Untold Stories; 139; Barnstormers to Blue Angels: Southwest Florida Aviation

Oh. This episode of untold stories is underwritten by Meade County Port Authority city of Naples airport authority Charlotte County Airport Authority Lee County mosquito control district and aeronautical charters. While the words Kitty Hawk have become part of the American vernacular Florida played a

major role in the advent of private and commercial aviation southwest Florida in particular has a rich and colorful aviation history. At the turn of the century respected aviation engineer received a letter from Orville Wright asking where he thought the Wright brothers should conduct their powered flight experiments. She Newt recommended coastal locations for their sand water and steady wins and included Pine Island Florida as a possible site. Kitty Hawk North Carolina was eventually chosen and the first powered flight took place there in 1903. However the Gulf Coast of Florida was the setting for the first scheduled commercial flight in the US in 1014 pilot Tony Janice flew one passenger aboard his tiny Benoit flying boat for the 21 mile trip from St. Petersburg to Tampa at an altitude of 15 feet. After becoming famous for this historic flight Janice created excitement landing

his sea plane at the pump to go to a hotel on Charlotte Harbor to drop off in a venturesome hotel. Another early pilot made headlines by flying his plane from Fort Myers to Cape Sable in only two hours and 55 minutes. Suddenly sea planes offer an exciting if not speedy alternative to travel by train or car seat planes where the original mode of transportation in southwest Florida and Florida in particular because there weren't any runways back in those days. It wasn't long however before small planes were landing on simple grass strips across the area. Crescent Beach what is now Fort Myers Beach attracted earlier planes in 1018 you SEPA Sanibel and Captiva Islands Boca Grande Pine Island and punter Gorda would all put in their own strips in the coming years creating a perfect marriage. Aviation and southwest Florida tourism.

As early as 1099 a few pilots were landing on the beach at Naples. Others would simply buzz the town's first golf course warning players below to move aside so they could land at the longest fairway could handle a small plane. By the time Tony Janice was making that first commercial flight Henry Ford had changed the world with mass production of the automobile. His factory was already cranking out a fully built car every 93 seconds two years later in one thousand sixteen. Ford bought his winter estate in Fort Myers next door to his close friend inventor Thomas Edison. Neither man had any personal desire to fly in an airplane. As family owned cars settled securely into their historic place in America's driveways and garages.

Ford could see the future was in the sky and formed an aircraft division. Ford's tri motor was safe sturdy and reliable for commercial flights. Despite his bone shaking ride and deafening noise Florida residents felt right at home in early seeds of wicker the tri motor earned the nickname the tin goose for its all metal frame. When air mail service was established Ford's aircraft company was the first private contractor hired to deliberate on a major route. The city of Fort Myers created Lee county's first official airstrip in the late 20s on a 30 acre parcel originally block with a golf course in mind. Florida Airways began delivering airmail and providing a popular air taxi service from a primitive runway where page field sits today. But the honeymoon was over in less than a year. Due to the strips of muddy ruts and an even palmetto loops.

Regular Air Service stopped and air mail became spotty. Pilots lobbied unsuccessfully for upgrades but the money simply wasn't there. Southwest Florida has joined the world in celebrating Charles Lindbergh's one thousand twenty seven transatlantic flights to Paris. Little did they know that he and his wife would become regular visitors to local beaches. Lindbergh who gave Henry Ford his first airplane ride was a national hero. Another reason America had become crazy about airplanes. Or. Early aviation brought tragedy as well as conquests. Many pilots were inexperienced and airplanes were still in their infancy. However Henry Ford believed the right type of plane could become as common as the automobile. So he was shattered to learn in one thousand twenty eight that the

prototype of the tiny Ford flivver had crashed off the coast of Florida killing test pilot Henry Brooks production of the flipper was immediately and permanently halted. And Ford never realized his dream but the Ford tri motor was a significant legacy to aviation history. By the 1930s pilots were still rare but aviation was already beginning to evolve. Once Man conquered flight transportation was the next goal of aviation. On occasion however it was sheer entertainment that paid the bills early performing pilots called Barnstormers attracted huge crowds to local airfields. Among them was Bill Seward who had his own breast strip in Arcadia and whose pilot's license number 219 was signed by Orville Wright Seward and countless families to his field on Sunday afternoon to watch or partake in the

