Aviation Research

Stinson Airport

National Aviation Hall of Fame Presents Induction Medal to the City of San Antonio

On January 8, 2020, a presentation was conducted at the Stinson Municipal Airport in San Antonio. The National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF) induction medal – posthumously presented to Katherine Stinson last year – was placed on permanent display at Stinson Municipal Airport for the inspiration of all who read of Stinson’s impact on the nation’s aviation history.

Making the presentation to City Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran and Thomas Bartlett, Interim Director for the San Antonio Airport System, was a delegation from the National Aviation Hall of Fame. Included in the group was 2009 NAHF Enshrinee Colonel Eileen Collins, USAF (Ret) who presented Katherine Stinson for enshrinement. Col. Collins is the first woman to command a space shuttle and was the Commander on STS-114, the first Return-To-Flight Mission after the loss of the Columbia.

“The origin story of the Stinson School of Flying is special because of who started it and how it came about. Born from Katherine Stinson’s pioneering vision of teaching aviation to anyone who wanted to fly, today Stinson Municipal Airport remains an enduring legacy to the woman who dared everyone to soar greatly,” said Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran, District 3.

Katherine Stinson was inducted into the NAHF for a number of pioneering aviation accomplishments. Among them include: becoming one of the first females in the United States to earn a pilot’s certificate, founding the Stinson School of Flying (1915), training World War I military pilots and becoming the first woman to carry airmail and the first woman to exhibit as a circuit pilot. Stinson also set multiple distance and endurance records.

Reprinted by permission of Helotes Echo, copyright January 2020.

Greetings From Stinson Airport

Stinson Airport terminal at night.By Chris Sasser
Texas A&M Transportation Institute

San Antonio is a city steeped in history. Whether touring the iconic 18th-century Spanish mission The Alamo or the Spanish Governor’s Palace, to any visitor it’s clear that the city embraces its rich cultural history. Stinson Municipal Airport (SSF), a designated reliever airport located seven miles south of downtown San Antonio, is the second oldest general aviation airport in continuous operation in the United States making it a perfect fit for the city.

But don’t be fooled by the 100-year-old airport’s age nor the terminal building built in 1936, which recently underwent an extensive renovation and expansion that modernized the building while maintaining the original design’s integrity. This is a modern, thriving airport in every sense of the word.

“Over the past 10 years, we’ve had $30 million in capital improvements from the terminal building expansion to the runway extension,” noted Nathan Polsgrove, Chief Strategy and Development Officer for the San Antonio Airport System. “There’s an additional $24 million planned in the next few years. We are fortunate that our city leadership is incredibly supportive of Stinson.”

One of the upcoming projects is a new air traffic control tower that will feature a unique winged design. Construction on the new tower began on March 29.

Conceptual drawing of the new air traffic control tower at Stinson Airport.

Stinson Airport’s new air traffic control tower that will feature a unique winged design.

“We had a design competition that had 13 different architectural firms submit plans,” said Stinson Airport Manager Morris Martin. “I think it was appropriate being the wings over Stinson. It does add a little bit of cost and time to the project, but I think it shows the level of commitment that our city government has to making this airport unique. We are a good match with the history of San Antonio, and we have several projects that are going to tie into the local heritage sites.”

Martin was the recipient of TxDOT’s 2017 Reliever Airport Manager of the Year award.

One of the projects is a looped hike and bike trail connecting Stinson to the Mission Reach river trail. The $2.4 million project is slated for completion in 2018. Connecting the Stinson terminal building to the hike and bike trail will be a new parking lot and plaza, due for completion in 2017.

Other upcoming projects include a land prep project that will prepare 32 acres of property for future hangar development, a wayfinding signage project, an aeronautical survey to determine opportunities for new or improved approaches and a new parkway that will improve airport access.

Besides the ongoing improvement projects, the airport is home to a first-class FBO (FBO Gate One) and a new barbecue restaurant called The Big Bib.

Other tenants include:

  • Texas Air Museum
  • Texas Air Shuttle charter operation
  • Alamo Helicopters helicopter operation
  • San Antonio Police Helicopter Unit
  • Red Wing Aerials aerial photos

“Right now we have an RFI (request for information) about the viability of building a hangar style hotel,” said Polsgrove. “And we are implementing a frequent user loyalty program where visitors to the airport have a punch card that will go toward receiving a Stinson Airport gold coin.”

