He said build it here.

Why are airports located where they are?  I cover one aviation legend from the Best Aerospace Era who selected the location of our airports.

Transcript

Paula: 0:00

For the Best Aerospace Era this is mansplaining. Here is the host Anthony L Sealey.

0:08

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome. Today we start with a question. According to the FAA, 2, 900, 000 people fly in and out of U. S. airports every day. How many of those people thought to themselves during the takeoff and landing, why is this airport located right here? Most likely, not many. But we're going to attempt to answer that very question. The largest and busiest airport in the world, serving 2, 100 arrivals and departures daily. To 150 domestic and 70 international destinations, Hartsville Jackson Atlanta International Airport, ATL, is located on land that was once a racetrack more than a hundred years ago. Why is that? And what does any of this have to do with a man named Eddie Rickenbacker? A major theme of Eddie Rickenbacker's life was that he was always on the move. He was born in Columbus, Ohio in 1890, a time of great change in America. Benjamin Harrison was president, and this was the height of the Industrial Revolution. The battle over electrical current between Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla was being fought. Andrew Carnegie and the Carnegie Steel Company rose to prominence providing steel for skyscrapers and other infrastructure across the country. Andy Rickenbacker, however, did not grow up in a skyscraper or have electricity in his childhood home in Columbus, Ohio. He learned to speak German and English at a young age as both of his parents were German speaking immigrants from Switzerland. Rickenbacker was a third of eight children, and in his rebellious years, he and his gang of friends would go around town and break glass burning globe lights for fun. He developed a strong interest for automobiles in his early teens when he saw a Ford Roundabout for the first time. He had worked at a few jobs by this time in his early teens, but now he wanted to be involved in this new automobile industry. He soon got a job at Evans Garage in town that repaired bicycles, and occasionally, automobiles. Little did he know, about 75 miles west in Dayton, Ohio, Wilbur and Orville Wright also ran a bicycle repair business, while working out the details on a pet project that would make history. But that's a story for another episode. Eddie Rickenbacker was not content with just working on cars. He started out as a riding mechanic, as almost all race cars in the early 1900s had two seats. One for the driver, and one for the mechanic that rode along. An intense competitor by nature, Rickenbacker was not content by just riding shotgun. His experience of repairing and maintaining automobiles would prove invaluable in his future racing career. Rickenbacker eventually made his way to the driver's seat and discovered he was really good at it. He traveled all over the country and won races in Tacoma, Washington, Sioux City, Iowa, Elgin, Illinois, Omaha, Nebraska, and even Los Angeles, California. He even raced at the most famous speedway in the world, Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He never won the, as he calls it, the Big 500. However, one of his most exciting races happened there at a Labor Day 100 race in 1916. He was in the lead going into the last turn when he says in his biography, The right rear tire blew. I skidded to the right. The car began to spin. Tires and wheels were spinning off in every direction. He somehow was able to get his car out of the spin and pointed right at the finish line. However, after regaining control of his car, he had lost the lead. Among the cheers from the crowd after he finished the race in his crippled car, an official came up to him and said, That was the most spectacular show I've ever seen. And Rickenbacker responded, I hope you never see one like it again. He must not have enjoyed that. If you ever have done a 360 after hitting black ice on the highway, you might imagine how it must have felt. For anyone who has not been to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it is massive and definitely has the historic impression of a special place. It is easy to get starstruck just by being there whether you are into racing or not. Rickenbacker felt the same. He would later own and operate Indianapolis Motor Speedway years later, but we were getting way ahead of ourselves here. At this point in his life, Rickenbacker had fame, some money, and traveled all over the country doing what he loved in racing cars. What more could you want? As much as he loved racing, a new adventure got his attention when one day he saw an airplane parked next to a hangar in a grass field while in Southern California. In the same way, his first encounter with a Ford Runabout in his youth captured his attention and his ambition. A conversation with a pilot and a short plane ride convinced him that aviation was going to be his next big adventure. Soon after, Rickenbacker joined the U. S. Army with his sights on becoming a fighter pilot. Name one of the top race car drivers from NASCAR, IndyCar, or Formula One today. Can you imagine one of them giving up their racing careers? In order to become a fighter pilot. While Reichenbacher was racing across the U. S., a world away in Europe, a conflict continued to build in what was known at the time as the War to End All Wars. It was a war like no other in history because the conflict was fought on land, sea, and air. Early in the war, he says, aviation had been used almost entirely for observation, but swift changes had been taking place. The airplane was developing into a weapon in its own right. That makes sense, right? Why not try and shoot down the enemy's observation plane while you're up there, observing the