50 Cent airplane rides he advertised at the end of each afternoon. A final flight was made at low altitude over the crowd during which Sue would toss out a live clip. When you check in. It was advertised that Rosco the chicken would. Would descend without a parachute from 500 feet and any of the children who caught Roscoe were entitled to a free airplane ride so he did quite well with that struck a promotional genius. The arrival of national airlines in one thousand thirty seven brought passengers and new prospects to southwest Florida. The runways at Fort Myers airport were now asphalt over shell but didn't hold up to rainy weather. National pulled out of Fort Myers saying they'd return when concrete runways were put in in order to obtain WPA funds for airport upgrades during the Depression.

Lee County took over the field and construction had begun when the U.S. entered World War Two. Year round fair weather made southwest Florida a perfect setting for construction of multiple U.S. Army Air Corps training fields which exposed tens of thousands of young men to Gulf Coast life. They trained at Arcadia one to gorda Fort Myers Naples Buckingham and in McLean airports all of which would transfer to local governments after the war. Fort Myers airport was renamed page field to honor local war hero Channing Paige victim of a seaplane accident. During World War Two private aviators in Lee County flew out of a primitive strip created just south of the farmer's market on Edison street called Fort Myers municipal. President Harry Truman visited southwest Florida after the war ended to dedicate Everglades National Park in a ceremony at Everglades Air

Park. That airport became a recreational gateway Civil Air Patrol a civilian auxiliary to the U.S. Air Force was established in 1041 just six days before Pearl Harbor. To foster and encourage civil aviation in local communities through the years its purpose was expanded to include aerospace education and emergency services with squadrons across southwest Florida civil air patrols Marco Island division became the busiest in the state if not the country. Its pilots and spotters flying regular search and rescue missions for distressed boaters in the 10000 islands. A private flying club called the Sunda also formed in Fort Myers for over 40 years. Its pilots and spotters have flown a 120 mile search and rescue route before dark to alert the Coast Guard to any boaters in trouble. Civil Air Patrol launched a popular cadet program to introduce teens to

aviation youth have also been encouraged to fly by the Experimental Aircraft Association which was formed to foster aviation at the grass roots level. Through the years local chapters of this national organization have offered free flights to teens during monthly fly and is held at area airports. Children and adults have gotten their thrills from the Florida International Air Show staged at the Charlotte County Airport each spring. They Fard International Air Show is a charity event held in southwest Florida each year. The purpose and mission of the farting National Air Show is to provide family entertainment for education in aviation and military and to provide charitable contributions to southwest Florida. Since 1981 we have contributed over two million dollars to over 55 local charities in southwest Florida.

The early precursor to the spring spectacular was a single air show held New Year's Day in 1050 sponsored by the Jaycees as a charity event. The county's first official air show had an amazing roster of performers including Tampa resident Bette Skelton young Miska had soloed at the age of 12 was the national aerobatics champion and would go on to earn land and air speed records and even train with the original astronauts. Her plane a Pitts Special named the little stinker too. Would eventually hang in the National Air and Space Museum. Air Shows have remained the popular form of family entertainment and the Florida International Air Show has since featured such all inspiring acts as the Blue Angels the worlds greatest stunt pilots and daring the wing walkers. Each year since 1981 the Charlotte County event has inducted one influential pilot into its pioneers

of aviation roster. The list of attending the sit ins has included Betty Skelton a Tuskegee Airman The Igor Sikorsky family an astronaut and many other aviation luminaries. Long before the Blue Angels rich rolling local enthusiasts islanders would look to the sky for Dawn Patrol. Which started in one thousand thirty nine newspapers were dropped from the sky in morning flyovers. By the 50s. Miscellaneous packages and medicine were also delivered to the islands by pilot buddy bops who flew out in a memorable Republic Seabee. What was really interesting about the start of commercial aviation in southwest Florida is that Naples as a community itself wasn't really even on the map. There were there was one big hotel and a few winter homes. But the very wealthy people who came and visited.

