Curtis Field

Curtis Field

USGS aerial image (13 January 1995)
IATA: BBD – ICAO: KBBD – FAA LID: BBD
Summary
Airport type Public
Owner City of Brady
Serves Brady, Texas
Elevation AMSL 1,827 ft / 556 m
Coordinates 31°10′45″N 099°19′26″W / 31.17917°N 99.32389°W / 31.17917; -99.32389
Website BradyCurtisField.com
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
17/35 4,605 1,404 Asphalt
08/26 3,520 1,073 Turf
Curtis Field 1941 Classbook

Curtis Field (IATA: BBD, ICAO: KBBD, FAA LID: BBD) is a city-owned airport three miles northeast of Brady, in McCulloch County, Texas.[1] The FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2009–2013 calls it a general aviation facility.[2]

History

The airport opened in August 1941. On 1 January 1942, the facility was taken over by the United States Army Air Forces and was used during World War II as a primary (stage 1) pilot training airfield. Known as Curtis Field, the facility was operated as a contract pilot school, operated initially by the Brady Aviation School for the USAAF Gulf Coast Training Center (later Central Flying Training Command). Later, the contract was taken over by the Dallas Aviation School and Air College.

Several local axillary landing airfields were associated with Curtis Field, the Curtis Ranch; Moore Field; Sneed Field and White Field for emergency and overflow landings.

It is notable that enlisted sergeant pilots received their primary flight training at Curtis Field in early 1942. This program was ended later in the year. The last pilot training class ended in February 1945 and military control of the airport ended.

Airline flights (Trans-Texas DC-3s) ended in 1958-59.

[3] [4] [4] [5]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 FAA Airport Master Record for BBD (Form 5010 PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. Effective 11 February 2010.
  2. ↑ National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2009–2013: Appendix A: Part 5 (PDF, 1.18 MB) Archived June 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.. Federal Aviation Administration. Updated 15 October 2008.
  3. ↑  This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.
  4. 1 2 Shaw, Frederick J. (2004), Locating Air Force Base Sites History’s Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC, 2004.
  5. ↑ Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas ASIN: B000NYX3PC
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