AIRPORTS! JOIN OAOA-- TheThe OklahomaOklahoma AAviatorviator You’ll Be Glad You Did! Vol 21, No 6 Your window to Oklahoma Aviation...Past, Present, Future June 2003 Oklahoma Aviator, 32432 S. Skyline Drive, Cookson, OK 74427 HistoricHistoric TULTUL HangarHangar 11 BeingBeing Moved--Moved-- To Become Phase 1 of New TASM Complex TULSA – The Tulsa Air and 30 to 40 airplanes were expected. Space Museum (TASM) recently However, the tour organizers issued announced that a historic hangar a challenge: if Tulsa could build a at Tulsa International Airport will new airport within 6 months, the be moved from its current location tour would stop there. The Cham- near Apache and Sheridan to ber of Commerce, recognizing that TASM’s new site near the north- the schedule would not allow the west corner of the airport. The re- normal governmental study and ap- stored hangar, complete with its art proval process, set up a secret com- deco architecture, will be Phase 1 mittee to secure a site and, in Janu- of a large TASM complex there. ary 1928, convinced a group of 47 Disassembly of the hangar will Tulsa businessmen to sign a note be complete by the end of May. (known as the famous “Stud Horse” The shell will hopefully be re-as- note) pledging their personal funds sembled with electric service in- to cover a bank loan of $172,000 stalled in time for a December 17 to buy the land. Centennial of Flight Celebration. The list of signatories is a lit- Full occupancy is expected by the eral “who’s who” of moneyed end of 2004. Tulsans, and includes W.G. “Bill” The hangar, originally known Skelly, himself an avid promoter of as Hangar 1 but now known as aircraft and soon to be one of the Hangar 4, was the first hangar at The planned new TASM site at the northeast corner of Runway 18R/36L. The historic, restored founders of the Spartan Aviation the then-brand-new Tulsa Munici- Hangar 1 is at left. Disassembly, moving, and restoration of the hangar is currently underway. Company (which manufactured pal Airport in 1928. The hangar the Spartan C3 and the legendary was slated for demolition to be in Wiley Post, Jimmie Dolittle, anxious to promote his own Ford transportation. Spartan Executive and which later compliance with FAA obstacle Clarence Tinker, and many others. Tri-Motor, which he fondly be- In late 1927, it became known became Spartan School of Aeronau- clearance requirements. However, So, the historical significance of the lieved was the best passenger and that Tulsa would not be considered tics). Brent Kitchen, Director of the Tulsa hangar is incredible, and we want cargo airplane available and would as a stop for the 1928 Ford Air Tour Thus ,Tulsa Municipal Airport Airport Authority came up with the to maintain that presence.” remain so for decades. because it was becoming too big idea of making the hangar available By 1925, the entire nation was The tours were highly success- for McIntyre Airport to handle— continued on p. 5. to TASM for its new facility. becoming excited by aviation. ful and continued from 1925 In its early days, Charlie Short, Automobile pioneer Henry Ford through 1931 when, like so many Historic Oklahoma Aviation Art Tulsa Municipal Airport’s first man- began promoting aviation through other activities, they became victims This is the fourth of twelve Each 13”x16” print is signed ager, used Hangar 1 to host famous organizing and sponsoring the Ford of the Great Depression. Each in our series of historic aviation by the artist. Single prints are fly-in guests. Says Kim Jones, Reliability Tour, in which a group year’s tour featured a different route art prints, created in the mid- $20 each. Any six prints are $90 TASM Curator, “At the TU of airplanes—the latest designs— and, in 1927, Tulsa was chosen as a 1980s by Joe Cunningham and or the full set of twelve is $170. McFarland Library, we found made a tour of airports in the mid- tour stop. The tour landed at what noted Tulsa artist Monte Toon, Add $6 S&H for each order. Charlie Short’s original guest regis- section of the country to demon- was then Tulsa’s main landing field, depicting significant events in Make checks payable to The ters from 1928 to about 1932. strate that air travel was indeed reli- McIntyre Airport located at Admi- Oklahoma aviation history. Oklahoma Aviator. When you look at them, the names able. Ford saw a big future for avia- ral and Sheridan. are incredible—Amelia Earhart, tion all across the country and was [The Ford Reliability Tours will be re-enacted in the fall of 2003; on September 14, Tulsa will once again be a chosen stop. Look for more details in a later