Scholes International Airport at Galveston
Encyclopedia
Scholes International Airport at Galveston is an airport
located in Galveston
, Texas
, United States
. The airport, three miles (5 km) southwest of downtown Galveston, has two runways.
), Braniff Airways, and Houston Metro Airlines
.
The airport's Master Plan considers the potential return of commercial airline
service as well as the increasing trend of corporate aircraft and oil industry helicopter activity. In preparation for increased corporate activity, the ultimate plan considers the extension of the primary runway (17/35) from 6000 X 150 ft (45.7 m). to 7100 feet (2,164.1 m). Currently, it can accommodate aircraft as large as a Boeing 767
.
GLS is an airport with air traffic control 12 hours a day (0600-1800), with direct clearance delivery service to Houston TRACON after the tower is closed. The Class D surface area changes to Class E and airport is uncontrolled. Airport lighting includes HIRL, MIRL, MALSR, REIL’s and PAPI’s as well as lighted taxiway and runway signage. It has an "A" ARFF Index. The 1200 acres (4.9 km²) airport offers a terminal, a 24 hour fixed base operator, 24 hour weather services, a U.S. Customs agent on call, and state-of-the-art navigational aids with precision approaches providing all-weather capabilities. It is a fairly popular fueling stop for transient military aircraft due to a Military Operations Area
in the Gulf of Mexico. It is also the destination airport for air ambulances transferring patients to the Shriner's Burn Center.
Of the 220+ aircraft based at GLS, 50+ are helicopters belonging to Air Logistics, Era, Evergreen, PHI, Tex-Air, and other oil industry vendors.
The Lone Star Flight Museum
is located at the airport and boasts a large collection of flying antique military aircraft as well as the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame.
GLS ATIS Freq: 119.275, Phone Number: (409) 740-9248 ASOS
The most frequent traffic is that of the helicopters that support the off shore petrochemical industry. Of the larger vendors:
AIR LOGISTICS flies Sikorsky S-76s, Hueys;
ERA flies Augusta A-119s, Eurocopter EC-135s, Sikorsky S-61s;
EVERGREEN flies Eurocopter AS-350s, Hueys, Sikorsky S-61s;
PHI (Petrolium Helicopters Inc.) flies Bell JetRangers, Messerschmidt BO-105s, Eurocopter EC-135s, Sikorsky S-76s.
, a Galveston native, who worked at Ryan Aeronautical Company and helped to build Charles Lindbergh
's "Spirit of St. Louis". Later he piloted his own 1929 Curtiss Robin OX-5 monoplane named "Sunshine" from Floyd Bennett Field
in Brooklyn
, New York
, to Ireland
allegedly due to a "compass error" after being denied permission to fly that same trans-Atlantic route by the U.S. Bureau of Air Commerce many times before. This incident earned him his nickname.
During World War II, it was redesignated a U.S. Army Air Corps
base and named "Galveston Army Air Field", United States Army Corps of Engineers, using funds made available by Congress through the Civil Aeronautics Authority, constructed three 6000 feet (1,828.8 m)-long, hard-surface runways at the airport to accommodate army aircraft.
In January 1943, Galveston AAFld. was officially activated had the 46th Bombardment Group flying the Douglas
A-20 Havoc in the anti-submarine role in the Gulf of Mexico until replaced by the 10th Antisubmarine Squadron, flying RM-37 Lockheed Ventura
s.
The Field was primarily used for replacement crew gunnery training by the 407th Fighter-Bomber Group, with targets being towed to the gunnery range at nearby Oyster Bay. The installation cost $7 million and at its peak had some 2,500 personnel assigned.
It was officially deactivated on November 15, 1945, with ownership reverting back to the City of Galveston. As late as 1948, it was an active seaplane base per Sectional Aeronautical chart SA SAC O-5.
Vega B-17 Flying Fortress, North American B-25 Mitchell Bomber, Douglas SBD Dauntless, Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, Vought F4U Corsair, General Motors (Eastern Aircraft) TBM Avenger, Grumman F6F Hellcat, Grumman F8F Bearcat, General Motors FM-2 Wildcat, Supermarine Spitfire, Hawker Hurricane, North American AT-6 Texan, Beech AT-11 Kansan, Cessna AT-17 Bobcat, Stinson L-5, Douglas DC-3 Sky Train, Stearman PT-17.
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 Galveston
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The airport, three miles (5 km) southwest of downtown Galveston, has two runways.
Overview
Operated and maintained by the City of Galveston, GLS is a general aviation airport serving diverse aviation segments. It has enjoyed the service of many airlines in its history, including Trans-Texas Airways (forerunner to Texas International AirlinesTexas International Airlines
Texas International Airlines was a United States airline, known from 1944 until 1947 as Aviation Enterprises, until 1969 as Trans-Texas Airways, and as Texas International Airlines until 1982, when it merged with Continental Airlines. It was headquartered near William P...
), Braniff Airways, and Houston Metro Airlines
Metro Airlines
Metro Airlines, originally Houston Metro Airlines, was a commuter airline that was originally headquartered in Houston, Texas, United States, while at a later time it was headquartered on the grounds of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and in Grapevine, Texas...
.
The airport's Master Plan considers the potential return of commercial airline
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
service as well as the increasing trend of corporate aircraft and oil industry helicopter activity. In preparation for increased corporate activity, the ultimate plan considers the extension of the primary runway (17/35) from 6000 X 150 ft (45.7 m). to 7100 feet (2,164.1 m). Currently, it can accommodate aircraft as large as a Boeing 767
Boeing 767
The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
.