position of your enemy's army? As this predates the creation of the Air Force by three decades, airplanes and flying was under the jurisdiction of the U. S. Army Signal Corps. Rickenbacker joined the Army and was used as a driver for another future aviation legend named William Billy Mitchell, who was a colonel at the time. If you had a famous racing driver under your command, then of course you would have him drive you around. Rickenbacker's connection to Mitchell and his background as an automobile engineer and racing driver helped him get the opportunity he was looking for. There, however, was a problem. The year is 1917 and Rickenbacker was 27 years old and the cutoff age for flight school in France was 25. Most early aviators at the beginning of flight did not live past the age of 25 in the first place. That's how dangerous flying was either in combat or not in combat. It just so happened, though, that the doctor who performed the physicals of potential pilots was a racing fan, and was aware of Rickenbacker's reputation. The doctor put his date of birth down as 1892, changing his age to 25, making him eligible. How awesome is that? After only 25 flying hours of flight training in Isidème, France, Rickenbacker became a First Lieutenant in the Signal Corps. He also had to complete aerial gunnery school to become a combat pilot. This was where he said, I had only shot a gun twice before in my life, and at first I did not come close to the target. His aim and confidence would improve as you will see. In March of 1918, Rickenbacker was dispatched to one of the earliest All American squadrons, the 94th Aerial Pursuit Squadron. They were stationed at the Aerial Dome near Villanueva, France. This was 15 miles back from the front line. Once the squadron received all of their gear, uniforms, and ammo, they contemplated on what kind of insignia they wanted to put on their planes. A Lieutenant Walters suggested the custom of throwing your hat into the ring, indicating you were ready to fight. That's a good metaphor representing the U. S. joining the Great War, right? Much different than his troublesome childhood gang back in Columbus, the Hat in the Ring gang was born. On Reichenbacher's first mission, he flew an unarmed Newport 28. The Newport 28 was a French built biplane with a 160 horsepower, nine cylinder engine that the Allies used. They could be equipped with twin Vickers machine guns. The Newport 28, however, had a fatal flaw that Reichenbacher would later experience himself. He described the theater of the Great War he saw below him. Below us was a scene that was appalling. Armies have been fighting over this once beautiful farmland for more than three years. What was left was a wasteland. Not a house, not a barn, not a tree was left standing. Rickenbacker described many missions he flew with the Hat in the Ring gang in his biography. His first confirmed victory or kill came on one mission where, after spying a German false airplane, The FALTZ aircrafts were German biplane fighters. He and his wingman, Jimmy Hall, used the sun as cover before they attacked. Hall attacked the German first, and Rickenbacker was ready to cut him off once the German FALTZ maneuvered to escape. He says, I had my sights trained on the back of his seat. I pressed both triggers. I could see the two streaks of fire pouring into the FALTZ tail assembly. I held the triggers down and pulled back on the stick slightly, lifting the nose of the airplane. I could see the stream of fire climbing the fuselage into the pilot's seat. The faults curved down and crashed. His first aerial combat victory. During their downtime between missions, Rickenbacker and the other members of the Hat in the Ring gang would share stories and talk about different aerial maneuvers. He credits these discussions for his success in the survival during the war. One pilot he remembered most was a French American named Raoul Leferbie. He was an American ace of aces with 17 victories. Leferbie, however, would not live to see the end of the Great War. More on him in the future. In order to become an ace, combat pilots must have five confirmed victories, or more commonly referred to as kills. For a victory or kill to be official, the downed enemy plane had to either be witnessed on the allied side, or confirmed by those on the ground. On one mission, when Rickenbacker was flying solo over enemy territory, he spotted three German Albatross biplane fighters. As he came up behind the three, he said in his biography, A pilot in front of me turned his head to look behind him. I saw the sun glint off his glasses. Rickenbacker followed them in a dive of at least 150 miles an hour. He hit one of the German albatrosses with a 10 second burst of machine gun fire. The force of the dive ripped one of the linings off of one of his wings. Which is known to happen to the Newport biplanes in a steep dive. His plane was crippled and the other Germans began to attack. Just as Rickenbacker was able to bring his car out of a spin and across the finish line at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway years ago, he was able to get his plane out of a tailspin and horizontal once again, and make it across no man's land and back to friendly territory. He prayed and talked to his Newport the entire way back to base. After a crash landing, he said, I swung out of the bullet ridden little crate and tried to saunter nonchalantly towards the hangar as though I came in like that every day. