General DeWitt Spain Airport
Encyclopedia
General DeWitt Spain Airport is a civil, public airport
located five miles (8 km) northwest of the central business district
of Memphis
, a city in Shelby County
, Tennessee
, United States
. It is owned and operated by the Memphis - Shelby County Airport Authority.
In 1959, Memphis Downtown Airport was put into service about where Mud Island Park is today to service the general aviation
community. It had the slogan: “You’re strictly uptown when you land downtown.” A ferry boat took travelers from the Island to the cobblestones, and then it was just a short walk to the offices of Memphis’ city center. Private pilots who worked downtown and business travelers had the perfect arrangement. By 1961, 30 planes were landing per day, according to newspaper reports.
By the mid 1960’s Interstate 40 was scheduled to cross the Island. Airport owners fought the I-40 Bridge, but in August, 1970, the last plane departed the island airport. Quickly the airport authority purchased available land just to the north of the island so downtown commuters could once again have their landing strip back. The following May, Memphis Downtown Airport was replaced by General DeWitt Spain Airport, honoring local war hero General DeWitt Spain who died in 1969. It has been and still is an active general aviation airport.
runway. Its weight limitation for a single wheel is 25,000 lbs. The pattern for runway 17 is a right-hand pattern due to some 649-foot (AMSL) towers to the northeast of the field.
The Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority operates the FBO and it is run by Airport Manager Walter Cathey.
General DeWitt Spain Airport is home to Downtown Aviation. Downtown Aviation is both an extensive maintenance service and a flight school with pilot training from private pilot to flight instructor
and additionally provides aircraft rental service. They also have courses in learning aerobatics and flying tail-wheel airplanes. Downtown Aviation has a sizable fleet of Cessna
aircraft. Downtown Aviation also has a Piper Arrow, a Boeing Stearman
, a Beechcraft Dutchess, and a Super Decathlon.
General DeWitt Spain Airport is home to Helicopters Inc, a Part 91 helicopter
service. Helicopters Inc does aerial imaging, tours, pipeline and power line inspections, and video around the Mid-South
. They operate one Enstrom F28A helicopter.
General DeWitt Spain Airport does not have a control tower, but pilots operating out of the airport can receive radar service from Memphis International Airport
.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located five miles (8 km) northwest of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, a city in Shelby County
Shelby County, Tennessee
Shelby County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the state's largest both in terms of population and geographic area, with a population of 927,644 at the 2010 census...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is owned and operated by the Memphis - Shelby County Airport Authority.
History
General DeWitt Spain Airport began as an idea in 1928 when the Memphis Chamber of Commerce Engineering Committee suggested turning Mud Island into Memphis’ Airport. They decided against that location for a main airport and moved Memphis International Airport to its current location in South Memphis. However, the idea apparently did not fade.In 1959, Memphis Downtown Airport was put into service about where Mud Island Park is today to service the general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
community. It had the slogan: “You’re strictly uptown when you land downtown.” A ferry boat took travelers from the Island to the cobblestones, and then it was just a short walk to the offices of Memphis’ city center. Private pilots who worked downtown and business travelers had the perfect arrangement. By 1961, 30 planes were landing per day, according to newspaper reports.
By the mid 1960’s Interstate 40 was scheduled to cross the Island. Airport owners fought the I-40 Bridge, but in August, 1970, the last plane departed the island airport. Quickly the airport authority purchased available land just to the north of the island so downtown commuters could once again have their landing strip back. The following May, Memphis Downtown Airport was replaced by General DeWitt Spain Airport, honoring local war hero General DeWitt Spain who died in 1969. It has been and still is an active general aviation airport.
Facilities and aircraft
Runway 17/35 is a 3,800 × 75 ft (1,158 × 23 m) asphaltAsphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
runway. Its weight limitation for a single wheel is 25,000 lbs. The pattern for runway 17 is a right-hand pattern due to some 649-foot (AMSL) towers to the northeast of the field.
The Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority operates the FBO and it is run by Airport Manager Walter Cathey.
General DeWitt Spain Airport is home to Downtown Aviation. Downtown Aviation is both an extensive maintenance service and a flight school with pilot training from private pilot to flight instructor
Flight instructor
A flight instructor is a person who teaches others to fly aircraft. Specific privileges granted to holders of a flight instructor qualification vary from country to country, but very generally, a flight instructor serves to enhance or evaluate the knowledge and skill level of an aviator in pursuit...
and additionally provides aircraft rental service. They also have courses in learning aerobatics and flying tail-wheel airplanes. Downtown Aviation has a sizable fleet of Cessna
Cessna
The Cessna Aircraft Company is an airplane manufacturing corporation headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, USA. Their main products are general aviation aircraft. Although they are the most well known for their small, piston-powered aircraft, they also produce business jets. The company is a subsidiary...
aircraft. Downtown Aviation also has a Piper Arrow, a Boeing Stearman
Boeing Stearman
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Avis, Jim and Bowman, Martin. Stearman: A Pictorial History. Motorbooks, 1997. ISBN 0-76030-479-3.* Bowers, Peter M. Boeing Aircraft since 1916. London:Putnam, 1989. ISBN 0-85177-804-6....
, a Beechcraft Dutchess, and a Super Decathlon.
General DeWitt Spain Airport is home to Helicopters Inc, a Part 91 helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
service. Helicopters Inc does aerial imaging, tours, pipeline and power line inspections, and video around the Mid-South
Mid-South
Mid-South may refer to:*The East South Central States*The region centered on the Memphis and Little Rock MSAs, including portions of West Tennessee, northern Mississippi, and northeastern Arkansas, as well as the Missouri Bootheel and extreme northwestern Alabama; see Memphis metropolitan...
. They operate one Enstrom F28A helicopter.
General DeWitt Spain Airport does not have a control tower, but pilots operating out of the airport can receive radar service from Memphis International Airport
Memphis International Airport
Memphis International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Memphis, a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States....
.
External links
- http://www.generaldewittspainairport.com/default.htm (official site)
- http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/aeronautics/airports/MEMPHIS_47.htm Tennessee Dept. of Transportation's page for M01.
- http://www.devingreaney.com/dewitt_spain_airport_from_memphi.htm An article about M01.
- http://www.downtownaviation.com/index.php Downtown Aviation's website