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Greenport
Long Island Airport??
The following article is an excerpt from the AOPA
page in the September 1940 issue of Popular
Aviation. The article discusses how the AOPA was
instrumental in the formation of civilian pilots
into the Air Guard.
As proof of what may be done with an organization
of civilian pilots, AOPA assisted by several
other organizations, including the U.S. Power
Squadrons, Relief Wings, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S.
Navy, amateur radio operators, Aerial Nurses Corp
and others, ran a mass mobilization
"hurricane disaster" problem on July 7
at Greenport, L.I. The operation was based on a
simulated condition, although the eastern end of
Long Island and New England remember well the
real hurricane disaster two years ago. 
Three days before AOPA practice disaster
flight,
the Greenport, L.I., airport was covered with six
feet
of rye. Fifty-four of 87 planes that made the
flight are shown.
In brief, 87
airplanes and over 300 pilots and aviation
personnel responded. A network of over 100
amateur radio stations including W2CEN located at
Greenport and W2USA, the New York World’s
Fair radio station, participated by getting word
to the pilots, transmitting their flight plans
and sending many other important dispatches.
Like all "firsts" we know that there
was room for improvement. It was very pleasing,
however, to have such a splendid turnout of ships
for a flight of this kind. Here was proof that
the "non-sked" can file and follow a
flight plan! Although ships from six different
states participated, the greatest variance in
arrival time was only 14 minutes and this on a
flight over 300 miles with an intermediate
mission to complete. Pilots filed their
"estimated time of arrival" via amateur
radio and their actual arrival time was compared
with the plan filed at the beginning of the
flight.
No report on the Greenport flight, however brief,
would be complete without mentioning the grand
six plane formation flight completed by the
Philadelphia Pylon Club members. This flight came
in within five minutes of their estimated time of
arrival from Norristown, Pa., with 10 boxes of
Johnson & Johnson medical supplies that they
picked up at an intermediate stop at Hadley Field
in New Jersey.
At just a minute or so past their estimated time
of arrival they sailed over the field in a
perfect double "V" formation, then into
an eschelon left and finally into a line
formation. Then, much to the amazement of
military observers, a perfect staggered formation
landing! A spontaneous ovation greeted the flyers
when they stepped from their neat line of
Taylorcrafts. We were proud, too, because the
Pylon Club has been working out the actual flying
work in the two star Air Guard course; sort of
running out the "bugs." If July 7 were
any indication, the Air Guard training for pilots
is really going to go places.
The Township of Southold provided a free
breakfast; boat ride and other courtesies after
the serious side of the flight had been
completed. We understand that the field that AOPA
opened at Greenport as a "one day"
affair has become so popular with pilots that an
attempt is being made to keep it open during the
summer season for transients and flying
weekenders. Swimming 300 feet from the landing
area!
Do any members remember this field? Did it last
long?
Back
©
2004 The Long Island Early Fliers Club, P.O. Box
221, Bethpage, NY 11714-0221 • info@longislandearlyfliers.org
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