the northwest,
but does not include the site of the former airfield.
The site of Miami Municipal Airport is located northeast
of the present-day intersection of East 8th Avenue & East 49th Street.
Additional details about Miami Municipal can be found at a State of Florida page,
and an Army Corps of Engineers report.
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All American Field / Master Airport / South Field #1 / Navy Master Field, Hialeah, FL
25.88 North / 80.25 West (Northeast of Miami International Airport, FL)
All American Field was depicted directly adjacent to Miami Municipal
on the December 1935 Miami Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The history of this airfield is intertwined with that of Miami Municipal Airport,
which sat adjacent to Master Field to the west.
The fields were separated by a set of railroad tracks.
Both fields were located a mere 2 miles to the southeast of present-day Opa-Locka Airport.
This field was originally known as All-American Airport.
All American Field was the site of the All American Air Meets as early as 1931 (according to Antolin Carbonell).
The 1934 Department of Commerce Airport Directory (according to Chris Kennedy)
described All-American Airport as having two 3,900' sod runways in an "L" shape,
with the north/south runway also having a 1,500' hard-surface portion.
The hangar was said to have "All-American Airport" painted on the roof.
The earliest depiction of All American Field which has been located
was on the December 1935 Miami Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
All-American Airport, as depicted in the Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airports Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
The directory described All-American Airport as having a single 1,800' shell runway, oriented northwest/southeast.
The aerial photo in the directory depicted a single hangar on the field,
which had "All-American Airport" painted on the roof.
All American was depicted as a municipal or commercial airport
on the April 1937 Miami Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The City of Miami acquired All American Field circa 1938
and built the 1st Miami International Airport, with 7 runways & one hangar (according to Antolin Carbonell).
Robert Law Weed designed a terminal, which never was built.
Joe Benson found a pre-WW2 blueline drawing at the Airport District Office
which confirmed that the name of the airport at that time was "Miami International (Master) Airport".
This airfield was evidently abandoned at some point between 1938-41,
as it was no longer depicted at all on the May 1941 Miami Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
In 1942 the Navy bought the Airport & added it to the Naval Air Station Miami complex (according to Antolin Carbonell).
Around that time the airport became known as Master's Field.
The Navy built several barracks & a mess hall.
"International" Airport was depicted as a military airfield on the 1943 Miami Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
A 1943 aerial view looking east at dozens of aircraft on the Master Field ramp (National Archives photo).
Master Field was used by the Navy during WW2
as among the 6 satellite airfields for Miami Naval Air Station (later to become Opa-Locka Airport),
which conducted training in SBD Dauntlesses, TBF Avengers & PB-4Y Privateers.
A WW2-era view of Miami Municipal Airport (west) & Master Field (east).
National Archives photo.
The 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer).
described "International (Master), Navy" as having a 7,400' hard-surfaced runway.
The remarks included, "Restricted to training operations & scheduled Naval transports."
The airfield at Master Airport eventually consisted of 5 asphalt runways (the largest was 6,600' long),
and a large curved ramp area in front of a complex of buildings to the east of the runways.
During its period of Navy use, Master Airport was also known as South Field, South Field #1, and Navy Master Field.
A 1948 aerial view looking northeast at Master Field, with the smaller Amelia Earhart Field also visible on the left (Florida State Archives photo).
According to Joe Benson,
the base scenes for the movie "Slattery's Hurricane" (starring Richard Widmark) were filmed at Master Field in 1949,
when they were flying the PB4Y-2 Privateers for hurricane hunting.
Although some sources have indicated that Master Field was "closed in 1954",
this evidently refers to the point at which the use of the field was transferred to the Naval Reserve,
which continued to operate aircraft from Master Field for several more years.
The 1956 Layout of Miami Municipal Airport (labeled "Amelia Earhart Field")
and Master Airport (labeled "South Field #1").
Master Field (bottom-right) & the former Miami Municipal Airport (bottom-center),
shown in relation to Opa-Locka Airport (top-left),
as depicted on a 1956 Approach Plate (courtesy of Tom Beamer).
Master Field, as depicted on a February 27 1956 US Government aerial photo (courtesy of the FL DOT).
The photo shows the field very much in use by the Navy,
with a total of over 24 fighters & patrol aircraft on the ramp.
A closeup of the northeast ramp of Master Field from the February 27 1956 US Government aerial photo (courtesy of the FL DOT),
showing a large number of Grumman F9F Cougar jet fighters & several other jet & propeller aircraft.
A closeup of the southeast ramp of Master Field from the February 27 1956 US Government aerial photo (courtesy of the FL DOT),
showing a total of 6 Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer patrol bombers.
According to Joe Benson, Master Field hosted several airshows in the 1950s,
"one of which John Glenn flew his F8U at in 1957."
A 1958 map of a “Masters Field Course” for a road race to be held on the runways.
Automobile races were held on the Master Field runways in 1958 & 1959.
Master Field was closed by the Navy in 1959, according to Brian Rehwinkel.
A planned race in 1962 on the Master Field runways was canceled due to the use of the airfield
for staging military supplies & equipment during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
That was presumably the last military use of the facility.
A March 1962 photo of a Former NAS Miami Master's Field hangar (Florida State Archives photo).
This building later became the Pen Playhouse at the Dade County Junior College.
The Master Field property was declared surplus in the early 1960s
and became the Miami-Dade Community College North Campus (according to Antolin Carbonell).
A hangar was later converted into a gymnasium.
Master Field, as depicted on a December 27, 1963 US Government aerial photo (courtesy of the FL DOT).
The photo shows the airfield still almost complete intact,
but the early stages of construction of the college had started,
with at least one building & parking lot having already been built over the former ramp on the east side of the field.
