labusinessjournal.com LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL THE COMMUNITY OF BUSINESSTM sfvbj.com SAN FERNANDOVALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL LOS ANGELES • GLENDALE • SANTA CLARITA VALLEY • BURBANK • CONEJO VALLEY • SIMI VALLEY • SAN FERNANDO • CALABASAS • AGOURA HILLS • ANTELOPE VALLEY THE COMMUNITY OF BUSINESSTM sfvbj.com BUSINESS AN ERNANDO ALLEY JOURNAL SLOS ANGELES • GLENDALEF • SANTA CLARITA VALLEY • BURBANK • CONEJO VALLEY • SIMI VALLEY V• SAN FERNANDO • CALABASAS • AGOURA HILLS • ANTELOPE VALLEY THE COMMUNITY OF BUSINESSTM ocbj.com ORANGE COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL THE COMMUNITY OF BUSINESSTM sdbj.com SAN DIEGO BUSINESS JOURNAL THE COMMUNITY OF BUSINESSTM Supplement to the San Diego Business Journal Page A2 www.sdbj.com A SUPPLEMENT OF THE SAN DIEGO BUSINESS JOURNAL November 9, 2015 November 9, 2015 A SUPPLEMENT OF THE SAN DIEGO BUSINESS JOURNAL www.sdbj.com Page A3 San Diego International Airport Photo courtesy of San Diego International Airport INTRODUCTION tion. The goal is to continue to meet “Aviation is a part of San Diego’s the region’s growing passenger de- As National Aviation History DNA and history. The airport is the mands through at least 2035. Month, November is a time for re- membering the great achievements centerpiece.” Reaching capacity will constrain of manned ight. No aviation story Thella F. Bowens, president and CEO of the San Diego growth but it doesn’t mean the air- would be complete without a discus- County Regional Airport Authority port will close. Jerry Sanders, pres- sion of the dreams that took wing at ident & CEO of the San Diego Re- the San Diego International Airport single-runway commercial airport in • Sent commercial carriers to 61 gional Chamber of Commerce and (SAN). the U.S. and home to the world’s rst nonstop destinations. San Diego’s former mayor, says the “You can’t have an aviation month airport likely will continue operating LEED Platinum certi ed commercial • Transported 172,160 tons of cargo without celebrating San Diego’s role,” airport terminal. and mail. for many years beyond 2035, thanks said Thella F. Bowens, president and Operated by the Airport Authority, to careful planning. CEO of the San Diego County Re- Bowens places the airport’s annual in 2014 the airport: Sanders said the Airport Authori- gional Airport Authority. “Aviation is economic impact on the region at $9 • Supported an average of 525 ty is making use “of every single inch a part of San Diego’s DNA and histo- billion. Faced with land constraints, operations daily. ry. The airport is the centerpiece.” the Airport Authority is moving for- they have.” Charles Lindbergh and other • Served just under 18.8 million ward with a series of improvements early pioneers of ight in San Diego passengers, a new record. to maximize e ciencies, said Keith couldn’t have envisioned the modern • Was served by 24 passenger Wilschetz, the Airport Authority’s facility that has become the busiest carriers and ve cargo carriers. director of planning and noise mitiga- Continued on page A4 Page A4 www.sdbj.com A SUPPLEMENT OF THE SAN DIEGO BUSINESS JOURNAL November 9, 2015 Continued from page A3 The Early Days AVIATION PIONEERS Transatlantic ight soloist Charles Lindbergh wasn’t the region’s rst renowned pilot. In the 1880s John J. Montgomery, a native of Yuba City, made manned ights using gliders on Otay Mesa. He transformed his fami- ly farm into an aeronautical laborato- ry, building models of the xed-wing gliders he later developed into full- size airplanes. Montgomery lost his Photo courtesy of the San Diego Air & Space Museum life in a glider crash in 1911. In January 1925 the chamber Another local aviation pioneer committee called for an airport to was Glenn Hammond Curtiss, who be built adjacent to and south of the brought his dream of ight to North Marine base and the proposal became Island. In 1907 he was one of just part of the city’s master plan. The city seven Americans who had own a settled on a tidelands area north of powered aircraft. He came to San Laurel Street. Diego in 1910 and created the rst successful seaplane ight in 1911. The goal was to have Photo courtesy San Diego Air & Space Museum Curtiss demonstrated to the U.S. 1928 dedication ceremony of Lindbergh Field. Navy the importance and versatility an airport that could airport rating in the nation on of aircraft on Feb. 17, 1911 when accommodate seaplanes Feb. 10, 1928. Following construction, he took o from the cruiser USS the rst airplane landed at San Pennsylvania and landed safely on near the downtown Diego Municipal Airport-Lindbergh San Diego Bay. He later established business district. Field, on Aug. 15, 1928. A dedication an aviation school on North Island. ceremony took place the following