Dillant-Hopkins Airport
Encyclopedia
Dillant-Hopkins Airport is a general aviation
airport
located 2 miles (3.2 km) south of the central business district
(CBD) of Keene
, in Cheshire County
, New Hampshire
, USA
. It covers 888 acres (359.4 ha) and has two runway
s.
The city had enjoyed six decades of regularly scheduled airline service since the 1940s with multiple daily flights operated with a mix of commuter, regional prop, and mainline jet service. As of June 2008, however, the airport had no commercial airline service.
and senators Styles Bridges
and Charles W. Tobey
. The new airport was named to honor Thomas David Dillant and Edwin Chester Hopkins, from Keene and Swanzey
respectively, who had both died fighting the war.
In 1945 a steel hangar
was constructed at the airport which would also see local operations moved to it from West Keene. At about this time Lee Bowman became the manager of the airport and would run a flight school out of it. Regular air service from Dillant-Hopkins Airport began in 1946 when Northeast Airlines
opened a route from Keene to Springfield, Massachusetts
. As the inaugural flight from the airport, a Douglas DC-3
carried 2,600 letters, 11 passengers, and a fresh apple pie sent from the mayor of Keene to the mayor of New York
.
Initially Dillant-Hopkins provided air service of two flights a day before being forced to fly a single flight a day. From January to May 1948 all air service from the airport was suspended. When regular air service resumed in May an air freight service was added. Lights for the runways were put in place in 1948 to 1949, and two years later the airport's signal beacons were added. By 1952 several industries were maintaining private airplanes for business purposes, and it was estimated that 200 planes a month were serviced by the airport.
In 1953 Dillant-Hopkins hosted an air show which brought flying teams from the US Air Force and US Navy to Keene. This air show coincided with other events in Keene including the historic pageant The Happy Valley and a visit by then Miss America
Neva Jane Langley
. That same year Wiggins Airways ceased servicing Keene after losing a battle to do business with the city.
1954 would see Northeast Airlines begin its air freight service out of the airport, six years after air freight service first began there. Mohawk Airlines joined Northeast Airlines flying out of Keene, making the city of Keene the first in the state to be serviced by two airlines which offered flights to New York, Albany, Boston, and Lebanon, NH. All this before April. The runways would be extended in 1956 and night lighting and other improvements installed in 1958. By the second half of 1958 Keene would become the third largest city in the state to offer passenger service and the second largest to offer air freight service.
In May 1961 Mohawk ceased servicing Keene using the DC3 and switched to the Convair 440 for its passenger service into the city. With the ability to carry fifty-four passengers, the Convair 440 became one of the largest aircraft to land at Dillant-Hopkins. From 1962 to 1963 further additions were added to the airport, perhaps brought about by the new passenger planes. Northeast Airlines would begin the first turboprop service to Keene with the 48 passenger Fairchild Hiller FH-227
in 1966. The first turboprop arrived in September after a fifty minute flight from John F. Kennedy Airport where it was greeted by five hundred people which included city officials and airport personnel.
In 1967 the FAA recommended a $1.8 million series of improvements which would include further extending the runways, the construction of a control tower, improved buildings, and other facilities. The recommendation was brought on by increased activity at the airport and nearly 24,000 aircraft operating out of the airport on a yearly basis. Also in 1967 both Northeast and Mohawk Airlines began to study routes that would include flights to Chicago from Keene.
1967 would also see Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey make a brief stop in Keene while on a trip to attend a concert in Vermont. A crowd of two hundred were on hand to greet him.
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
airport
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 2 miles (3.2 km) south of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
(CBD) of Keene
Keene, New Hampshire
Keene is a city in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 23,409 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Cheshire County.Keene is home to Keene State College and Antioch University New England, and hosts the annual Pumpkin Fest...
, in Cheshire County
Cheshire County, New Hampshire
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 73,825 people, 28,299 households, and 18,790 families residing in the county. The population density was 104 people per square mile . There were 31,876 housing units at an average density of 45 per square mile...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It covers 888 acres (359.4 ha) and has two runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
s.
The city had enjoyed six decades of regularly scheduled airline service since the 1940s with multiple daily flights operated with a mix of commuter, regional prop, and mainline jet service. As of June 2008, however, the airport had no commercial airline service.
