History of San Diego Airport
In 1927, Charles A. Lindbergh electrified the world when he made San Diego the starting point for the first-ever solo, nonstop transatlantic flight. In his Spirit of St. Louis, Lindbergh took off from Dutch Flat bound for St. Louis, New York and Paris, France. Lindbergh later agreed to lend his name to a proposed new airport: San Diego Municipal Airport - Lindbergh Field.
Early aviation supporters saw their efforts rise from the mud when construction began on the long anticipated municipal airport. A cast of public and private agencies, military officers, politicians, philanthropists, and engineers worked tirelessly to build upon the muddy ground that gave birth to San Diego International Airport on its Dedication Day, August 16, 1928.
On June 1, 1930, the San Diego-Los Angeles airmail route was initiated, becoming the airport's major selling point for local government. At 5 o'clock sharp, the first airmail plane left the only building at the airport and raced down the runway, marking the beginning of a new era for San Diego.
At the outbreak of World War II, and as San Diego's population boomed, the military transformed San Diego International Airport into a modern aviation transportation center. The U.S. Army Air Corps took over the airport in 1942, and Army engineers improved the existing runways to accommodate the heavy bombers churned out by San Diego's aircraft manufacturers during World War II.
The 8,750-foot "mega-runway" built to accommodate World War II-era long-range bombers made San Diego International Airport "jet-ready" long before United Airlines became the first airline to offer pure jet service in September 1960. American Airlines followed with their "Jet Ace" scheduled service to Dallas/Fort Worth a few weeks later. San Diego had entered the Jet Age.
Today, at the beginning of the 21st century, San Diego International Airport is the nation's busiest single runway commercial airport — serving over 17 million passengers in 2005, and servicing 18 airlines, seven airfreight companies, 16 airline support providers and 23 concessionaires. A far cry from the first, dusty runway and single terminal, San Diego International Airport now contributes nearly $5 billion annually to the regional economy.
Article Source: http://san.org/airport/airport_facts/airport_history.asp |
