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 Today’s airline travel started out as a way to deliver mail faster. |
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Before e-mail, fax machines, and overnight carrier services, the fastest way to deliver a message to someone else was to fly it there – by airmail. Commercial air travel was born out of the need for persons to get from one place to another as fast as possible - as fast as an airmail letter. Mail planes had space for a passenger or two and that started one of the world’s biggest, most lucrative businesses. |
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The first transcontinental airmail flight originated in February 1921, creating the opportunity for Des Moines to establish an airfield. This field was the embryo of our Des Moines Municipal Airport, located on SE 30th Street and Vandalia Road. It was called Des Moines Aviation Park. With the end of World War I, Army planes and engines were sold as surplus, making aviation a reality to thousands of ordinary citizens. Naturally, the popularity of airplanes meant developing facilities for the craft. So in the years between 1918 and 1926, small airfields sprang up like mushrooms around the Des Moines area:
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In 1929, the 43rd Iowa General Assembly opened the door to establishing an airport as part of the City of Des Moines when it passed an act that allowed cities to levy assessments and provide for the sale of bonds to build municipal airports. Construction began in 1932. As the 1930's depression deepened, Iowans were jobless. With the help of the Civil Works Administration, jobs were provided, funds were appropriated, and work at the airport continued. By 1933, the Des Moines Airport was opened at its new location, and with this opening the Department of Commerce had granted the Des Moines Airport an A-I-A rating, the highest attainable for a 160-acre airport. |
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Throughout the years the airport expanded from it’s modest beginning of 160 acres: to a site by the end of the 1930’s of 640 acres; to a site in the early 1970’s of just over 1,000 acres; to 1,300 acres during the 1980’s; to approximately 2,100 acres at the turn of the century; and currently, at it’s present size of 2,300 acres. A significant expansion of approximately 360 acres took place in the late 1990’s, after the airport relocated Army Post Road to a new location approximately a quarter mile to the south (Army Post Road had historically been the south boundary of the Airport and it’s relocation opened up the ability to significantly expand the airfield area). Future expansion of the Airport is planned to the west in an area that is relatively open and undeveloped yet today. The Airport originally opened with two, 1,800 feet long by 100 feet wide asphalt runways edged with concrete. By the end of the 1930’s, the Airport had four runways, the longest being the northwest/southeast runway at 5,200 feet long by 150 feet wide. By the late 1960’s, the Airport’s runway configuration consisted of the main northwest/southeast runway at 9,000 feet long by 150 feet wide; the southwest/northeast crosswind runway at 6,500 feet long by 150 feet wide; and a 3,200 feet long by 100 feet wide general aviation runway on the west side of the Airport. In 2001, the 3,200 foot long general aviation runway was closed to make room for air cargo facility expansion and to accommodate the $80 million extension of the southwest/northeast runway to its ultimate length of 9,000 feet. The southwest/northeast runway extension project was constructed as a noise compatibility project to reduce aircraft overflight of the developed areas north and east of the Airport, and is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2002. Today the Airport has two full service runways, capable of accommodating any size and type of aircraft with instrument landing systems. There are three approaches and with air traffic control services provided 24 hours per day, seven days per week. The Airport was originally operated as a part of the City of Des Moines Parks Department. In the 1960’s, it was transitioned into a separate Aviation Department within the city government to include an aviation director appointed by the city manager. In 1982, the City established an Aviation Policy Advisory Board to advise management and the City Council on airport and aviation policy. In 1986, upon advise of the Aviation Policy Advisory Board, and in recognition of the presence of the U.S. Customs office at the Airport, the City Council officially renamed the Airport the “Des Moines International Airport”. By 1984, the Airport had become a financially self-supportive, enterprise operation within the City, and to this day, continues to be financially self-supporting with an annual operating budget of over $20 million and an annual capital budget that varies from $20 to $30 million. In 1993, this advisory board was reformed into a policy making board (under Chapter 392 of the Iowa Code) to govern the operation of the Airport as an “Administrative Agency” within the city government. This seven member board, appointed by the City Council, continues to function today in it’s capacity as an Administrative Agency operating and governing the Des Moines International Airport. Throughout its history Des Moines has been an active airport, particularly in support of general aviation. Up until 1977, when aircraft operations at the Airport reached a high of over 249,000, the aircraft activities had continued to increase - primarily being driven by continued growth in general aviation activities. Since that time, despite growth in commercial aircraft activities related to airline travel and air cargo growth, overall aircraft activities have been declining due to the decrease in general aviation activities in central Iowa and across the country. This decline in the number of general aviation activities was further accelerated in the early 1990’s with the opening of the Ankeny Regional Airport, which is a general aviation airport that was constructed as a reliever