College Park Airport
Encyclopedia
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located in the City of College Park
College Park, Maryland
College Park is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA. The population was 30,413 at the 2010 census. It is best known as the home of the University of Maryland, College Park, and since 1994 the city has also been home to the "Archives II" facility of the U.S...
, in Prince Georges County, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is the world's oldest continuously operated airport.
History
College Park Airport was established in August 1909 by the United States Army Signal CorpsUnited States Army Signal Corps
The United States Army Signal Corps develops, tests, provides, and manages communications and information systems support for the command and control of combined arms forces. It was established in 1860, the brainchild of United States Army Major Albert J. Myer, and has had an important role from...
to serve as a training location for Wilbur Wright to instruct two military officers to fly in the government's first aeroplane. Leased on August 25, the first airplane, a Wright Type A biplane, was uncrated and assembled on October 7. Civilian aircraft began flying from College Park Airport as early as December 1911, making it the world's oldest continuously operated airport. In 1977, the airport was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
College Park Airport is home to many "firsts" in aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
, and is particularly significant for the well-known aviators and aviation inventors who played a part in this field's long history. In 1909 Wilbur Wright taught Lieutenants Frederic Humphreys and Frank Lahm. Humphreys became the first military pilot to solo in a government aeroplane.
Civilian aviation began at College Park with Rex Smith, an inventor and patent attorney, who operated the Rex Smith Aeroplane Company
Rex Smith Aeroplane Company
right|thumb|A Model of the Rex Smith Aeroplane Company in 1920Rex Smith Aeroplane Company was an American aircraft manufacturer in College Park, Maryland....
. Paul Peck and Tony Jannus
Tony Jannus
Antony Habersack Jannus, more familiarly known as Tony Jannus , was an early American pilot whose aerial exploits were widely publicized in aviation's pre-World War I period. He flew the first airplane from which a parachute jump was made, in 1912. Jannus was also the first airline pilot, having...
were associates of his.
In 1911, the nation's first military aviation school was opened at College Park, with newly trained pilots then-Lt. Henry H. Arnold
Henry H. Arnold
Henry Harley "Hap" Arnold was an American general officer holding the grades of General of the Army and later General of the Air Force. Arnold was an aviation pioneer, Chief of the Air Corps , Commanding General of the U.S...
and Lt. Thomas DeWitt Milling as Wright pilot instructors and Capt. Paul W. Beck
Paul W. Beck
Paul Ward Beck was an officer in the United States Army, an aviation pioneer, and one of the first military pilots. Although a career Infantry officer, Beck twice was part of the first air services of the U.S. Army, first as nominal head of the flying section of the Aeronautical Division, U.S...
as the Curtiss instructor. The military aviation school saw numerous aviation firsts.
In 1915 Cecil Peoli
Cecil Peoli
Cecil M. Peoli was the youngest professional aviator in the world at the time of his death.-Biography:He was born on October 13, 1894 in New York City. He piloted the Red Devil of Thomas Scott Baldwin. In 1915 Peoli died testing his 12 cylinder Rausenburger-powered biplane at College Park Airport...
, one of the world's first professional aviators, died testing his 12 cylinder Rausenburger-powered biplane at College Park in preparation for New York and St. Louis cross country flights.
In 1918, after a three-month trial with the War Department
United States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
beginning May 15, the Post Office Department inaugurated the first Postal Airmail Service from College Park, serving Philadelphia and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(Belmont Park
Belmont Park
Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island adjoining New York City. It first opened on May 4, 1905...
). Flights from College Park continued until 1921. The compass rose and original airmail hangar remain at the modern airport as a witness to this history. The Airport Code "CGS" originally referred to the airport's purpose in the 1930s as an airmail station. CGS = "ColleGe Station".
In 1920, Emile and Henry Berliner (father and son) brought their theories of vertical flight to the field and in 1924 made the first controlled helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
flight.
From 1927 until 1933, the Bureau of Standards developed and tested the first radio navigational aids for use in "blind" or bad weather flying. This was the forerunner of the modern Instrument Landing System used today by aircraft.
