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West Coast was going to be invaded from the sea by the Japanese, with the invasion being led by fighter attacks. Because of this perceived threat, fighter bases were built all along the West Coast, often just 25 to 50 miles apart; a distance which was con- sidered appropriate for the combat range of fighters at the time. In the Puget Sound area alone, this type of airport was built at Bellingham (KBLI), Skagit Regional (KBVS), Arlington (KAWO), Paine (KPAE), Shelton (KSHN) and Olympia (KOLM); all of them within 15 minutes of flight time from each other. This was in case of any dire situations such an injured pilot, a bullet-damaged aircraft, dog fights or fuel shortages. Events that fortunately never occurred but the public readily re- lates to today.
People also find it interesting to learn the details surrounding how and why these facilities were designed the way they were. Most former WWII fighter bases along the West Coast have a classical tri- angular runway layout, which is why they use up a large, relatively square patch of land compared to something that might be built today. The purpose of the triangular pattern was to make certain the novice 200-hour fighter pilots could safely land their heavy, hard-to-control taildraggers without any more of a crosswind compo- nent than absolutely necessary. The three runways are typically 5,000 feet each with an angle of 120-degrees from each other; the principal runway being lined up with the prevailing wind. Alongside this run- way, various Quonset hut type support buildings were constructed – some of which are often still present today.
At that time, reliable information about the winds was not often available so a tech- nique used to determine runway compass orientation was simply to walk into the nearby forest and count the number and direction of fallen dead trees. No fancy science or expensive studies necessary.
Just old fashioned logger wisdom. Learn- ing this kind of history gives non-pilots a sense of appreciation for how and why their airport came into existence in the first place. The next question usually is, how did it become to be owned by the local community?
Airport Ownership
After the war ended in 1945, the U.S. Army and federal government were un- certain as to what to do with the many triangular shaped military airports they had quickly built all over the country, par- ticularly along the West Coast. In England, many of the WWII secondary fighter bases had the concrete torn up and were re- turned to their original status as farmland. But land in the United States was plentiful, and money required to return the site to its original condition was in short supply. So instead, ownership was commonly transferred to the local community as a type of gift (something not always to- tally appreciated by the local taxpayers). Typical of a government “gift,” it came with strings attached, one of which was very wise in hindsight. The airport’s title transfer came with the condition that in perpetuity, the location must always be used as an airport, and any surrounding land included in the transfer, must be used for activities that contribute financially to the airport. This little bit of bureaucratic history is very helpful in conveying the message that regardless of its naysayers, the airport will never go away.
Often in the 1940s and 1950s, when these title transfers occurred, the local community did not realize the economic value of a functioning airport, so they ne- glected the facility. But with the passage of time (particularly following 9/11 with the advent of TSA awkwardness at Part 121 air- ports), business aircraft began using local airports more frequently, making it more evident that the facility has a big economic
impact on the community. In addition to business aircraft use, other examples of the airport’s value readily understood by the public include FedEx air cargo opera- tion. Today, just about everyone receives packages delivered by FedEx. The fact that it arrives via air right to their local airport onboard a “small” single-engine Cessna (Caravan), and is quickly transferred to a nearby van is a personal benefit they can readily appreciate.
Another notable benefit is the use of the airport by a local air ambulance service. It is surprising just how many people have had a friend or relative flown somewhere urgently for medical treatment. Knowing that there is a local facility available for this purpose contributes to their sense that the airport provides personal value to them. Naturally, on Airport Day, the aircraft involved in activities such as these are present for all to see.
Now, you might think with the heavy emphasis on airport history and value, Airport Day should be a time when air- plane demonstrations are flown with great conservatism; we have not found that to be the case. There is a certain magic in flight that especially comes alive during events like Airport Day. That is how we found ourselves in the Lear showing off for the crowd on that sunny day, having every bit as much fun as the kids watching.
My only regret is if I had known my Unicom transmissions were going to be broadcast over the PA system with 1,500 people listening, I would have dropped my voice an octave to sound more like the proverbial old, grey-haired, 30,000- hour airline captain we all try to emulate when the mic is keyed. T&T
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Kevin Ware is an ATP who also holds CFI, MEII and heli- copter ratings, has more than 10,000 hours and is typed in several different
business jets. He has been flying for a living on and off since he was 20, and currently works as a contract pilot for various corporations in the Seattle area. When not working as a pilot he is employed part time as an emergency and urgent care physician. He can be reached at kevin.ware2@aol.com.
September 2018
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