Bartow Municipal Airport
Encyclopedia
Bartow Municipal Airport is a public use airport
located four miles (6 km) northeast of the central business district
of Bartow
, a city in Polk County
, Florida
, United States
. It is owned by the Bartow Municipal Airport Development Authority.
paved runway
s:
Bartow Municipal is a controlled airport with an FAA Level I contract Air Traffic Control Tower in daily operation from 0730 to 1730 local time.
For the 12-month period ending July 15, 2002, the airport had 49,368 aircraft operations, an average of 135 per day: 100% general aviation
and <1% military. There are 115 aircraft based at this airport: 82% single engine, 9% multi-engine, 4% jet aircraft and 5% helicopter
s.
100LL Full Service / 100 LL Self Service / JetA with Prist additive
, the field was used for the training of pilots.
Originally planned as an operational training station for medium bombardment aircraft such as the B-26 Marauder
s that operated from nearby MacDill Field in Tampa and Lakeland Army Air Field/Drane Field
in Lakeland, Bartow Army Air Base was changed to a Fighter Replacement Training Station as of 15 February 1943. It provided facilities for a fighter group and two fighter squadrons of P-51 Mustang
aircraft, a base headquarters, air base squadron, aviation squadron, guard squadron and sub-depot. The base was ordered to deactivate on 25 October 1945 and the deactivation was completed and the base closed by the end of the year. The airport was then returned to the City of Bartow by the General Services Administration
(GSA). It was stipulated by GSA that the airport must continue be used as an airport for aviation purposes; and if not, that it be returned to the U.S. Government. Through the years 1945 to 1950, a fixed base operator (FBO) ran the airfield and flight line portion of the airport, while the large complex of support buildings that had been constructed by the Federal Government was used by industry and for storage.
In 1946, approximately 32 former military barracks were converted into apartments for returning military veterans.
In 1950, the U.S. Government exercised its reversal clause for the facility and again took over control of the airport. The Department of Defense
concurrently called for bids from civilian contractors to man and operate a primary pilot training school for U.S. Air Force student pilots. Renamed Bartow Air Base, the installation served as a USAF primary flight training facility for the Air Training Command
(ATC) from 1951 to 1960, during which time its 3303rd Pilot Training Group operated the T-6 Texan
, T-34 Mentor
and T-28 Trojan
, training both commissioned USAF officers and USAF aviation cadets. More than 8,000 men graduated from primary flight training at Bartow AB before proceeding on to select air force bases for advanced training in aircraft such as the T-33 Shooting Star
for jet pilots or the TB-25
and B-25 Mitchell
for multiengine pilots.
Notable graduates of primary flight training at Bartow AB included astronauts Colonel
Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin, Jr.
and Lieutenant Colonel
Edward White II, as well as former Assistant Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Lieutenant General Thomas G. McInerney and the first graduate of the USAF Academy
to achieve 4-star rank, General
Hansford T. Johnson
.
Garner Aviation was the successful bidder on the first Air Force training contract and operated the facility until 1955 when they lost the bid to Truman Miller. Miller ran the training school until 1960, when the Air Force discontinued the contract primary pilot training concept and began phasing out T-34 and T-28 training in favor of the USAF Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) system that was being put in place at larger air force bases that could readily accommodate the T-37 and T-38 Talon
jet trainers then coming on line. Bartow Air Base was gradually deactivated as a USAF facility throughout 1960, with the City of Bartow incrementally gaining control of more and more of the facility. USAF operations officially ended in 1961 and the facility was totally transferred to the city once again by the GSA. Forty years after the deactivation of Bartow AB, a retired USAF T-37 was loaned to the city and the airport by the National Museum of the United States Air Force
and placed on a permanent static display pylon as a memorial to the former U.S. Army Air Forces and U.S. Air Force presence at Bartow. The T-37 is located near the former air base main gate, now the current entrance to the airport, and The Museum Room in the airport's main terminal also commemorates the airport's military heritage.