Master Field, as depicted on a December 28, 1970 US Government aerial photo (courtesy of the FL DOT).
The photo shows that the buildings & parking lot of the college had completely covered the former ramp & hangar area by this time,
although most of the length of most of the runways were still largely intact.
According to Joe Benson, "Master Field sat for a long time with only the college on there,
but later expanded rapidly & you can hardly see anything anymore."
The remains of Miami Municipal Airport & Master Airport in 1986.
A circa 2000 aerial photo of the site of Master Airport,
showing that more of the runways have been built over.
The property of Master Airport has been extensively redeveloped
as the North Campus of the Miami Dade Community College,
but recognizable portions of at least 5 asphalt runways still remain on the eastern half of the airfield site.
Furthermore, Antolin Carbonell reported in 2005 that “A hangar built in the mid 1930s
still survives at the southeast corner of the Miami-Dade College Campus.
It is used for Maintenance shops.
The building was recently refurbished but bears little resemblance to its original use.
A couple of ancillary buildings from that period survived as recently as 2003 but have since been demolished.”
A circa 2005-2006 aerial view looking north at a WW2-era hangar which still remains standing
on the east side of the former Master Airport (just east of the intersection of Lake Road & Kennedy Drive).
The site of Master Airport is located west of the present-day intersection of Unity Blvd & Gratigny Parkway.
Additional details about Master can be found at a State of Florida page,
and an Army Corps of Engineers report.
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Everglades Jetport / Dade Collier Training & Transition Airport (TNT), Everglades, FL
25.86 North / 80.9 West (West of Miami, FL)
Dade-Collier Airport, as depicted on the January 1970 Miami Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Photo of the airport while in use has not been located.
This huge, nearly abandoned modern airport is a true "white elephant".
It was intended to provide service for the Miami area by the never-built US supersonic transport,
and was thus situated far outside of the populated area, in the everglades,
to mitigate the noise impact of SST operations.
What was originally known as the Everglades Jetport
was originally planned to be the largest airport in the world, with 6 runways.
It was begun in 1968.
An artist's conception of what the Dade-Collier Airport was built to operate -
the never-built US SST (in this case, a Boeing 2707, in Pan Am markings).
Before the Dade Collier airfield was ever was used for airline service,
the US SST was canceled, eliminating its reason for being.
Furthermore, environmentalists convinced the government that the operation of a major airport
would bring unacceptable harm to the Everglades.
Therefore, even though one runway had already been built,
the decision was made to cancel the new airport.
Yet it was also decided that removing the already-built runway would cause further environmental harm,
so it was allowed to remain as it was built, strangely all alone.
The boondoggle was eventually opened for very limited use under the name of Dade Collier Training & Transition Airport,
with its only purpose being to support infrequent civil flight training by heavy airliners.
Its single concrete Runway 9/27 measured a whopping 10,500' in length.
In the era before the widespread use of flight simulators for airline training,
airline crews had to be trained with flights in actual aircraft.
Dade Collier was a natural for this kind of operation,
as it did not have any other kind of traffic.
Plus, two major airlines were headquartered nearby at Miami International: Eastern Airlines & Pan Am.
The earliest depiction which has been located of the field
was on the January 1970 Miami Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Dade Collier as a private airfield having a single 10,500' paved runway & a control tower.
During the 1970s, it was not unusual to find 5-10 transport aircraft (757, 747, C-130, DC-6) in the TNT pattern,
flying ILS approaches around the clock.
The 1987 USGS topo map depicted the Dade-Collier Transition & Training Airport
as having a single paved runway, paved parallel taxiway, and a paved ramp with a tower.
Mark Williams recalled, “When I was training as a 727 Second Officer for the 'new' PanAm, we went out to TNT to do our bounces.
This was in 1996, and there were still personnel & fire/crash/rescue equipment based there.”
A circa 1990s USGS aerial photo.
According to Al, "Dade County aviation authority allows use of TNT by permit only,
which are free to general aviation.
Airlines have to pay a fee for each landing."
He applied for & received the permit in 1997 through 2003.
Al continued, "I fly there about once a week from North Perry Airport to shoot the ILS.
I have encountered over the years in the pattern every type of commercial jet and prop aircraft.
Even once a B-17 bomber using the surrounding area & airport for background footage for a motion picture.
The US coast guard uses it regularly for practice 'drops'.
General aviation uses it regularly for IFR practice.
The airport used to be manned and open 24 hours a day,
now it is closed from sunset to sunrise.
All the navigation facilities at the airport are maintained & repaired expeditiously:
ILS, LOC, inner & outer marker beacons, LOM."
However, with the advent of high fidelity Level C & Level D flight simulators,
airline pilots can now be trained exclusively in simulators,
without resorting to much more expensive training flights in actual aircraft.
Therefore, this use of Dade Collier Training & Transition Airport has largely gone away,
leaving the field once again almost completely unused.
The 2003 Airport Facility Directory listed an average of 40 flight operations per day,
but that is almost definitely an exaggerated figure.
The 2003 Airport Facility Directory included the remark,
"Airport closed to public except by arrangement with Dade County Aviation Department Miami."
A circa 2000-2005 USGS aerial photo looking west along the Dade-Collier runway.
A January 2007 aerial view looking northeast at Dade-Collier.
The August 2007 Miami Terminal Aeronautical Chart depicted Dade-Collier as a public-use airport
having a single 10,500' paved runway.
Mark Williams reported, “I fly over it on finals to MIA frequently,
and saw a 747 on the ground there, obviously doing a 'taxi back'.
This was late in 2007.”
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