Still in the location laid out in 1918, it is still a vibrant general-aviation field, although it just went from three paved runways to two, for reasons that are not entirely clear.Iowa City fought for and became one of the relatively few designated stops on the original transcontinental airmail route, beginning in 1920. The Iowa City (Iowa) Municipal Airport is the oldest continuously operating airport west of the Mississippi River. While this particular bit of history may not have the significance of Roosevelt Field (I knew you knew the airport name) or the Laird Aircraft factory, it is nevertheless of value and indicative of the nature of the loss of our aviation heritage, a gradual nibbling away, slowly and steadily, in widely diverse locations quietly, rather than in major, nationwide, publicized fights. Can you name the airport?A couple of our regulars brought up a current dilemma over an aviation artifact that is very much in use but faces the wrecking ball. Likewise, there is no trace of the airport where Charles Lindbergh launched for his successful and world-altering solo flight to Paris, although I’m told there is some sort of a marker in the shopping center that occupies part of the site. There was not any attempt by the city to preserve the place that was arguably the cradle of the industry that caused Wichita to become known as the Air Capital of the World. Laird Aircraft Company and, later, Swallow Aircraft, where Lloyd Stearman and Walter Beech had worked together, just northwest of Wichita State University - was torn down in the late 1980s. It evolved from conversation regarding the staggering sums spent to restore individual airplanes with historic significance, into the surprising lack of interest in the airports, buildings and structures that figured in the development of our air transportation system and the airplanes that made it possible.I recalled that the building that housed the first successful aircraft manufacturers in Wichita, Kan. It's not only important to the airport, we think it's a pretty important event to the community,” Tharp said.Over the past two weeks the topic of discussion in the Pilot’s Lounge at the virtual airport has been preserving and restoring our aviation treasures. 'One hundred years, we obviously want to mark that. While the exact details are still yet to be determined, Tharp said he wanted activities that touch on the different eras in aviation history, as well as features that explain what the future of aviation could be during the next 100 years. still serving a pretty healthy general aviation community.”Īs part of the 100-year anniversary celebration, airport staff are planning events for June 8-10. 'Even if you can't see the whole aspects of aviation, there are so many ways aviation touches a community,” Tharp said. The airport is home to 92 different aircraft as well as the University of Iowa's Operator Performance Laboratory for aviation research. The airport mostly serves flights such as business charters, medical transports and crop-dusting planes. Now, the airport is a general aviation facility, which Tarp said typically means any airport that doesn't serve military or commercial airline flights.Īs aviation use in the country grew, the airport added passenger service, which lasted up until the 1970s, Tharp said.
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