Of the 67 counties in Pennsylvania, only 14 have commercial airline service. Why Lancaster? The inauguration of Air Service to Lancaster County in 1949 was a direct result of hundreds of local residents, government, business and community leaders’ tireless efforts. In 1933, the “Citizen’s Airport Committee” was formed to begin developing a plan for a public airport in Lancaster for the following reasons:
- There would be a minimal direct cost to the community because Federal W.R.A funds were available.
- The new airport would boost the economic potential of Lancaster County.
- The new airport would alleviate the unemployment problem that existed in Lancaster City and Lancaster County.
The Committee convinced the City and County to divide the local funding necessary to obtain Federal and State grants. They purchased 184 acres in 1933 to begin the project.
Lancaster residents have supported aviation for many, many years, in fact, the airport was built through the hard work, dedication and yes even the money of area residents. It was built in 1935, when far-sighted business and civic leaders in Lancaster County worked diligently to secure a municipally owned airport to serve the community’s needs. The “Lancaster Joint Aviation Committee”, popularly known as the Citizens’ Airport Committee was formed in 1933. Mr. E. George Siedle, Chaired the committee and the committee agreed that the time to secure a municipally owned airport had come because:
A municipally owned field was needed. There would be a minimal direct cost to the Community because Federal W.R.A., funds were available! The construction of the airport would alleviate the unemployment problem in Lancaster City and Lancaster County. The City and County governments agreed on a division of the costs and purchased 184 acres. More than 1,000 people attended the Ground Breaking Ceremony on the muddy farm lane on March 15, 1934.
The new municipally owned airport was dedicated on August 17, 1935. The 184 acre airport was considered one of the finest in the East. The U.S. Bureau of Commerce Directory-issued January 1, 1936 described the Municipal airport as having “Beacon Boundary, Approach, and Obstruction Lights…Two hard surface runways each 3,000 feet long and a 3,200 foot sod strip. . . Facilities for servicing day and night. At that time, there was only one other airport in Pennsylvania, (Pittsburgh-Allegheny) listed as having both hard surface runways for both day and night operations that was Pittsburgh-Allegheny. The original facility served the County well, through World War II, incidently many pilots headed for duty during WWII were trained by Professors at Franklin & Marshall College in the main hangar at the airport.
However, the great progress in aviation during World War II made Lancaster’s Municipal Airport obsolete for the faster planes which were then operating. The airport would have to be enlarged and modernized if Lancaster were to obtain commercial air service.
In 1944, local officials and business people learned that federal and state funds might be available to build or improve airports. Therefore the Lancaster Joint Air Facilities Committee was formed and they began making plans to enlarge the airport so that they could obtain commercial air service for the Lancaster Community. The General Committee for the Airport Development Project included 126 of the business, professional, political and religious leaders of the County which began a campaign called “Say Yes to a 22 cent dollar”. Total costs for the purchase of additional land and the construction of longer and wider runways was approximately 1,142,662.00. The federal and State Governments would give $769,015. The City and County governments would supply $160,795.00 which left a balance needed of $212,852.00. The “Say Yes to a .22 cent dollar” campaign requested contributions from private citizens and businesses.
The Citizens Airport Committee worked to raise the funding necessary to match Federal and State Grants to upgrade the facility to airline standards. The campaign was successful, with 416 contributions due to the drive from private citizens and local businesses! The total public subscription needed was raised and a “New Enlarged Lancaster Municipal Airport” capable of attracting commercial air service was built. Today, we feel that it is important to note that public subscription funds, donated in 1944 continue to benefit the local community. To this day, there are only 16 commercial service airports in Pennsylvania.
Having Commercial Air Service designates Lancaster as a Primary Airport which is a million dollar distinction,
Primary Airports with 10,000 or more enplanements are entitled by law to a minimum of $500,000.00 per year in airport improvement funds. Air 21 increases our minimum entitlement from $500,000.00 to $1,000,000. per year! This means that aviation user fees, such as the 10% ticket tax that you pay each time you purchase an airline ticket can benefit your local community when you choose to use Lancaster as your departure airport!
It is important to understand that if an airport is not a primary airport, it currently is not entitled to any funding by law. Therefore, the airport must compete with thousands of airports across the Country for any AIP funds. In Pennsylvania alone, there are more than 500 general aviation airports.
As a result of community efforts and funding, All American Airways, which later became US Airways Express inaugurated airline service to Lancaster on March 28, 1949 at the new Lancaster Municipal Airport that was dedicated on June 18, 1949. It is interesting to note that All American Airways began passenger service on their first segment, between Pittsburgh and Washington on March 7, 1949 and inaugurated service to Lancaster just three weeks later. Lancaster was the third city served by All American or as it is known today, US Airways Express.
The new Lancaster Municipal Airport was dedicated on Saturday, June 18, 1949. At the dedication, Mr. E. George Seidel received recognition for his “never surrender fight for the realization of a modern airport, served by commercial airlines.”
The community’s effort provided adequate East-West service, however Lancaster had no North-South service. The Lancaster community worked for more than four years to obtain North-South air service with no success. Finally, in January of 1953, Earl Keyser, Editor of the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal conceived the idea of sending a Conestoga Wagon to D. C. to dramatize the need for additional air service. The Conestoga Wagon with its teams of horses made the 120 mile trip to Washington D. C. and parked outside the Civil Aeronautics Board building. On the side of the wagon a large banner read: “LANCASTER NEEDS NORTH-SOUTH AIR SERVICE NOW, NOT CONESTOGA WAGONS”
Lancaster’s case was presented to the Civil Aeronautics Board by Lancaster Attorney, John W. Beyer, Mayor Kendig C. Bare and Col. J. Hale Steinman. The local efforts resulted in adequate East-West service, however Lancaster had no North-South Air Service, the local community struggled for years to obtain north-south air service. Finally, early in 1953, Earl Keyser, Editor of the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal conceived the idea of sending a Conestoga Wagon to Washington to dramatize the need for this air service. The Lancaster Newspapers and the New Holland Machine Company financed the trip. A large banner on the side of the wagon read: “LANCASTER NEEDS WASHINGTON AIR SERVICE NOW, NOT CONESTOGA WAGONS”.
As we can only imagine, it attracted a lot of attention as the Conestoga Wagon with its teams of horses made the 120 mile trip to Washington and parked outside the building where the Civil Aeronautics Board held its hearings, in January of 1953.
Lancaster’s case was presented to the Board by Lancaster Attorney, John W. Beyer, Mayor Kendig C. Bare and Col. J. Hale Steinman.
The effort was successful and Lancaster received north-south air service on June 9, 1953. This is the June 8, 1953 newspaper, as you can see, there were many sponsors of this exciting news for Lancaster County, from “Armstrong Cork Company, New Holland, now known as New Holland N.A. to small paper box companies, etc. Everyone welcomed Colonial Airlines to the Lancaster community.
Fly Lancaster It Matters To You and Your Community!
Key Traveler Benefits
- Earn 500 US Airways Dividend Miles on all Lancaster flights
- Save Time and Money
- Free Parking
- Close to Home
- Competitive Air Fares
- Lancaster’s Frequent Flyer Rewards Program!
- WIN MONTHLY PRIZES!
Key Community Benefits
- Contributes over $38 Million to the Local Economy through jobs and purchases, such as car rentals, restaurants, shopping, hotel, etc.
- Greatly enhances Lancaster County’s ability to attract new businesses
- Provides area residents & businesses easy access to the global Air Transportation System
- Emergency Services are enhanced through
- Air Search and Rescue
- Quick patient and/or organ transport