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how an aviation legend walks away from a crash landing. After this miraculous landing, news had come that the Albatross crashed over the Allies line, so it could be confirmed. It was Rickenbacker's fifth, making him an ace. Rickenbacker would later fly the Superior SPAD 13 biplane. The SPAD had a more powerful V 8 220 horsepower engine. It also can handle dives at a higher speed. I recently saw the Newport and SPAD fighter planes at the National Museum of U. S. Air Force. I really can't explain why, but as an aerospace enthusiast, I really liked the look of the SPAD. The war to end all wars was over on November the 11th, 1918. Reichenbacher had encountered 134 combat situations in the air. Before the war was over, Reichenbacher would have 26 confirmed victories and was given the title the American Ace of Aces. And let's not forget that he and the Hat in the Ring gang faced off against the famous Red Baron himself, Manfred von Richthofen, in the Flying Circus. At the beginning of the Roaring Twenties, Warren G. Harding was president, women gained the right to vote, prohibition was enacted, and Rickenbacker once again traveled the nation, but this time as a war hero, the American Ace of Aces. Eddie Rickenbacker was promoted to the rank of Major. However, he preferred the title of Captain, as that was the rank he earned as a leader in the 94th. When Rickenbacker first came home in 1919, he was sent on tour with the Liberty Bond Drive. It included a lot of speeches, the press, and politicians. This was something he did not care for at all. He said, When the war was over, I sometimes wondered which was worse, combat or the onslaught of well wishers and hero worshippers. After the tour was over, he was released from the army and could pursue other interests. Ever since he was a young teenager, Rickenbacker had an ambition that stuck with him through his time in the Great War. He wanted to create an automobile of his own using his expertise as a racer. He reached out to some contacts in Detroit. His childhood dream came true just a few years later. The Rickenbacker Motor Company made its debut with three models at an auto show in New York in 1922. The slogan, a car worthy of its name. The hood ornament of his cars had the hat in the ring insignia. In order to set up a dealership network across the country, Rickenbacker would once again move about the country, this time as a businessman. You may be wondering, what does any of this have to do with the location of our airports today? Let's get into that. As much as he loved cars, racing, and the automobile industry, he saw the potential of aviation after his time as an ace fighter pilot. Rickenbacker made it his mission in every city he visited to observe their aviation facilities or lack thereof. He said, I hit the lack of aviation facilities and I hit it hard. He made it very clear that a city with an airport would prosper and a city that did not. would be left behind. Most airports in the early, mid 20's were only set up for air mail service. Rickenbacker rode along with these airmail pilots. He knew that air transportation had much more potential. Here is a quote that is the theme for this entire episode. He said in his biography, In about 25 major cities, I was directly instrumental in convincing the city officials to buy land for the development of airports. I picked the sites in many cities, and in some communities, the only areas close to the hearts of the cities were the speedways. As I said before, the busiest airport in the world, 23 out of the last 24 years, Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport, was built on a speedway. It was called Candler Raceway after Asa Candler, who built and financed its construction in 1909. I am myself very familiar with Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport because this is where I first began my career in the aviation industry. Asa Candler, as you may know, was the founder of the Coca Cola Company after he purchased the recipe and brand back in 1892. Remember that next time you're having a coke waiting on your connecting flight in the Atlanta airport. It was a two mile oval racetrack. There were some great images of Candler Raceway and where the track was in relation to where the Atlanta runways are today on the website sunshineskies. com. The raceway was also referred to as Atlanta Motor Speedway. The same name as the track currently used for NASCAR and IndyCar races in Hampton, Georgia, just 25 miles south of the Atlanta airport. Coke Racing? Airplanes? It's hard to get more Georgia than that. Another major airport serving 136 domestic and 27 international destinations, Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport, MSP, was built on a speedway called Twin City Motor Speedway, also called Snelling Speedway. It was later known as Speedway Field in the 1920s when it began to be used as an airport. It was a two mile concrete speedway. In his biography, Rickenbacker said he raced at St. Paul, Minnesota, where during one race, my car did a complete flip. I bounced out of the seats, as we did not use safety belts, and landed on the track. The track and the land around it was acquired by the city of Minneapolis in 1928, with the intent to become an airport that it is today. One important city for Rickenbacker's racing career was Sioux City, Iowa. He stated in his biography The Sioux City Speedway, where I had won my first big race with the Duesenberg team, was turned into an airport, Rickenbacker Airport. I was having trouble finding any information about this airport, so I contacted the Sioux City Museum and Historical Association, who promptly responded. They sent me an article about the 4th of July race in 1914 that attracted 50, 000 spectators. Eddie Rickenbacker was a relatively unknown driver before this victory. Another article they sent was a 1929 newsletter from the Chamber of Commerce regarding the renovations to make a first class airport. It states, Let us christen it Rickenbacker Airport, whose heroic deeds as a flying ace during World War, and whose words and acts since the war have been an inspiration to the development of aviation. Today it's called Graham Field Airport, 7K7, a small, privately owned airport. It, is just off