Want to be able to bring their friends down also tiny neighborhoods became one of the first regional airports in the country. Northerners who could clue in to enjoy golfing boating and time on the beach. Really the local economy grew out of wealthy tourism and those folks did not want to spend a lot of time on a rugged highway. So if you didn't have air access. To tables as a destination you would have Naples. National Airlines came back to the upgraded post war page field winging many a happy passenger to Fort Myers commercial aviation really took off in the 50s and area airports got busier with each year that passed. Visitors departing from page field got one last chance to enjoy the Florida heat before boarding their planes to fly north. They took us out onto the fale and there was the plane in front of us and we were put

under to protect this little corrugated tin shed. And it kept the sun off but it was still hot hot hot in the 60s. A few tourists were still using local grass strips flying into remote places like Casa Ebell resort on Sanibel Island but most were flying commercial and major ad campaigns. Sunny Southwest Florida had become a destination. Fly Linda Florida. Sign national. The 1960s saw the first jet at page feet. The advent of air conditioning Plus newly formed mosquito control districts cranked up the comfort factors several more notches and now the Gulf Coast was in

Countdown to blastoff. The winds of change brought ideas money developers and buyers. The local landscape would never look the same. Naples had started to grow while the empty land which would become Cape Coral and Golden Gate was featured in national and international ad campaigns by visionary American Land Corporation. They relied heavily on aviation to bring buyers to southwest Florida a popular sales tool was the flyovers were seeing all that available Florida land that really got buyers excited. Model homes were also ready and waiting to entice potential residents. And the fun begins the minute you pick up your cup from every round trip as a test a police. Car markets a bunch of trucks like cars go. Not ready for. Market. All morning. Yes all

aboard for a fabulous vacation in Cape Coral. Your special reserved seat will be ready and waiting for you. The Deltona corporation which developed Marco Island advertised in the Washington Post and elsewhere to attract investors and dreamers to southwest Florida Deltona built the first airport on Marco flying in customers on company owned Marco Island Airways. I bought my lot sight unseen and as a result of purchasing a lot buyers were given a free trip to Marco Island. And so we flew from Washington D.C. to Miami and then from Miami on to Marco Island in a private airline. For many it was the first time in a small fixed wing plane visitors landed just across from the Marco Beach Hotel. It was kind of strange because in the airplane we had on the private airplane I think we held only about 9 to 12 people. And you had to kind of crouch over to get to your

seat you couldn't stand up straight when enough investors had populated this new community. The Marco Island executive airport was built just off the island where it remains today as the gateway to the Florida Keys. Marcos airport sees regular seaplane traffic as well as countless private pilots and flight students. But in the early days of Marco's development the excitement of flying was palpable as each buyer caught a first glimpse of the Paradise they'd seen advertised from the window of a Marco Island Airways plane Deltona enhanced their sales effort by flying celebrities to Marco Island. Richard Nixon Jack Paar Jack Nicholas and Ken Venturi all visited Marco during delta on his push. Page Field's original terminal built in 1055 was doubled in one thousand sixty and doubled again five years later American Land Corporation paid to extend the runway by fifteen hundred feet as

hundreds of land buyers were flying in Cape Coral as growth was intrinsically tied to aviation. Ed Wilson's Fort Myers Airways was founded in 1955. And General Aviation aircraft sales saw a peak. In the 70s for decades Wilson's company also provided flight instruction. Aircraft maintenance and fuel. Soon beautiful southwest Florida was no longer a secret and by 1975 a site had been chosen for a large regional airport in 1084 Fort Myers native Beverly bass. The first female pilot ever hired by a major U.S. airline landed American Airlines inaugural flight into the newly opened regional Southwest airport. Once commercial traffic was coming into iris w the page field terminal sat empty for 10 years and the entire airport began a financial decline which added up to six figure