From aviation-themed movie nights to hosting kid day fly-in events, the airport has a close and important connection with the large community.

“The city is very proud of its history, and we’re an important part of that history,” said Martin. “But one of the things we do is also look ahead to the future to keep us strong and viable for the next 100 years.”

Editor’s Note: Nathan Polsgrove is no longer employed at the San Antonio Airport System at the time of this publication.

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A Century of Aviation

Copy and photos provided with permission by the City of San Antonio.

Marjorie, Edward and Katherine Stinson stand in front of a modified Wright Pusher Model B aircraft in 1916.

Marjorie, Edward and Katherine Stinson stand in front of a modified Wright Pusher Model B aircraft in 1916.

Stinson Airport (KSSF), the nation’s second oldest general aviation airport in continuous operation, celebrates 100 years of service this year. The TxDOT Aviation Division honors this historic milestone with a look back at Stinson’s colorful history and modern-day role as the reliever for San Antonio International Airport.

A Passion for Flying

In 1915, three siblings and two passions came together to create the Stinson School of Flying. Marjorie, Katherine and Eddie Stinson all had a passion for flying, but Katherine had a passion for music as well. The siblings read a newspaper article about how barnstormers made $1,000 a show, and Katherine had an idea. “She wanted to take that money and go to Europe and eventually study piano, and that was her entry into aviation,” according to City of San Antonio Aviation Assistant Director Tim O’Krongley. O’Krongley also served as previous manager of Stinson Airport.

So with a plan in place, Katherine got to work starting the school. Eddie Stinson, her brother, selected a plot of land south of town just west of the San Antonio River. Her sister, Marjorie, went to City Council to petition them to open up the school. City Council rented 500 acres to her for $5 per year. It was a good deal, O’Krongley says. In the years that followed, Katherine made the trip to Europe, but it was her love of flying — not music — that took her there. She flew to England, Japan and China, becoming the first woman to perform the loop-the-loop maneuver. She set successive endurance and distance records and raised $2 million for the American Red Cross.

Meanwhile, Marjorie and Eddie continued to expand operations at the Stinson School of Flying, teaching civilian students such as Jack Frost (a B-17 pilot in World War II who was shot down and killed in 1942) and pilots from the Canadian Air Force. World War I eventually brought a ban on civilian flying, marking the end of the Stinson School of Flying.

The Boom Years

The front of the Stinson Terminal Building in the 1960s.

The front of the Stinson Terminal Building in the 1960s.

During World War I and afterward, the airfield was run by the City of San Antonio. According to O’Krongley, the airport was used primarily by barnstormers and experimental pilots until the late 1920s or early 1930s. For a few years, Stinson served as a commercial airport with airline service from American, Braniff and Eastern Airlines. In 1935/1936, a new terminal building was built as a Works Progress Administration project.

During World War II, the Air Force took control of the airport and used it as a training base. The military constructed more than 100 buildings, some of which are still standing. After World War II, commercial airline service moved from Stinson to San Antonio International Airport.

Still Growing Strong

Stinson continues to grow. In 2008, a major capital project to expand the terminal was completed. The expansion added two wings and more than 24,000 square feet of additional space for administrative, concession, corporate Fixed-Based Operators, education and commercial uses. Importantly, the expansion left the original terminal virtually untouched. In 2010, Runway 9-27 was resurfaced and extended to 5,002 feet, allowing the airfield to serve more private and business jet traffic. Stinson serves as the general aviation reliever airport for San Antonio International and is also home to the Texas Air Museum. Behind all the growth and change at the airport is the spirit of the Stinson family, three people whose love of flying continues to tower over San Antonio even today.

Pointing to the next century for Stinson Municipal Airport, a new air traffic control tower is slated for construction beginning in 2015. The airport has 81 aircraft based on the field and averages approximately 250 operations a day. According to a 2011 economic impact report, the airport contributed nearly $24 million to the local economy and employed 240 people at on-site businesses.

For more information about the Stinson Airport, please visit http://www.sanantonio.gov/SSF.aspx.