Floyd Bennett Field

Floyd Bennett Field, New York City's first municipal airport, is located in Brooklyn on Barren Island, near Gerritsen Beach. It is currently part of the Gateway National Recreation Area. The airport was dedicated June 26 1930 and opened May 23 1931. The IATA airport code is NOP.

Related Topics:
New York City - Airport - Brooklyn - Barren Island - Gerritsen Beach - Gateway National Recreation Area - June 26 - 1930 - May 23 - 1931 - IATA airport code

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New York mayor Fiorello LaGuardia pushed for Floyd Bennett to replace Newark Airport in Newark, New Jersey as the city's main air terminal. He was only able to persuade American Airlines to move its Newark operations to the new airport, and many passengers complained that Floyd Bennett was farther from Manhattan than Newark was. To keep the airport competitive, LaGuardia ordered the New York Police Department to escort limousines from the airport to the city at high speeds.

Related Topics:
Fiorello LaGuardia - Newark Airport - Newark, New Jersey - American Airlines - Manhattan - New York Police Department

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Its most storied flight was undoubtedly that of Douglas "Wrong Way" Corrigan, who, in 1938, after repeatedly being denied permission by the government to attempt a non-stop flight to Ireland, "accidentally" crossed the Atlantic on a flight registered to go to California.

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Howard Hughes also used Floyd Bennett Field as the start and finish of his record-setting circumnavigation of the globe in ninety-one hours in July 1938.

Related Topics:
Howard Hughes - July - 1938

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Later, the pilot program at Floyd Bennett was abandoned in favor of a new airport in Queens, which took advantage of the then-new Queens-Midtown Tunnel to Manhattan. This airport was quickly renamed LaGuardia Airport in recognition of the mayor's efforts to undercut Newark.

Related Topics:
Queens - Queens-Midtown Tunnel - LaGuardia Airport

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During World War II, the facility was used by the U.S. military's airlift network. The renowned pilot Eddie Schneider died in a training crash on the tarmac in 1940. The Navy deactivated it in 1971. In 1972 it became part of Gateway National Recreation Area, and is now administered by the National Park Service.

Related Topics:
World War II - Eddie Schneider - Navy - 1971 - 1972 - National Park Service

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The runway is long closed, but it is very occasionally reopened for airshows. The NYPD has some division located on the old base. The Department's Aviation base, with its fleet of Bell Jet Ranger helicopters is located there, as well as the headquarters for the NYPD Special Operations Division. The Driver Training Unit is also located out there, using an abandonded runway to teach new and veteran officers on the many different vehicles of the department.

Related Topics:
Runway - Airshow - NYPD

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Since 1995, Floyd Bennett Field has been the site of the annual Gateway to the Nations - New York City Native American Heritage Celebration organized by the Redhawk Native American Arts Council.

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The producers of The Godfather used the runway for that film's famous scene where James Caan is murdered by gunmen at a toll booth.

Related Topics:
The Godfather - James Caan - Toll booth

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Far from the city lights, the airfield offers perhaps the best dark sky site in the five boroughs. The Amateur Astronomers Association of New York meets there one night a month from May to December for observing sessions.

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This airport should not be confused with Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport (ICAO code KGFL), which is an active airport located in Queensbury, New York about fifty miles north of Albany.

Related Topics:
ICAO - Queensbury, New York - Albany

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