Airport Overview
DeLand Municipal Airport — Sidney H. Taylor Field (KDED) is a publicly owned, non-towered general aviation airport owned by the City of DeLand, located about 3 miles northeast of downtown DeLand in Volusia County, Florida. It sits roughly 35 miles north of Orlando and 15 miles southwest of Daytona Beach, making it a practical access point for west Volusia, Stetson University, and the northern Orlando metro. The field is best known nationally as the home of Skydive DeLand, one of the world's most active parachute drop zones.
Runway Capability
The primary runway, 12/30, is 6,001 ft by 100 ft of asphalt; the secondary runway, 5/23, is 4,301 ft by 75 ft. With a field elevation of 79 ft, KDED's runway length supports light jets and a range of midsize jets such as the Phenom 300, Citation CJ4, Citation XLS, and Learjet 75 with standard performance planning. Operators of super-midsize and heavy jets should run runway-specific takeoff and landing calculations or plan an alternate; nearby Daytona Beach International (KDAB) offers longer runways and airline-grade infrastructure.
Charter Considerations
DeLand Aviation is the single FBO on the field and handles fueling (Jet-A, 100LL, UL94), parking, and basic ground services. Because line-service hours are primarily daytime and the airport is non-towered, charter crews should confirm fuel and handling arrangements in advance and coordinate arrival timing. The Jet Finder sources FAA Part 135 aircraft sized appropriately for KDED's 6,001-foot runway and arranges ground transport into DeLand and the greater Orlando area.
Safety & Planning
The defining operational factor at KDED is intense skydiving activity. Skydive DeLand runs frequent jump aircraft and large numbers of canopies in the airport environment, so pilots must monitor CTAF, watch for jumpers, and brief drop-zone procedures carefully. As a non-towered field, all traffic self-announces; there is no tower or approach control on the field. RNAV (GPS) approaches are available to all four runway ends for instrument arrivals.
Seasonal & Operational Factors
Central Florida's subtropical climate brings reliable VFR flying much of the year, but the May-through-September convective season produces strong afternoon thunderstorms that typically build between early and late afternoon. Morning departures offer the most schedule certainty. The near-sea-level elevation keeps density altitude low, so summer heat has limited effect on takeoff performance compared with high-elevation fields.
Regional Context & Customs
KDED has no U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility, so international itineraries must clear at a designated port of entry such as Orlando (KMCO/KORL), Orlando Sanford (KSFB), or Daytona Beach (KDAB). For travelers prioritizing the longest runways, full-service jet FBOs, or customs, those larger regional airports are strong alternates; KDED's appeal is direct, low-traffic access to west Volusia and the DeLand area.