Aviation History
Belize's aviation history centers on its main gateway, originally built as Stanley Field during World War II and later renamed Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport, and on small domestic carriers rather than a full-service flag carrier. Maya Island Air and Tropic Air, founded in the 1960s and 1970s respectively, developed into the country's principal scheduled airlines, connecting Belize's cayes and towns while foreign carriers handle nearly all international service.
The airfield that would become Belize's main international airport was constructed during World War II, later developing into the country's principal aviation gateway.
Maya Airways (later renamed Maya Island Air) was established, becoming one of Belize's earliest scheduled domestic airlines.
Tropic Air was founded and grew into Belize's largest domestic and regional carrier, connecting Belize City with the cayes and neighboring Central American destinations.
Belize gained independence from the United Kingdom, subsequently establishing its own civil aviation authority to oversee the sector.
Belize City's international airport was renamed Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport in honor of the Belizean independence leader.
Tropic Air · Maya Island Air
Wikipedia, CAPA airport/airline profiles, national civil aviation authority records
Aviation Firsts
Philip S. W. Goldson Uluslararası Havalimanı (eski Stanley Field / 'Aviation Field') — Belize City (1943): Belize'deki ilk kayıtlı iniş 23 Şubat 1921'de bir deniz uçağıyla kıyı şeridinde oldu (resmi sivil havacılık dairesi kaynağına göre). İlk kara inişi 30 Aralık 1927'de Charles Lindbergh tarafından Belize City'deki Newtown Barracks'ta gerçekleşti. İlk gerçek havaalanı ('Aviation Field', üç çakıl pistli) 1931'den sonra bugünkü sahada kuruldu. 1943'te 5.000 fit'lik pistle Stanley Field olarak resmileşti, 1945'te terminal eklendi. 1990'da (resmi kaynağa göre) / 7 Şubat 1988'de (Wikipedia'ya göre, küçük bir tarih farkıyla) Philip S.W. Goldson Uluslararası Havalimanı adını aldı. Stanley Field'ın 1943 inşası iki bağımsız kaynakla (Wikipedia ve Belize Sivil Havacılık Dairesi'nin resmi tarihçe sayfası) doğrulandı. · Belize Department of Civil Aviation ↗
Maya Airways (→ Maya Island Air) (1962): 1962'de, British Honduras Airways'in (BWIA'nın bir yan kuruluşu, 1961'de uçuşu durdurmuş ama kuruluş yılı bulunamamış) yerini almak üzere kuruldu. Aralık 1997'de Island Air ile birleşip Maya Island Air oldu (bugün işletimde, IATA: 2M, merkez Belize City, Goldson Uluslararası Havalimanı). British Honduras Airways daha eski görünüyor ama kesin bir kuruluş yılı bulunamadığı için Maya Airways (1962), hem tarihli hem de soy bağı bugüne kadar süren en eski cevap olarak raporlanıyor. · Wikipedia ↗
No documented foreign entrant found. Checked against Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport. Found only that the airport lists eight cargo operators (including Amerijet International, a US-based cargo carrier) without describing any as a third-party ground handler; this reads as an airline handling its own cargo flights rather than a GH company entering the market. No Swissport/dnata/Menzies/WFS presence was found in Belize.