Rentschler Heliport

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Rentschler Heliport
Rentschler Field (Airport) on 23 April 1990, before it's closure and dismantling. The current-day heliport is at the southwest corner of the airfield, the Rentschler Field Football Stadium is at the northeast corner.
IATA: none – ICAO: none – FAA: CT88
Summary
Airport type		Private
Owner		United Technologies Corp.
Location		East Hartford, Connecticut
Elevation AMSL		48 ft / 15 m
Coordinates		41°45′12″N 072°37′42″W / 41.75333, -72.62833
Helipads
Number	Length		Surface
	ft	m
H1	93	28	Asphalt/Concrete
Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1]

Rentschler Heliport (FAA LID: CT88) is a private heliport for the exclusive use of United Technologies Corporation, located 2 miles southeast of East Hartford, Connecticut.

From 1933 to about 1997 Rentschler Field was an airfield, which was used by the United States Army Air Forces during World War II as a fighter base.

Contents 1 History 2 See Also 3 References 4 External Links

[edit] History

This former airfield was located only a few miles northeast of still-operational Hartford Brainard Airport. It was the former factory airfield for the Pratt & Whitney aircraft engine company.

The airfield, which began operations in 1931, was named after Frederick Brant Rentschler, who founded the aircraft arm of Pratt & Whitney and later founded its current parent company, United Technologies. The earliest reference to the field which has been located was in the Airport Directory Company's 1933 Airports Directory, describing Rentschler Field as consisting of a 2,700' x 2,500' turf landing area and the operator was American Airways, which provided scheduled transport along the New York - Boston route.

During World War II the airfield was used by the United States Army Air Forces First Air Force as a fighter base, providing coastal air defense over the Atlantic Ocean. After the war, the airfield was returned to civilian use.

Rentschler Field was decommissioned as an airport and donated to the state of Connecticut by United Technologies in 1999. A portion of the former airport was redeveloped as Rentschler Field the University of Connecticut's new football stadium, which opened in 2003,

As of 2006, the only remaining aviation use on the site was the Rentschler Heliport, a private facility operated by Pratt & Whitney.

[edit] See Also

• Connecticut World War II Army Airfields

[edit] References

[edit] External Links

• Resources for this airport:
  • AirNav airport information for CT88
  • FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
  • SkyVector aeronautical chart for CT88