From 1960 through 1967 the City of Bartow again managed the airport and the aviation facilities were leased yet again to a fixed base operator. In 1964, the City made a formal request to the Federal Aviation Administration for authority to convert a large building area into an industrial park. The concept was approved and the industrial park was opened. In July 1967, the City of Bartow passed an ordinance which established an airport authority, its official name being the Bartow Municipal Airport Development Authority. The Authority was composed of five city commission members and an executive director.
Bartow Municipal Airport and Industrial Park has been self-supporting since its inception. Utilizing its aircraft refueling, storage facilities and Industrial Park to obtain its revenues, the Authority has maintained the facility as a public use general aviaton airport.
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 four miles (6 km) northeast of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Bartow
Bartow, Florida
Bartow is the county seat of Polk County, Florida, United States. Founded in 1851 as Fort Blount, the city was renamed in honor of Francis S. Bartow the first brigade commander to die in combat during the American Civil War. According to the U.S. Census Bureau 2000 Census, the city had a...
, a city in Polk County
Polk County, Florida
Polk County is located in central Florida between the Tampa Bay and Greater Orlando metropolitan areas. The county was established by the state government in 1861 on the eve of the American Civil War and named after former United States president James K. Polk. The county seat is Bartow and its...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is owned by the Bartow Municipal Airport Development Authority.
Facilities and Aircraft
Bartow Municipal Airport covers an area of 1624 acres (657.2 ha) which contains three asphaltAsphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
paved runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
s:
- Runway 5/23: 5,000 x 100 ft (1,524 x 30 m)
- Runway 9L/27R: 5,000 x 150 ft (1,524 x 46 m)
- Runway 9R/27L: 4,400 x 150 ft (1,341 x 46 m)
Bartow Municipal is a controlled airport with an FAA Level I contract Air Traffic Control Tower in daily operation from 0730 to 1730 local time.
For the 12-month period ending July 15, 2002, the airport had 49,368 aircraft operations, an average of 135 per day: 100% general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
and <1% military. There are 115 aircraft based at this airport: 82% single engine, 9% multi-engine, 4% jet aircraft and 5% helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s.
Airport Services
- Fuel Available:
100LL Full Service / 100 LL Self Service / JetA with Prist additive
- Airframe Service: Major
- Powerplant service: Major
- Avionics Shop
- Paint Shop
History
In 1941, Bartow Mayor C.E. Williams spearheaded the city's initial land acquisition for what would become the Bartow Municipal Airport. In 1942, the US Government took over this site and subsequently developed it into a training field for the U.S. Army Air Forces. Throughout World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the field was used for the training of pilots.
Originally planned as an operational training station for medium bombardment aircraft such as the B-26 Marauder
B-26 Marauder
The Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
s that operated from nearby MacDill Field in Tampa and Lakeland Army Air Field/Drane Field
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport is a public airport located four miles southwest of the central business district of Lakeland, a city in Polk County, Florida, United States...
in Lakeland, Bartow Army Air Base was changed to a Fighter Replacement Training Station as of 15 February 1943. It provided facilities for a fighter group and two fighter squadrons of P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
aircraft, a base headquarters, air base squadron, aviation squadron, guard squadron and sub-depot. The base was ordered to deactivate on 25 October 1945 and the deactivation was completed and the base closed by the end of the year. The airport was then returned to the City of Bartow by the General Services Administration
General Services Administration
The General Services Administration is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. The GSA supplies products and communications for U.S...
(GSA). It was stipulated by GSA that the airport must continue be used as an airport for aviation purposes; and if not, that it be returned to the U.S. Government. Through the years 1945 to 1950, a fixed base operator (FBO) ran the airfield and flight line portion of the airport, while the large complex of support buildings that had been constructed by the Federal Government was used by industry and for storage.
In 1946, approximately 32 former military barracks were converted into apartments for returning military veterans.
In 1950, the U.S. Government exercised its reversal clause for the facility and again took over control of the airport. The Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
concurrently called for bids from civilian contractors to man and operate a primary pilot training school for U.S. Air Force student pilots. Renamed Bartow Air Base, the installation served as a USAF primary flight training facility for the Air Training Command
Air Training Command
Air Training Command is a former major command of the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force. ATC came into being as a redesignation of the Army Air Forces Training Command on July 1, 1946...