airport to the Des Moines International Airport. Today, total daily aircraft activities at the airport amount to approximately 336 operations per day. This includes all major airlines, regional airlines, cargo airlines, general aviation, and military activities. By the time the Des Moines Airport was situated in its present location, United Air Lines was well established and even had its own taxi-through hangar. In 1940, Mid-Continent started its Des Moines operation with 10 and 14 passenger Lockheed planes. In 1952, without interrupting its service, Braniff Airways absorbed the company. In 1957, Ozark was the third airline to join the ranks of those serving Des Moines. During the 60's, the complexion of air travel changed. It became less casual and more security conscious as skyjacking signs appeared in airports and passengers found out that everything from belt buckles to metal frame glasses could possibly set off the beep of the magnetometer. During this period, Des Moines experienced the introduction of jet service. As early as 1963, United Airlines initiated jet service with flights to DSM using a Caravelle VIR, a twin engine jet manufactured in France. The total number of annual airline passengers using the Airport surpassed the half million mark for the first time in 1966. In the 1970’s, Des Moines welcomed several additional airlines into operation including American Airlines. Republic Airlines acquired Hughes Air West that had earlier established itself at Des Moines. In 1974, the total number of annual airline passengers using the Airport exceeded 1 million for the first time. The 1980’s saw: Frontier Airlines beginning service between Des Moines and Denver; Air Midwest initiating service between Des Moines and Kansas City; TWA service to St. Louis; America West service to Phoenix; Midway Airlines service to Chicago’s Midway Airport; and two Iowa based regional airlines providing service, Great Lakes Aviation based in Spencer and American Central Airlines based in Dubuque. In late 1986, Northwest Airlines started operations at Des Moines as a consequence of their acquisition of Republic Airlines, and TWA acquired and absorbed Ozark Airlines in 1987. By the end of the 1980’s, Des Moines was enjoying the services of six major airlines (American, America West, Midway, Northwest, TWA, and United), six regional airlines (Air Midwest, Mesaba, Great Lakes, TWA Express, Skyways, and GP Express) and annual airline passenger activity at 1.5 million for total passengers. Service expanded and dramatically changed in the 1990's. In t he first few years of the 21st century, many new airlines came into the market and a few leaving. Midway Airlines went out of business in the early 1990’s, and numerous airlines entered and left the Des Moines market during this time including: USAir; AirTran; Vanguard; and Des Moines’ own, home-based airline, AccessAir. Other airlines entered and are still in the market including: the family of Delta Connection carriers (Comair, Atlantic Southeast Airlines and Skywest Airlines); Midwest Express and their regional partner Skyways; and Chicago Express, the regional partner for ATA. In 2001, TWA was purchased and absorbed by American Airlines. Continental Express was scheduled to begin service in the Des Moines market in the summer of 2002. During
this time, the airline fleets and the mix of aircraft at Des Moines
also changed dramatically. A significant reduction in the number
of larger, airline jet aircraft, such as the Boeing 727 and 737’s,
served the Des Moines’ market. These larger aircraft were,
and are, continuing to be replaced with more flights of smaller
regional jet aircraft. Despite annual year-to-year changes,
both up and down, airline passenger activity during this period
continued a slight overall upward trend with it’s high point in
1996 at just over 1.8 million passengers, but ending 2001 with annual
passenger activity at just over 1.6 million. As of the summer
of 2002, Des Moines is enjoying the service of five major airlines
(American, America West, Midwest Express, Northwest and United)
and twelve regional airlines (Air Midwest, American Eagle, Chicago
Express, Chautauqua, Atlantic Southeast, Atlantic Coast, Comair,
Mesaba, Skyway, Continental Express, Skywest, and Express 1 Airlines). |
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Until the 1980’s, the vast majority of cargo and mail through the Airport was handled and moved in the cargo compartments of the passenger aircraft. Beginning in the early 1980’s, the Airport began to experience the movement of cargo aboard aircraft dedicated to all cargo and freight. Initially, all these cargo activities and aircraft, including companies such as SMB Stage Lines, Emery Worldwide, Orion Air, Federal Express, United Parcel Service and Airborne Express, were accommodated through, and adjacent to, the separate airline air freight buildings located on the east side of the airport, just south of the passenger terminal building. As the air-freight business began to grow, Des Moines’ air cargo facilities quickly were outgrown. In 1989, the Airport completed the construction of a 685,000 square foot aircraft apron for cargo aircraft on the south side of the Airport at a cost of $6,000,000. The apron was designed for up to six DC-8 type aircraft in a power out configuration. To support this new aircraft apron, in 1992 the Airport constructed and opened a new 11,000 square foot cargo building at a cost of over $1,000,000. The building was quickly fully leased to United Parcel Service and Federal Express and has remained leased to them to this date. In late 1996, the south air cargo apron was slightly expanded at a cost of $500,000 and in 2002 was significantly expanded and lighted at a cost of over $9,000,000. At the beginning of the 1980’s, there were just over 17,000 metric tons of air cargo being handled at the Airport. By the end of the 1980’s, that had grown to 60,000 metric tons. By the end of 2000, that number had grown to over 113,000 metric tons. |
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The initial passenger
terminal facilities at the Airport were completed in the mid-1930’s.