day. ESTABLISHING AN AIRPORT Many who saw their future in aviation came to San Diego, attracted by its year-round good ying weather. North Island’s Rockwell Field was the region’s only signi cant air eld Photo: copyright © Boeing at the time. Pan American Airlines loading U.S. mail. Many who saw their EARLY DAYS OF COMMERCIAL AVIATION future in aviation came In the early days of ight, one to San Diego, attracted of the key roles for airplanes was Photo courtesy of the San Diego Air & Space Museum by its year-round good delivering mail. On May 15, 1918, In August 1924 the Chamber of the rst air mail route in the U.S. was Commerce’s aviation committee called ying weather. established between New York City on the city to build a facility to accom- and Washington, D.C., with a stop at modate airmail operations, commercial Philadelphia. The airmail service was Lindbergh agreed to lend his name ights, and aerial tourism. The goal was started with the cooperation of the to a San Diego airport. On June 13, to have an airport that could accommo- War Department, which furnished 1927, the San Diego City Council date seaplanes near the downtown busi- pilots and aircraft for the Post O ce authorized a bond issue of $650,000. ness district. The Marine Corps, which Department. The U.S. Department of Commerce had a base on nearby Dutch Flats, also Photo courtesy of the San Diego Air & Space Museum The cooperation of the War awarded San Diego the rst AAA Charles Lindbergh. was pushing for an airport. Continued on page A5 Douglas DC-3 Known for its versatility, rugged reliability travel industry by cutting typical and economy, the DC-3 took its rst ight on coast-to-coast ight time across the December 17, 1936, 607 planes were produced up U.S. from 25 hours to just 17. to 1950. A “tail dragger,” the DC-3 has rugged Considered perhaps the most important landing gear with big struts that can touch down Almost 80 years after its international airliner in history, the DC-3 was safely on any type of runway. introduction, a few hundred DC-3s and is still used in every imaginable role from Early U.S. airlines ordered over 400 DC-3s, are estimated to still be ying worldwide. passenger, to freight, to troop transport, to glider paving the way for the modern American air- Called the “Gooney Bird,” the DC-3 is the tug, to skydiver shuttle, to ambulance. travel industry, quickly replacing trains as the plane of choice for the likes of James Bond and With two powerful propeller engines, at a favored means of long-distance travel across Indiana Jones. Pilots say the DC-3 is as near as cruising speed of 207 mph, it revolutionized the the U.S. humans will get to growing wings. Sources: Wikipedia; www.boeing.com; The Lore of Flight, Time-Life Books, 1970; Carl Stattin, retired captain, American Airlines Photo: copyright © Boeing November 9, 2015 A SUPPLEMENT OF THE SAN DIEGO BUSINESS JOURNAL www.sdbj.com Page A5 Continued from page A4 Photo courtesy of the San Diego Air & Space Museum Ryan Aeronautical Company was one of several aircraft manufacturers at San Diego’s airport. viability of the aviation industry. On training civilians as well as Army Air President Calvin Coolidge changed the course of June 1, 1930, a San Diego-Los Angeles Corps cadets. airmail route began. His company became Ryan aviation on Feb. 2, 1925 when he signed the Airlines Inc. when it was reorganized Kelly Act into law. This transferred responsibility of MAKING HISTORY: transporting mail from the Post O ce RYAN AIRCRAFT to private contractors. T. Claude Ryan established the Ryan Flying School in September 1922 near the Santa Fe Depot train Department was maintained until the course of aviation on Feb. 2, 1925 station. He used his rst airplane, August 12, 1918, when the Post O ce when he signed the Kelly Act into a surplus Army Curtiss JN-4, to took over the entire operation of the law. This transferred responsibility of carry passengers, o er sightseeing Photo courtesy of the San Diego Air & Space Museum route, furnishing its own equipment transporting mail from the Post O ce trips, and teach ying. He ran Ryan Air Building. and personnel. to private contractors. Private carriers one of the rst government- Continued on page A7 President Calvin Coolidge changed increased the visibility and commercial approved ying schools, Lockheed Constellation (Connie) The Constellation, or “Connie,” is a four- the rst pressurized airliner in widespread use, engine, propeller airliner built by Lockheed Corp. the Connie helped to usher in a ordable and from 1943 to1958. comfortable air travel. At higher altitudes with Lockheed built 856 in numerous models, all pressurization, it ew 375 mph, faster than a with the same triple-tail design and dolphin- Japanese Zero ghter, at an altitude of 24,000 ft., shaped fuselage.