(ATC) from 1951 to 1960, during which time its 3303rd Pilot Training Group operated the T-6 Texan
T-6 Texan
The North American Aviation T-6 Texan was a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1950s...
, T-34 Mentor
T-34 Mentor
The Beechcraft T-34 Mentor is a propeller-driven, single-engined, military trainer aircraft derived from the Beechcraft Model 35 Bonanza. The earlier versions of the T-34, dating from around the late 1940s to the 1950s, were piston-engined. These were eventually succeeded by the upgraded T-34C...
and T-28 Trojan
T-28 Trojan
The North American Aviation T-28 Trojan is a piston-engined military trainer aircraft used by the United States Air Force and United States Navy beginning in the 1950s...
, training both commissioned USAF officers and USAF aviation cadets. More than 8,000 men graduated from primary flight training at Bartow AB before proceeding on to select air force bases for advanced training in aircraft such as the T-33 Shooting Star
T-33 Shooting Star
The Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star is an American-built jet trainer aircraft. It was produced by Lockheed and made its first flight in 1948, piloted by Tony LeVier. The T-33 was developed from the Lockheed P-80/F-80 starting as TP-80C/TF-80C in development, then designated T-33A. It was used by the...
for jet pilots or the TB-25
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
and B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
for multiengine pilots.
Notable graduates of primary flight training at Bartow AB included astronauts Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin, Jr.
Buzz Aldrin
Buzz Aldrin is an American mechanical engineer, retired United States Air Force pilot and astronaut who was the Lunar Module pilot on Apollo 11, the first manned lunar landing in history...
and Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Edward White II, as well as former Assistant Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Lieutenant General Thomas G. McInerney and the first graduate of the USAF Academy
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
to achieve 4-star rank, General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Hansford T. Johnson
Hansford T. Johnson
Hansford Tillman Johnson is a retired four star general in the U.S. Air Force who served as the Acting United States Secretary of the Navy, overseeing the United States Navy and Marine Corps in the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush. He is the only retired Air Force officer to ever...
.
Garner Aviation was the successful bidder on the first Air Force training contract and operated the facility until 1955 when they lost the bid to Truman Miller. Miller ran the training school until 1960, when the Air Force discontinued the contract primary pilot training concept and began phasing out T-34 and T-28 training in favor of the USAF Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) system that was being put in place at larger air force bases that could readily accommodate the T-37 and T-38 Talon
T-38 Talon
The Northrop T-38 Talon is a twin-engine supersonic jet trainer. It was the world's first supersonic trainer and is also the most produced. The T-38 remains in service as of 2011 in air forces throughout the world....
jet trainers then coming on line. Bartow Air Base was gradually deactivated as a USAF facility throughout 1960, with the City of Bartow incrementally gaining control of more and more of the facility. USAF operations officially ended in 1961 and the facility was totally transferred to the city once again by the GSA. Forty years after the deactivation of Bartow AB, a retired USAF T-37 was loaned to the city and the airport by the National Museum of the United States Air Force
National Museum of the United States Air Force
The National Museum of the United States Air Force is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is the world's largest and oldest military aviation museum with more than 360 aircraft and missiles on display...
and placed on a permanent static display pylon as a memorial to the former U.S. Army Air Forces and U.S. Air Force presence at Bartow. The T-37 is located near the former air base main gate, now the current entrance to the airport, and The Museum Room in the airport's main terminal also commemorates the airport's military heritage.
From 1960 through 1967 the City of Bartow again managed the airport and the aviation facilities were leased yet again to a fixed base operator. In 1964, the City made a formal request to the Federal Aviation Administration for authority to convert a large building area into an industrial park. The concept was approved and the industrial park was opened. In July 1967, the City of Bartow passed an ordinance which established an airport authority, its official name being the Bartow Municipal Airport Development Authority. The Authority was composed of five city commission members and an executive director.
Bartow Municipal Airport and Industrial Park has been self-supporting since its inception. Utilizing its aircraft refueling, storage facilities and Industrial Park to obtain its revenues, the Authority has maintained the facility as a public use general aviaton airport.
See also
- Florida World War II Army Airfields
External links
- Bartow Municipal Airport & Industrial Park, official site