History
The land upon which the airport sits was purchased in 1942 and was dedicated October 31, 1943, before a crowd of five thousand. Among the officials dedicating the land were Governor Robert O. BloodRobert O. Blood
Robert Oscar Blood was an American physician and Republican politician from Concord, New Hampshire. He served in both houses of the New Hampshire legislature and two terms as Governor....
and senators Styles Bridges
Styles Bridges
Henry Styles Bridges was an American teacher, editor, and Republican Party politician from Concord, New Hampshire. He served one term as 63rd Governor of New Hampshire before a twenty-four year career in the United States Senate.Bridges was born in West Pembroke, Maine. He attended the public...
and Charles W. Tobey
Charles W. Tobey
Charles William Tobey was an American politician, who was a Governor of New Hampshire and a United States senator, was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, the son of William Tobey, an accountant, and Ellen Hall Parker Tobey. His father had moved to Massachusetts from Maine in the 1860s. Charles Tobey...
. The new airport was named to honor Thomas David Dillant and Edwin Chester Hopkins, from Keene and Swanzey
Swanzey, New Hampshire
Swanzey is a town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 7,230 at the 2010 census. In addition to the town center, Swanzey includes the villages of East Swanzey, West Swanzey, North Swanzey, and Westport.-History:...
respectively, who had both died fighting the war.
In 1945 a steel hangar
Hangar
A hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft or spacecraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are also sometimes used...
was constructed at the airport which would also see local operations moved to it from West Keene. At about this time Lee Bowman became the manager of the airport and would run a flight school out of it. Regular air service from Dillant-Hopkins Airport began in 1946 when Northeast Airlines
Northeast Airlines
Northeast Airlines was an American airline based in Boston, Massachusetts. They began as Boston-Maine Airways, which was founded as a Pan Am contract carrier on July 20, 1931, by the Boston and Maine Railroad and Maine Central Railroad offering service from Boston to Bangor via Portland...
opened a route from Keene to Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
. As the inaugural flight from the airport, a Douglas DC-3
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
carried 2,600 letters, 11 passengers, and a fresh apple pie sent from the mayor of Keene to the mayor of New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Initially Dillant-Hopkins provided air service of two flights a day before being forced to fly a single flight a day. From January to May 1948 all air service from the airport was suspended. When regular air service resumed in May an air freight service was added. Lights for the runways were put in place in 1948 to 1949, and two years later the airport's signal beacons were added. By 1952 several industries were maintaining private airplanes for business purposes, and it was estimated that 200 planes a month were serviced by the airport.
In 1953 Dillant-Hopkins hosted an air show which brought flying teams from the US Air Force and US Navy to Keene. This air show coincided with other events in Keene including the historic pageant The Happy Valley and a visit by then Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
Neva Jane Langley
Neva Jane Langley
Neva Jane Langley is an American former beauty pageant contestant. As a college sophomore she transferred to Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia where she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority. While attending that college she became Miss Macon, Miss Georgia, and then Miss America in 1953. Ms...
. That same year Wiggins Airways ceased servicing Keene after losing a battle to do business with the city.
1954 would see Northeast Airlines begin its air freight service out of the airport, six years after air freight service first began there. Mohawk Airlines joined Northeast Airlines flying out of Keene, making the city of Keene the first in the state to be serviced by two airlines which offered flights to New York, Albany, Boston, and Lebanon, NH. All this before April. The runways would be extended in 1956 and night lighting and other improvements installed in 1958. By the second half of 1958 Keene would become the third largest city in the state to offer passenger service and the second largest to offer air freight service.
In May 1961 Mohawk ceased servicing Keene using the DC3 and switched to the Convair 440 for its passenger service into the city. With the ability to carry fifty-four passengers, the Convair 440 became one of the largest aircraft to land at Dillant-Hopkins. From 1962 to 1963 further additions were added to the airport, perhaps brought about by the new passenger planes. Northeast Airlines would begin the first turboprop service to Keene with the 48 passenger Fairchild Hiller FH-227
Fairchild Hiller FH-227
The Fairchild F-27 and Fairchild Hiller FH-227 were versions of the Fokker F27 Friendship twin-engined turboprop passenger aircraft manufactured under license by Fairchild Hiller in the United States...
in 1966. The first turboprop arrived in September after a fifty minute flight from John F. Kennedy Airport where it was greeted by five hundred people which included city officials and airport personnel.