issue. Ed.] At that same time, Tulsa was growing fast. The oil business was in full swing, money was plentiful, and better transportation was needed. At that time, no major railway hubs were located in Tulsa and the national highway system had not been sufficiently developed for automobiles to become a reli- able transportation system. So, it was natural that, with money avail- This scene shows the Tulsa Municipal Airport terminal, Hangar 1 as it appeared sometime in the 1930s. The airplane able, local businessmen would turn dedicated in 1932. A Spartan Executive is taking off and an nearest the door opening appears to be a Lockheed Vega. to the exciting possibilities of air American Airways DC-3 is loading passengers on the ramp. Bethany Balloon Fest The Higher Plane BETHANY - The City of day, 2pm – 11pm. Admission is $8 by Barbara Huffman good. We choose to move through life Bethany is proud to announce it’s at the gate. Parking is free and can with a “glass half full” attitude – and new affiliation with the annual “Bal- be accessed off of NW 50th and we have no enemies. This does not loon Fest” event held on the north- Council. Half-price weekend passes mean that we hide our heads in the ern edge of Bethany at Wiley Post and free tickets for kids 12 and un- sand and pretend that problems don’t Airport. Through coordinated ef- der will be available July 1st at Mathis exist. It does not keep us from activ- forts with Balloon Fest Event Direc- Brothers Furniture, Toys R Us, ism in our chosen areas of interest. tor, Dawn Burroughs, the City’s Tinker Federal Credit Union, and But it does provide us with that safety Economic Development and Busi- Thrifty Pharmacy. Proceeds benefit and security to care about people, this ness Growth Division has entered the Regional Food Bank of Okla- country, and our dear friends and fam- into an agreement for Bethany to be homa. ily, without fear of something horrible the Title Sponsor for Bethany Bal- Bethany has watched this event befalling us. We are not sitting and loon Fest beginning with the August bring families and friends from all waiting for the other shoe to drop. We 8th and 9th 2003 event. over Oklahoma and from neighbor- are choosing to walk on higher “The City views its role in the ing states, right to their ‘doorstep’ Looking Up ground, fly the higher plane, so to event as having many rewards for the at Wiley Post Airport. “How bet- speak. people of Bethany, as well as for the ter can we show our hospitality and America is great – and in a mess. This safety and assurance allows us region and the State of Oklahoma,” support than adopting the gala as We have “won” the war in Iraq, but to put our all into church activities, commented Dan Galloway, Bethany the Bethany Balloon Fest” said Gal- are still spending funds and risking aviation interests, and family projects. City Manager. “Our community loway. “The business community lives in the rebuilding effort. Our It cradles us in the knowledge that we takes pride in supporting an event throughout Bethany is looking for- stock market has caused huge losses can help with a Young Eagles event, whose primary beneficiary is the Re- ward to rolling out the Red Carpet in both public and private sectors. go visit a new airport, research and gional Food Bank of Oklahoma. We to all the attendees of the event and Companies and sports and movie stars write an article for the newspaper, or believe this added support is reflec- to all those who work so hard to continue to disappoint us with their do any other task without feeling that tive of Bethany’s long standing repu- prepare, organize, and present the law breaking. States are broke. We it is all in vain. We know that our tation as a charitable and caring event.” have not even come close to solving efforts make a difference – because we community. But, Bethany is also a The Mayor, City Council, City our domestic problems of abuse, live in a good place. A place where our progressive and friendly business Manager, staff, and citizens of homelessness, poverty, hunger, jobless- interests, such as aviation, and the love community and we are excited to Bethany want to welcome everyone ness, discrimination, poor educational of God and people, matter. We know demonstrate our pro-business atmo- to Bethany Balloon Fest 2003. systems, violence in our schools – the that no one will take from us what we sphere.” For information about Bethany, list goes on and on. We seem to revel build – because this is America, the Bethany Balloon Fest will be held its business opportunities, or work- in the sickness of party politics, vio- Beautiful.