Local Airports are a Dying Breed, and It is a Tragedy
Small local airports are one of the fun things about aviation. With all of the advances in technology, they are the place where aviation’s roots can still be found. It is where stories are shared amongst people who simply love aviation.
While it can be hard to put into words the value of such an airport, Krista Ramsey of Cincinnati.com wrote a wonderful piece about the Blue Ash Airport near Cincinnati that is scheduled to close in June.
I don’t know the dynamics of that specific situation, but it is a tragedy to me that we are losing these sites. There is really no way to quantify their value to a community. If you base it strictly on dollars and cents then keeping the airport really doesn’t make much sense, but if you consider overall value then there is no way small airports like this should close.
Aviation has lost its romantic luster in modern days, and it is a real pity. We need these little airports that bring aviation into everyday life for so many people. They provide experiences that could never be had at JFK, LAX, or O’Hare.
Please share your experiences at small airports so that we can keep these amazing sites alive, if not in reality, at least in our hearts and minds.
Cincinnati Aviation Heritage Society & Museum located inside the Art-Deco Lunken Terminal on the second floor is dedicated to preserving the history of not only Blue Ash, but a number of other airports in the area. Major financial help is needed to move this collection to a more accessible location. The museum has two airplanes on site and in storage while two other major aircraft donations are currently on hold pending a facility to display them properly. These aircraft are a full scale replica 1903 Wright Flyer and an original Air Mail Pick-up Stinson Reliant. The museum is the only one within 400 miles of Cincinnati dedicated to General Aviation and Airline Transport. Contact through the website.
Maybe it is just the aviation geek in me but I love seeing stuff like this. I would much rather see planes at an airport than art or useless pictures.