Albert Whitted Airport

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Albert Whitted Airport
IATA: SPG – ICAO: KSPG – FAA: SPG
Summary
Airport type Public
Owner City of St. Petersburg
Location St. Petersburg, Florida
Elevation AMSL 7 ft / 2.1 m
Coordinates 27°45′54″N, 082°37′37″W
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
6/24 3,677 1,121 Asphalt
18/36 2,864 873 Asphalt

Albert Whitted Airport (IATA: SPG, ICAO: KSPG, FAA LID: SPG) is a small public airport in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States, located on the western edge of Tampa Bay. The airport rests east of downtown St. Petersburg, near the former Bayfront Center and The Pier. It is also located east of the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. It covers 119 acres (48 ha) and has two runways.

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[edit] History

The airport is recognized as the birthplace of scheduled airline flight. On January 1, 1914, a small airboat took off near this airport, on the first regularly scheduled aircraft flight in history.

National Airlines, one of the nation's first airlines, began service there in 1934. Decades later, National merged with Pan-Am to create one of the world's largest air carriers. In the late thirties, Goodyear chose Albert Whitted as one of the first airports to base its famous blimps.

During World War II, Albert Whitted airport helped support the war effort when it was converted from a public airfield to a military air base. Hundreds of Naval cadets received their training there.[1]

[edit] Current Operations

There are over 100,000 flight operations a year at Albert Whitted Airport, over half of them by aircraft based at other airports.

According to the City of St. Petersburg budget for the fiscal year 2003, the city lists the airport along with the municipal marina, golf courses and a few other enterprises as city operations that are self-supporting. Fees are charged to users to pay the costs of operations.

Based on a 1999 study commissioned by the City of St. Petersburg, estimates of total economic impact to the city place direct purchase of goods and services at $21,545,320, payroll at $6,744,524, and employment at 305 people. Business activity associated with Albert Whitted Airport was estimated to contribute more than $8.6 million to the economy through purchases of goods and services.[2]

The Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg of the IndyCar Series is held at the airport annually.

[edit] 2003 Referendum

A local group, Citizens for a Waterfront Park, collected signatures and placed a referendum on the 2003 city ballot that would have appropriated Albert Whitted and turned it into a city park. Campaigns were launched on both sides, and yellow and black "[Support] Albert Whitted" signs and bumper stickers popped up en masse around the city. Despite strident editorial support for the park plan from local newspaper the St. Petersburg Times,[3] residents voted overwhelmingly to retain the historic airport.[4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Albert Whitted Airport History." Albert Whitted Airport Preservation Society (AWAPS) web site.
  2. ^ "AWAPS Frequently Asked Questions." AWAPS web site.
  3. ^ "For a better St. Petersburg Series: TIMES RECOMMENDS." St. Petersburg Times, October 21, 2003.
  4. ^ "Voters clear on airport: Keep it." St. Petersburg Times, November 5, 2003.

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links