GLS is an airport with air traffic control 12 hours a day (0600-1800), with direct clearance delivery service to Houston TRACON after the tower is closed. The Class D surface area changes to Class E and airport is uncontrolled. Airport lighting includes HIRL, MIRL, MALSR, REIL’s and PAPI’s as well as lighted taxiway and runway signage. It has an "A" ARFF Index. The 1200 acres (4.9 km²) airport offers a terminal, a 24 hour fixed base operator, 24 hour weather services, a U.S. Customs agent on call, and state-of-the-art navigational aids with precision approaches providing all-weather capabilities. It is a fairly popular fueling stop for transient military aircraft due to a Military Operations Area
Military Operations Area
A military operations area is "airspace established outside Class A airspace to separate or segregate certain nonhazardous military activities from IFR Traffic and to identify for VFR traffic where these activities are conducted." Similar structures exist under international flight standards. ...
in the Gulf of Mexico. It is also the destination airport for air ambulances transferring patients to the Shriner's Burn Center.
Of the 220+ aircraft based at GLS, 50+ are helicopters belonging to Air Logistics, Era, Evergreen, PHI, Tex-Air, and other oil industry vendors.
The Lone Star Flight Museum
Lone Star Flight Museum
The Lone Star Flight Museum, located in Galveston, Texas, USA, is an aerospace museum that displays more than 40 historically significant aircraft and many hundreds of artifacts related to the history of flight. The museum's collection is rare because most of the aircraft are flyable...
is located at the airport and boasts a large collection of flying antique military aircraft as well as the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame.
GLS ATIS Freq: 119.275, Phone Number: (409) 740-9248 ASOS
Regular Traffic
Light general aviation aircraft, and the occasional transient bizjets can be seen at GLS.The most frequent traffic is that of the helicopters that support the off shore petrochemical industry. Of the larger vendors:
AIR LOGISTICS flies Sikorsky S-76s, Hueys;
ERA flies Augusta A-119s, Eurocopter EC-135s, Sikorsky S-61s;
EVERGREEN flies Eurocopter AS-350s, Hueys, Sikorsky S-61s;
PHI (Petrolium Helicopters Inc.) flies Bell JetRangers, Messerschmidt BO-105s, Eurocopter EC-135s, Sikorsky S-76s.
History
Scholes International Airport is the former Galveston Municipal Airport that dates back to 1931. It was renamed Corrigan Airport in 1938 for Douglas "Wrong Way" CorriganDouglas Corrigan
Douglas Corrigan was an American aviator born in Galveston, Texas. He was nicknamed "Wrong Way" in 1938. After a transcontinental flight from Long Beach, California, to New York, he flew from Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, New York, to Ireland, though his flight plan was filed to return to Long...
, a Galveston native, who worked at Ryan Aeronautical Company and helped to build Charles Lindbergh
Charles Lindbergh
Charles Augustus Lindbergh was an American aviator, author, inventor, explorer, and social activist.Lindbergh, a 25-year-old U.S...
's "Spirit of St. Louis". Later he piloted his own 1929 Curtiss Robin OX-5 monoplane named "Sunshine" from Floyd Bennett Field
Floyd Bennett Field
Floyd Bennett Field is New York City's first municipal airport. While no longer used as an operational commercial, military or general aviation airfield, the New York Police Department still flies its helicopters from its heliport base there...
in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, 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...
, to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
allegedly due to a "compass error" after being denied permission to fly that same trans-Atlantic route by the U.S. Bureau of Air Commerce many times before. This incident earned him his nickname.
During World War II, it was redesignated a U.S. Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
base and named "Galveston Army Air Field", United States Army Corps of Engineers, using funds made available by Congress through the Civil Aeronautics Authority, constructed three 6000 feet (1,828.8 m)-long, hard-surface runways at the airport to accommodate army aircraft.
In January 1943, Galveston AAFld. was officially activated had the 46th Bombardment Group flying the Douglas
Douglas Aircraft Company
The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American aerospace manufacturer, based in Long Beach, California. It was founded in 1921 by Donald Wills Douglas, Sr. and later merged with McDonnell Aircraft in 1967 to form McDonnell Douglas...
A-20 Havoc in the anti-submarine role in the Gulf of Mexico until replaced by the 10th Antisubmarine Squadron, flying RM-37 Lockheed Ventura
Lockheed Ventura
The Lockheed Ventura was a bomber and patrol aircraft of World War II, used by United States and British Commonwealth forces in several guises...
s.
The Field was primarily used for replacement crew gunnery training by the 407th Fighter-Bomber Group, with targets being towed to the gunnery range at nearby Oyster Bay. The installation cost $7 million and at its peak had some 2,500 personnel assigned.
It was officially deactivated on November 15, 1945, with ownership reverting back to the City of Galveston. As late as 1948, it was an active seaplane base per Sectional Aeronautical chart SA SAC O-5.
Lone Star Flight Museum
The Lone Star Flight Museum has a large number of static warbirds, and also maintains a fleet of air worthy warbirds including:Vega B-17 Flying Fortress, North American B-25 Mitchell Bomber, Douglas SBD Dauntless, Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, Vought F4U Corsair, General Motors (Eastern Aircraft) TBM Avenger, Grumman F6F Hellcat, Grumman F8F Bearcat, General Motors FM-2 Wildcat, Supermarine Spitfire, Hawker Hurricane, North American AT-6 Texan, Beech AT-11 Kansan, Cessna AT-17 Bobcat, Stinson L-5, Douglas DC-3 Sky Train, Stearman PT-17.
External links
- Scholes International Airport official webpage
- Lone Star Flight Museum & Texas Aviation Hall of Fame webpage