They consisted of a 100 foot by 140 foot municipal hangar and an
80 foot by 128 foot United Airlines hangar. A new passenger
terminal, an eye-opening edifice of burnished aluminum and glass
located on the east side of the Airport, was opened in 1950.
Renovations and expansion of that building have been ongoing since
that time. In 1959, the terminal building gained an addition
and the open concourse was enclosed to shelter passengers in inclement
weather. By the mid-1980’s, renovation and expansion of the terminal building was again underway. These improvements were highlighted with the installation of: all new airline counters; all new seating; carpeting of the concourses and portions of the main terminal area; expanded airline operating spaces; passenger boarding bridges installed at each second level boarding area; and all new, in-bound and out-bound baggage systems. In 1998, the Airport completed a new 40,000 square foot baggage claim area at a cost of over $4.8 million. By 2000, two expanded parking garages, totaling more than 1,900 parking spaces and costing over $20 million, had been completed along with; skywalks between the garages and the main terminal area; a new lobby area adjacent to the skywalk; extensive landscaping around the terminal building and the front roadway; and a remodeled and expanded restaurant and gift shop areas, both in the main terminal and on the concourse level. |
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The Airport has hosted a number of agencies and business over the years. One of the largest and longest standing such agencies has been the Iowa Air National Guard. The Iowa Air National Guard has been a proud resident of the Airport for over 60 years. Officially known as the 132nd Tactical Fighter Wing, the unit has long been recognized as one of our country’s finest Air Guard organizations. Early efforts to locate an Air Guard unit in Des Moines were led by a citizen’s committee, which was formed in May 1940, to arrange for construction of an aircraft hangar and armory building at the Des Moines Airport. This non-profit committee consisted of local business, civic and military leaders. Through the work of this committee, which included conferences in Washington D.C. and design and financing of the project, an Air Corps Squadron for Des Moines was authorized by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in January, 1941. Recruiting of members for the new unit began the following month. The 124th Observation Squadron was organized on February 25, 1941, with an allotted strength of 31 officers and 116 enlisted personnel. In September of 1941, the squadron was called to active service during World War II. After the war, the 124th was combined with the 132nd Fighter Group in an extensive re-organization of the Air Guard and these units became the 132nd Fighter Wing. The Wing was again called to active service during the Korean conflict and returned to State control in January, 1953. The early 1950’s arrival of the “Jet Age” in military aviation had a dramatic impact on the Air Guard and the Des Moines Airport. Due to the pending arrival of F-80 Fighter Jets at the Air Guard, over one million dollars of federally funded improvements were added to the Airport. The work included the addition of 1,800 feet to the main runway and 3,480 feet of taxiways to accommodate the Guard's Fighter Jets. These improvements facilitated the arrival of commercial jet service in Des Moines. Between 1962 and 1974, additional Airport improvements were made on behalf of the Air Guard to include: runway drains; 1,500 foot runway; 1,859 foot taxiway; 150 foot blast pad; 650 foot overrun; 3,900 foot overlay; runway overrun; and the visual approach slope indicator system. As the Airport has modernized, so has the Iowa Air Guard. Today, the 132nd Tactical Fighter Wing flies the F-16 Fighting Falcon, a modern front-line fighter. Since the beginning of the 124th Observation Squadron back in 1941 until today, this unit has been assigned 22 different types of aircraft. The 1,300 plus men and women of the 132nd are an integral part of the Air National Guard and Tactical Air Command structure. They maintain a strong and ready force capable of worldwide deployment. They have also been involved in all of the Mid-East conflicts to the present Iraq War. Other long-standing business on the Airport includes; United Airlines; Des Moines Flying Service (known as Signature Flying Service today); and Elliott Flying Service. Today, approximately 70 different agencies and businesses are on the Airport and employ, excluding the Iowa Air National Guard, over 1,500 people. The Airport and the businesses on the Airport, provide an annual economic impact of over $182 million to Des Moines and central Iowa.
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