In 1941 Midland leased Sloan Field (MAF) from the United States Government and in 1942 began operating as an Army Air Force Bomber School – one of 12 of its kind. With the airport absent, the city council decided that another airport was needed and called for a bond election on December 2, 1941. City leaders called on the community to rally behind the effort and asked residents to open their homes to work crews coming to town to build the new airport – Midland residents did what they do best – they came together, supported the project, housed work teams and the new airport was built in no time. In 1943, the airport was very busy and served up to 77 planes a day.

I have always maintained that Midland is a community known for the quality of its people – and we are a people who look to – and are inspired by – our history to plan for the future. Consider the rich history of the origin of the aviation industry in Midland, grasp the camaraderie generated by this era, and look to the future of Airpark and its ability to bring together the aviation community and the community at large to deliver a vision for a airport that fosters commerce, community vitality and an outlet for education and industry for generations to come.

Impact

Midland Airpark is an integral part of our community, both economically and inherently. Through education and community involvement, we hope to see Airpark thrive and become a place of community values. We plan to take steps to improve the Airpark and facilitate the growth of the airfield, as well as the surrounding area to build a community corridor where work, play, education and camaraderie can thrive. Community involvement will only advance Airpark’s success, and Airpark’s success will only serve to elevate the community as a whole.

According to TxDOT’s 2018 Texas Aviation Economic Impact Study, Midland Airpark’s total impacts were 90 full-time jobs, $3.6 million in payroll and $14.6 million in production , which is the sum of annual gross sales and average annual capital expenditures. Additionally, this same study concluded that Texas’ general aviation airports provided $8.7 billion in economic output for the state’s economy. The findings of both studies are telling: general aviation airports are not only important to our local economy, but also to our region and our state.

Beyond the direct impact of Airpark, we need to look at the city-wide commerce generated by Airpark’s operations – this multiplier effect takes into account the additional local economic impact created by the presence of the Airpark. ‘airport. In the past nine months alone, Airpark has seen 2,476 commercial-size aircraft landings, which is an average of nine commercial-size aircraft landings, 7 days a week. Granted, some of these flights are personal, but generally speaking , the majority of these thefts bring commerce to our city.

Floris Oldenbroek, owner of Floris Flight Services, whose offices are outside the Airpark, says that “the people who come in and out of the Airpark are the job creators; it’s important to our city that we continue to provide a landing spot close to our downtown core where they go to see what’s going on. If they flew to International or Schlemeyer (Odessa), they can choose to conduct their business and set up their businesses in different regions.

To come up

We are in the very early stages of developing a long-term plan for Airpark and its surroundings. Midland City Council, along with city and airport staff, will work diligently to identify the types of projects that will encourage community participation and ultimately spur development and growth in the area.

General aviation airports across the country serve as good barometers of the types of projects we can work to accelerate. For example, an airport official from Greenville Downtown in South Carolina began the process of integrating the community into the airport and worked diligently to facilitate the construction of Runway Park – an airport-themed park. aviation with a runway and a picnic pavilion where families can watch the planes take off and land. It got people going out, which then spurred the creation of a restaurant, which eventually led to more people going out, more education and flight training, which then translates into business and manpower.

Other examples include Bowman Field located in Louisville, Kentucky, where Bistro Le Relais, an upscale fine dining restaurant, is housed in the historic Bowman Field terminal. Locals and travelers alike flock to this restaurant to enjoy the food and the atmosphere created by the surrounding airport and planes. Or look no further than the city of Addison, where its airport has partnered with Addison Circle Park to host “Kaboom Town” – an Independence Day celebration complete with an air show and fireworks launch from the track. People come from all over the country for this event with an average attendance of 500,000 people.

The sky really is the limit when it comes to our options – it will take hard work, energy, and good old-fashioned camaraderie to finally come up with a plan as unique as the city we call home. We are fortunate to have a vibrant and active local aviation community, and through a partnership with them we are sure to improve Airpark and allow everyone to see it for the true gem that it is.