In 1937, the Engineering & Research Corporation (ERCO), based in nearby Riverdale, Maryland
Riverdale, Maryland
Riverdale is the name of two places in the State of Maryland in the United States of America:*Riverdale, Anne Arundel County, Maryland*Riverdale, Prince George's County, Maryland, now Riverdale Park, Maryland...
, used the airport to test fly the early model of the Ercoupe, an airplane designed to be spin-proof.
George Brinckerhoff took over management of the Airfield and ran it from 1927 until 1959, hosting numerous airshows and teaching hundreds of pilots to fly during his tenure.
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission is a bi-county agency that administers parks and planning in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties in Maryland.-History:...
(M-NCPPC) purchased the Airport in 1973 and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. Today it is run as both a historic site and operating airport whose history is depicted in the 27000 sq ft (2,508.4 m²) College Park Aviation Museum.
Since the 9/11
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
attacks, and owing to the airport's proximity to the national capital, the operations of the airport have been severely restricted by the Transportation Security Administration
Transportation Security Administration
The Transportation Security Administration is an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that exercises authority over the safety and security of the traveling public in the United States....
in the interest of national security, but civilian pilots are still free to use the airport after going through a one-time background check procedure.
Airport facilities
College Park Airport covers 70 acres (283,280.2 m²) and has one runway:- Runway 15/33: 2,607 x 60 ft (795 x 18 m), Surface: Asphalt
College Park Aviation Museum
The College Park Aviation Museum houses antique and reproduction aircraft associated with the history of College Park Airport. Artifacts and hands-on activities highlight the aviators, aircraft builders and airplanes that operated at the airport. Aircraft on display are:- 1910 Wright Model BWright Model B|-See also:-References:* * * * * * -External links:* *...
(replica) - 1911 Curtiss Model DCurtiss Model D|-See also:-External links:...
(replica) - 1912 Blériot XIBlériot XIThe Blériot XI is the aircraft in which, on 25 July 1909, Louis Blériot made the first flight across the English Channel made in a heavier-than-air aircraft . This achievement is one of the most famous accomplishments of the early years of aviation, and not only won Blériot a lasting place in...
(replica) - 1916 Curtiss JN-4Curtiss JN-4The Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny" was one of a series of "JN" biplanes built by the Curtiss Aeroplane Company of Hammondsport, New York, later the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company. Although the Curtiss JN series was originally produced as a training aircraft for the U.S...
D "Jenny" - 1924 Berliner Helicopter No. 5Berliner HelicopterThe Berliner Helicopters were a series of experimental helicopters built by Henry Berliner between 1922 and 1925. The helicopters had only limited controllability but were the most significant step forward in helicopter design in the USA until the production of the Vought-Sikorsky VS-300 helicopter...
- 1932 Monocoupe 110
- 1936 Taylor J-2Taylor J-2-References:* Roger W. Peperell and Colin M.Smith, Piper Aircraft and their forerunners, 1987, Air-Britain , ISBN 0 85130 149 5, Page 18 to 22....
- 1939 Taylorcraft BL-65
- 1941 Boeing-Stearman Model 75
- 1946 Erco Ercoupe 415D
The museum offers changing exhibits, special events, lectures, workshops and programs for the public, schools and groups. There are also an extensive library and archives which hold materials relating to the airport's history, early aviation history, especially relating to Maryland, and general aeronautics. Opened in 1998, the museum is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
.
External links
- College Park Airport Main Website
- M-NCPPC College Park Airport
- College Park Aviation Museum
- Aviation: From Sand Dunes to Sonic Booms, a National Park Service Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary
- College Park Airport in the early 1930s (with photos)
- College Park Airport, Prince George's County, Inventory No.: PG:66-4, including aerial photo in 1937, at Maryland Historical Trust website
- M-NCPPC Inventory of Historic Sites (Prince George's County); College Park Airport, entry 66-004, p. 38