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Greenport Long Island Airport??
The following article is an excerpt from the AOPA page in the September 1940 issue of Popular Aviation. The article discusses how the AOPA was instrumental in the formation of civilian pilots into the Air Guard.
As proof of what may be done with an organization of civilian pilots, AOPA assisted by several other organizations, including the U.S. Power Squadrons, Relief Wings, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, amateur radio operators, Aerial Nurses Corp and others, ran a mass mobilization "hurricane disaster" problem on July 7 at Greenport, L.I. The operation was based on a simulated condition, although the eastern end of Long Island and New England remember well the real hurricane disaster two years ago.
Three days before AOPA practice disaster flight,
the Greenport, L.I., airport was covered with six feet
of rye. Fifty-four of 87 planes that made the flight are shown.
In brief, 87 airplanes and over 300 pilots and aviation personnel responded. A network of over 100 amateur radio stations including W2CEN located at Greenport and W2USA, the New York World’s Fair radio station, participated by getting word to the pilots, transmitting their flight plans and sending many other important dispatches.
Like all "firsts" we know that there was room for improvement. It was very pleasing, however, to have such a splendid turnout of ships for a flight of this kind. Here was proof that the "non-sked" can file and follow a flight plan! Although ships from six different states participated, the greatest variance in arrival time was only 14 minutes and this on a flight over 300 miles with an intermediate mission to complete. Pilots filed their "estimated time of arrival" via amateur radio and their actual arrival time was compared with the plan filed at the beginning of the flight.
No report on the Greenport flight, however brief, would be complete without mentioning the grand six plane formation flight completed by the Philadelphia Pylon Club members. This flight came in within five minutes of their estimated time of arrival from Norristown, Pa., with 10 boxes of Johnson & Johnson medical supplies that they picked up at an intermediate stop at Hadley Field in New Jersey.
At just a minute or so past their estimated time of arrival they sailed over the field in a perfect double "V" formation, then into an eschelon left and finally into a line formation. Then, much to the amazement of military observers, a perfect staggered formation landing! A spontaneous ovation greeted the flyers when they stepped from their neat line of Taylorcrafts. We were proud, too, because the Pylon Club has been working out the actual flying work in the two star Air Guard course; sort of running out the "bugs." If July 7 were any indication, the Air Guard training for pilots is really going to go places.
The Township of Southold provided a free breakfast; boat ride and other courtesies after the serious side of the flight had been completed. We understand that the field that AOPA opened at Greenport as a "one day" affair has become so popular with pilots that an attempt is being made to keep it open during the summer season for transients and flying weekenders. Swimming 300 feet from the landing area!
Do any members remember this field? Did it last long?
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© 2004 The Long Island Early Fliers Club, P.O. Box 221, Bethpage, NY 11714-0221 • info@longislandearlyfliers.org |
