Ford Airport in Dearborn, Michigan

Dearborn, Michigan

-Economy:Ford Motor Company has its world headquarters in Dearborn. In addition its Dearborn campus contains many research, testing, finance and some production facilities. Ford Land controls the numerous properties owned by Ford including sales and leasing to unrelated businesses such as the...

 was one of the first modern airports in the world. The airport operated from 1924 to 1947, and the site is now part of Ford Motor Company's

Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...

 Dearborn Proving Ground

Ford Proving Grounds

Ford Motor Company operates several proving grounds worldwide, for development and validation testing of new vehicles.For Ford/Mazda Proving Grounds in Japan see Mazda Proving Grounds- - Wittmann, Arizona:Latitude and Longitude: The opened in 1985...

. The airport is about 360 acres (1.5 km²) in size.

This airport saw many world and U.S. "firsts": the first U.S. airport hotel, the first concrete runways, first U.S. scheduled passenger service, first contracted airmail service, first radio control for a commercial flight, first U.S. passenger terminal The buildings of the airport were designed by architect Albert Kahn and are considered to have greatly influenced the design of airports throughout the U.S. The original aircraft hangars still exist and are in use as part of the current Ford testing facilities.

Latitude and Longitude : 42°18'0.42"N, 83°13'14.75"W

Historical timeline

• 1924: 20,000 square foot (1,900 m²) Stout Metal Airplane Company factory opens (the Ford family were major investors and provided the land)
• 1924: November, Ford Airport is dedicated as the first modern airport, equipped with two grass runways and flood lights for night landings.
• 1925: Henry Ford
  Henry Ford
  Henry Ford was an American industrialist, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, and sponsor of the development of the assembly line technique of mass production. His introduction of the Model T automobile revolutionized transportation and American industry...
  
   builds the largest, most modern and only privately owned permanent dirigible mooring mast. It was only used twice and demolished in 1946.
• 1925: Ford Air Transport Service
  Ford Air Transport Service
  Ford Air Transport Service is a defunct airline based in United States of America. The airline was also registered as Ford Air Freight Lines.- History :...
  
   between "Detroit
  Detroit, Michigan
  Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
  
  " (Dearborn) and Chicago
  Chicago
  Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
  
   begins
• 1925-31: Annual National Air Tour to demonstrate safety and reliability of commercial aviation starts and ends at Ford Airport.
• 1926: First ever commercial Contract Airmail
  Airmail
  Airmail is mail that is transported by aircraft. It typically arrives more quickly than surface mail, and usually costs more to send...
  
   Route flights made over routes CAM-6 (Detroit-Cleveland) and CAM-7 (Detroit-Chicago) in a Ford Air Transport Service Stout 2-AT Pullman
  Stout 2-AT Pullman
  The Stout 2-AT "Pullman" or "Air Pullman" was a single engine all-metal monoplane that was used for early airline travel and air mail transport in America.-Development:...
  
  
• 1926: First successful radio guided flight, using system developed by Ford Motor Company.
• 1926: Stout factory is replaced with a 62,000 square foot (5,800 m²) facility to build new Ford Tri-Motors
  Ford Trimotor
  The Ford Trimotor was an American three-engined transport plane that was first produced in 1925 by the companies of Henry Ford and that continued to be produced until June 7, 1933. Throughout its time in production, a total of 199 Ford Trimotors were produced...
  
   using assembly line production for the first time.
• 1928-29: Grass runways are paved—the first concrete runways in the world.
• 1931: July 1, The Dearborn Inn opens—one of the first hotels built to service the air traveler.
• 1938: First vehicle test track is laid down around outside of the runways.
• 1947: October 21, Ford Air Transport Office moves to Detroit Metropolitan Airport
  Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
  Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport , usually called Detroit Metro Airport, Metro Airport locally, or simply DTW, is a major international airport covering in Romulus, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. It is Michigan's busiest airport....
  
  , ending Ford Airport operations.
• 1961: Aug 11, Passenger terminal razed.
• 2003: June 9 - Five vintage airplanes, including two Ford Tri-Motors, fly into Dearborn Proving Grounds; the first time in 56 years the test track is used as an airport. The planes were part of the "Taking Flight: Ford's History in Aviation" exhibit, which was one facet of Ford Motor Company's 100th anniversary celebration.
• 2005: Major reconstruction and renovation work adds more test track surfaces and handling courses.
• 2006: Site renamed as the Dearborn Development Center

External links

• Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:Michigan, Northwest Detroit area, includes numerous photographs and a runway diagram