Rickenbacker Road. If you look at a satellite view of Graham Field, you can almost see the impression of where the track once was. I would like to thank Thomas Munson and the Sioux City Museum and Historical Association for their contribution. As you would imagine, there is an airport currently named after him today, which is LCK Rickenbacker International Airport, in his home state and city of Columbus, Ohio. It was originally named Lockburn Army Air Base in 1942, but was renamed in 1974. Speaking of his home state of Ohio, Cleveland was a city he visited several times at the request of city manager William R. Hopkins to select a site for an airport. A few sites were considered, but Rickenbacker encouraged Hopkins and the city officials to purchase a particular site with 1, 000 acres. Rickenbacker knew that air transportation was going to be a major industry in the future and would require bigger facilities and longer runways in the future. Rickenbacker, founded in 1925. Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, CLE, is there today and serves 10 million passengers annually. Rickenbacker even spoke in the nation's capital to the Washington Board of Trade in 1928. Here is a short excerpt from that speech. The fact that Washington does not have an airport and is not participating in the progress of today is a source of shame to every Washington citizen, member of Congress, and the entire country at large. Transportation is life itself. Wherever you find rapid means of transportation and communication, we find happiness, peace, and prosperity. I agree with that. He says soon after his speech, land was reclaimed from the Potomac River for an airport. If you look at a map today, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, DCA, is located along the Potomac River and serves over 11. 5 million as of 2022. I wrote this episode before the mid air collision between American Airlines RJ and the Blackhawk helicopter in January of 2025 at DCA. I just want to say that tragic accidents like this hit those that work in the airlines very hard. I'm sure that's the same for those in the military. We will not forget the ones we've lost. Now let's learn from it so it doesn't happen again. One city that was reluctant to aviation and his recommendations was Houston, Texas. In the 1930s, Rickenbacker, at a social gathering of 1, 200 of Houston's most influential people, said, With all your talk of Texas and Houston, you still haven't even thought of an airport. Your city is going to be as dead as a community which ignores the railroad a hundred years ago. The press at the event heeded his words and pressured city officials. A site was selected and an airport was built, however, Rickenbacker thought it was a terrible location because of frequent fog and other air visibility problems caused by a nearby plant. He and a local businessman recommended an alternative site. Houston City officials, however, ignored this proposal. I believe this is Houston Hobby Airport, the city's oldest commercial airport. It was originally a landing field in 1927 before being purchased by the city and expanded in 1937, which would be after Rickenbacker's speech. If the city officials had followed Rickenbacker's proposed location for an airport, maybe Houston's other major airport, George Bush Intercontinental Airport, IAH, founded in the 1960s, may not have been necessary. Whether it was businessmen, city officials, or regular citizens of the time, they took his message to heart. In many cities, which is why you see airports like San Francisco International Airport, SFO, Chicago Midway International Airport, MDW, Los Angeles International Airport, LAX, just to name a few, were all founded in the 1920s. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, PHX, was founded in 1928. And just to give you an idea of how long ago this was, Arizona only became a state 16 years prior. We are talking about events that happened around 100 years ago. Some airports, like Louis Armstrong, New Orleans International Airport, MSY, Nashville International Airport, BNA, or even Indianapolis International Airport, IND, have moved operations to new facilities and locations for one reason or another. Some airports were abandoned and long forgotten. Your neighborhood or your workplace may be located near a former airport. There is a website called airfieldsfreeman. com that has been in operation since 1999. That shows long forgotten airports all across the country. I recommend you check it out. A hundred years ago, he envisioned and advocated for the air transportation industry that we have today. Where I said before, according to the FAA, 2, 900, 000 people fly from one city to another daily, and has 5, 400 flights in the air during peak operation times. The air transportation industry employs millions, including ramp agents, customer service agents, mechanics, flight attendants, pilots, that make it all possible. It also produces 488 billion in earnings annually. I'm not going to say that all airport locations are on a site that Eddie Rickenbacker pointed his finger at and said, if you build it, planes will come. He most certainly was not the only aviation legend advocating for airports after the Great War. However, the fingerprints of Eddie Rickenbacker's legacy can be seen today. Do you work at or fly in and out of an airport that is connected to Eddie Rickenbacker or another aviation legend from the best aerospace era? Eddie Reichenbacher's story is far from over. After his automobile business venture began to fail in the highly competitive auto industry of the 1920s, he set his sights back to the sky. We will continue Eddie Reichenbacher's story in a future episode. This is Anthony L. Seeley, thank you so much for listening, and remember, there's always a light at the end of the runway.

Paula: 29:43

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