annual losses. To reverse the situation the airport. Or he took over both the base operations at the field the increase of private jet traffic. Plus the leasing of unused land then buildings helped turn page field into a profitable asset for the area. All sorts of famous and influential Americans were wintering along the southwest Gulf Coast. By the 1980s in a reprise of aviation's early days Boca Grande seaplane launched its company and began flying visitors beach to beach by air taxi. I've had many celebrities flying with me and in the seaplane Harrison Ford James Michener Katherine Hepburn Adrian Brody many industrial types of industrial fame really Jim McDonald McDonnell Douglas fame. Who's who of American CEOs really who come to enjoy the beaches in the sunshine southwest Florida.

The 1990s saw a rash of drug trafficking through smaller air strips where local sheriff's deputies nabbed drugs traffickers and airplanes. But most pilots saw other opportunities in southwest Florida blue skies sunny days and beautiful views. Fly in communities had become popular with pilots and their families air park communities in Port Charlotte North Fort Myers Buckingham Alba and Naples allowed residents to keep their planes right at home. These neighborhoods gave new meaning to the phrase drop in and see is sometime the isolated island of North Captiva joins the ranks of fly in communities as it can only be reached by air or water. The grass strip on this barrier island remains a vital link to the outside world. Much of corporate America moved from commercial flights to Holland or leased

aircraft by the year 2000. As a result there was an economic shift in airports across the country. Some suffered along with the airlines but page field was profitable and Naples airport was feeling no pain. With a healthy bottom line the CEO was industry leaders and wealthy denizens who had always gravitated toward Naples still flocked to the Gulf Coast on some of the world's most expensive jets. By the turn of the millennium Naples municipal airport brought about 100 million dollars a year of economic impact to the community. No one could have imagined the horror felt by Southwest Floridians when they learned that two of the 9/11 terrorists had trained in Venice and repeatedly flown in and out of several area airports. The local flight school industry which had been booming was changed swiftly

and dramatically by events of that day. Student pilot visas became difficult to obtain. And the many foreign nationals who had enjoyed beneficial exchange rates and year round flying weather soon had far fewer choices when it came to flight schools. Student pilots of Middle Eastern decent once plentiful along the Gulf Coast all but disappeared from the ranks of those in training. When Hurricane Charley made a direct hit in 2004 most of Charlotte County Airport was destroyed including murals depicting the airfields history the airport has since been rebuilt and improved while the artwork is preserved in photos and the memory of the many pilots who had enjoyed it. Southwest Florida International also upgraded by building a new state of the art terminal in 2005. Seven

and a half million passengers came through its gates that year. My 2007 call your county's Economic Development Council had identified aviation technology as a target industry. Florida Trade Port adjacent to the airport had been established to attract the import export trade. As both a U.S. Customs port of entry and a foreign trade zone Florida Trade Port was poised for the future. Two local aviation interests have maintained a poetic counterpoint. One is about life. The other is about the. Air ambulance services including county medivac helicopters and private companies such as air Trek in Naples transport critical care patients caregivers organs and donors to hospitals far and wide. Meanwhile thanks to the work of local mosquito control districts millions of little lives have been prevented a process which has in great

part helped generate the steady flow of wealthy industrialists famous actors frozen northerners romantic Newley was happy children and countless others to southwest Florida. If. On the day he made that first commercial flight. Someone had told Tony Janice that 81 years later. 10 million people would have flown commercially in the United States. The news certainly would have added a little lift. To is day the miracle of flight changed the world. And aviation. Created a Southwest Florida that we know today. Us. To purchase a copy of this and other WGC you produced programs go to WGC U dot org or call 1 8 8 8 8 2 4 0 0 3 0. This program was produced for the citizens of southwest Florida by WGN C.U.

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