In 1967 the FAA recommended a $1.8 million series of improvements which would include further extending the runways, the construction of a control tower, improved buildings, and other facilities. The recommendation was brought on by increased activity at the airport and nearly 24,000 aircraft operating out of the airport on a yearly basis. Also in 1967 both Northeast and Mohawk Airlines began to study routes that would include flights to Chicago from Keene.
1967 would also see Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey make a brief stop in Keene while on a trip to attend a concert in Vermont. A crowd of two hundred were on hand to greet him.
Former airlines
- Air New EnglandAir New EnglandAir New England was an American commuter airline with service to New England communities during the 1970s. It was headquartered at Logan International Airport in the East Boston area of Boston, Massachusetts....
(Boston, Lebanon, New York) - Allegheny AirlinesAllegheny AirlinesAllegheny Airlines was an airline operating out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, from 1952 to 1979. It was a forerunner of today’s US Airways. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Washington National Airport in Arlington County, Virginia....
(New York) - Atlantic North AirlinesAtlantic North AirlinesAtlantic North Airlines was a Vermont-based commuter carrier linking several cities in New England and New Jersey.- History :Atlantic North was formed through the acquisition of SkyMaster Airlines of Laconia, New Hampshire in March 1993....
(Boston, Laconia, Newark, Rutland) Hub - Colgan AirColgan AirColgan Air, Inc. is an American certificated regional airline subsidiary of Pinnacle Airlines Corp. The headquarters of Colgan Air are located in Memphis, Tennessee....
(Rutland, Newark) - Continental AirlinesContinental AirlinesContinental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
- Continental ConnectionContinental ConnectionContinental Connection is a brand name under which several commuter airline carriers and their holding companies operate services marketed exclusively by Continental Airlines...
operated by Colgan AirColgan AirColgan Air, Inc. is an American certificated regional airline subsidiary of Pinnacle Airlines Corp. The headquarters of Colgan Air are located in Memphis, Tennessee....
(Rutland, Newark)
- Continental Connection
- Delta Air LinesDelta Air LinesDelta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
(Manchester, New York, Philadelphia and Miami) - Eastern Airlines
- Eastern Express operated by Precision Airlines (Boston, Lebanon/Hanover/White River Junction, Newark, New York)
- Executive Airlines (Boston)
- Mohawk AirlinesMohawk AirlinesMohawk Airlines was an airline that operated in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, primarily the states of New York and Pennsylvania from the mid-1940s until its acquisition by Allegheny Airlines in 1972...
(Albany, Boston, New York) - Northeast AirlinesNortheast AirlinesNortheast Airlines was an American airline based in Boston, Massachusetts. They began as Boston-Maine Airways, which was founded as a Pan Am contract carrier on July 20, 1931, by the Boston and Maine Railroad and Maine Central Railroad offering service from Boston to Bangor via Portland...
(Hartford, New York) - Northern Airways (Burlington, Hartford/Springfield, Rutland)
- PAC Air (Nashua, Boston)
- Pilgrim Airlines (Hartford/Springfield, Manchester)
- Precision Airlines (Boston, Lebanon/Hanover/White River Junction, Newark, New York) Focus City
- Rainbow Air (Hartford/Springfield, Boston, Manchester, Nashua) Focus City
- Rutland Airways (Albany, Rutland)
- SkyMaster AirlinesSkymaster AirlinesSkymaster Airlines is a cargo airline based in Manaus, Brazil. It operates charter cargo services in Brazil and other countries in the Americas.- Fleet :The Skymaster Airlines fleet includes the following aircraft :*1 Douglas DC-8-62CF...
(Boston, Laconia, Newark, Rutland) Hub - Trans New England Airlines (Boston, Lebanon)
- Wiggins AirwaysWiggins AirwaysWiggins Airways is an American fixed base operator, cargo airline, and charter airline based at Manchester, New Hampshire and operating from Manchester-Boston Regional Airport.-History:...
(Fitchburg, Orange) - Winnipesaukee Airlines (Laconia)
External links
- Dillant-Hopkins Airport (official site)