Aviation in Arkansas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The first aeronautical event in Arkansas was the flight of a balloon around 1870 in Yell county. The first heavier than air flight was by James C. “Bud” Mars on 21 May 1910.[1]
Commercial– primary4
Commercial– non-primary2
General aviation71
Other public-use airports22
| Aviation in Arkansas | |
|---|---|
| Aviation in the United States | |
 Arkansas State Flag | |
| Airports | |
| Commercial – primary | 4 |
| Commercial – non-primary | 2 |
| General aviation | 71 |
| Other public-use airports | 22 |
| Military and other airports | 3 |
| First flight | |
| 1870 - Hot air balloon | |
Events
- July 1930, Walter Herschel Beech, founder of Beechcraft has an offer rejected to build a factory in Arkansas City, Arkansas, instead building the company in Wichita, Kansas.[2]
- September 19, 1980, a major mishap occurred after a socket rolled off a platform and punctured a Titan II Stage I fuel tank, subsequently causing the entire silo to explode, killing an Air Force airman, SrA David Livingston, and destroying the silo near Damascus, Arkansas.[3] A "B" grade television movie portrays this event, "Disaster at Silo 7".[4]
- 1 April 1981 Arkansas native, J. Lynn Helms is appointed as director of the FAA, serving through the 1981 Controller strike[5]
Aircraft Manufacturers
- Dassault Aviation maintains a final assembly facility in Little Rock, Arkansas for its Falcon series of jets.
Aerospace
Airports
Commercial Service
Organizations
- The Arkansas Aerospace Alliance is part of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission.[6]
Government and Military
Museums
- Arkansas Air & Military Museum, Fayetteville, Arkansas
- Fort Smith Air Museum, Fort Smith, Arkansas[8]