Epcot Center 44FD

[mjperry]

Ok so I was wondering is epcot center 44FD still operational I founf this link this site is up to date so whats the deal.
http://www.airnav.com/airport/44FD

 

[doconeill]

OK, I was curious if it meant the old STOL strip along World Drive across from the TTC parking lot (which I don't believe has been used in a long while), but the coordinates given on that page place it in the partially-built "legendary years" section of Pop Century.

 

[mjperry]

Well I had read somewhere that is was at the legendary years parking lot. I'm not sure what the FAA procedure for Airports are landing strips are I do believe they are inspected yearly so if it's not in use why would it still be listed?

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

EPCOT Center Ultralight Flightpark was never a public facility.

I assume it was used as the the private takeoff/landing location for EPCOT Center's "Skylaidescope Lagoon Spectacular" in the 1980s. The show included seven ultralights flying over World Showcase Lagoon, each trailing brightly colored smoke. Or perhaps it was used for EPCOT Center's "Surprise in the Skies" shows in the early 1990s. Or perhaps it was used for both.

This is not the same as the former STOLport landing strip, which you can still see from the Epcot Monorail. As strange as it may seem, there was once commercial passenger air service to the STOLport. Shawnee Airlines operated 19-seat DeHavilland Twin Otter aircraft between Orlando International and the WDW STOLport.

See http://www.geocities.com/pinkdc3/shawnee/shawnee.html

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Well I had read somewhere that is was at the legendary years parking lot. I'm not sure what the FAA procedure for Airports are landing strips are I do believe they are inspected yearly so if it's not in use why would it still be listed?

It would still be listed because plenty of websites have old, obsolete information. AirNav.com is not the official FAA site.

 

[mjperry]

I know its not a FAA Site but it all seems to be updated most reports have a updated date. But I do understand it is a Parking lot. However ultralite do not need a long runway for Takoff are Landing so maybe it's still used. maybe the legendary years is a secret aircraft hanger where they are working on some type of flying carpet technology maybe we should call it Area 44
All joking aside it would be nice if they still had air service direct to WDW.

 

[DancingBear]

This is not the same as the former STOLport landing strip, which you can still see from the Epcot Monorail. As strange as it may seem, there was once commercial passenger air service to the STOLport. Shawnee Airlines operated 19-seat DeHavilland Twin Otter aircraft between Orlando International and the WDW STOLport.

See http://www.geocities.com/pinkdc3/shawnee/shawnee.html

Thanks for that link. I had never heard this little tidbit before:

An odd note about Disney's STOLport: there were bumps laid out on the runway in a pattern that played the rhythm of "Zip-a-dee-do-da" as a plane ran over them.

 

[Another Voice]

Didn't Disney land one of the old corporate planes on a stretch of World Drive as part of the Walt's 100th Birthday Celebration. Was some sort of offical designation required for that?

Just a guess.

I haven't heard about the bumps playing "Zip-a-dee-do-da" for the runway before, but there was a plan to that with grooves in the road at the enterance points the WDW. The effect worked but you had to hit it at the right speed for it really to be clear. In the end it was deemed not worth the cost.

 

[figment1986]

they flew "234MM" to WDW before decomishioning it to be stored at the studios back in what 1989 or 88, but could not land on the old STOL due to the monorail... I read they landed it on world drive then towed it to the studios.

I Could be wrong though.

 

[All Aboard]

The ultralight landing area is now beneath the rotting ruins of "The Legendary Years". http://www.airfields-freeman.com/FL/Airfields_FL_OrlandoSW.htm

I read some time ago that the Zip grooves on the STOLport were the testing grooves (they ran cars over them) for what was eventually planned for World Drive, and not for planes.