105°F
weather icon Clear
Boulder City, NV
Opinion

Come fly with me

G. Kevin Savord
G. Kevin Savord
More Stories
bcr default image
See David Copperfield but skip the bouillabaisse
bcr default image
A story of reconciliation amidst division
bcr default image
Who did more for veterans?
bcr default image
Holy smokes!
By G. Kevin Savord Boulder City Review
May 25, 2022 - 4:21 pm
 

Boulder City is rich with amenities; one of many is our public airport. Boulder City Municipal Airport dates back to the 1930s, when it was known as Bullock Airport or Bullock Field, with three runways located inside our township. (The old hangar is still standing at the airport’s former location).

Airline service began in 1936 with Grand Canyon Airways, and Trans World Airlines opened here in 1938. TWA operated several Douglas DC-3 aircraft in those years and often was seen piloted by Ernest K. Gann, an infamous pilot and author. One of Gann’s most respected novels was “The High and the Mighty,” written in 1953 and made into a movie in 1954 starring John Wayne.

TWA stopped operations in town in 1949, and the Elks lodge took over the terminal building in 1958.

As the town grew, it became necessary to relocate the airport. Today, the airport has two paved runways and plenty of tie-down space to park your airplane; it currently plays host to many private aircraft and several scenic airlines that operate both fixed-wing and helicopter operations. The airport is rich in times past and rich in times present as well. The aviation enthusiasts that base their aircraft here are nothing short of incredible.

Current airline pilots, former airline pilots, sport pilots and aircraft builders are just a short list of those participating in our airport community. When I learned to fly in Southern California in 1975, among the many places I enjoyed flying to were Henderson Airport and Boulder City Airport. In the ’70s and ’80s, both airports were small and quaint.

Boulder City Airport remains quaint and appealing, unlike Henderson, which can be very busy and now has a control tower. It is probably the best place to visit or learn to fly since it is not very busy and is away from the congestion of the often hectic Las Vegas area airports. If you have ever wanted to learn to fly conventional airplanes or helicopters or go for a ride, Boulder City is the place to be, and it sits in our very own backyard. The airport staff is friendly and accommodating.

Should you ever desire to take an airplane or helicopter ride, obtain a pilot license or pursue a career in aviation, contact me, and I’ll try to point you in the right direction.

The opinions expressed above belong solely to the author and do not represent the views of the Boulder City Review. They have been edited solely for grammar, spelling and style, and have not been checked for accuracy of the viewpoints.

G. Kevin Savord is currently a professional pilot and former small business owner. He can be reached at gksavord@gmail.com.

THE LATEST
bcr default image
See David Copperfield but skip the bouillabaisse
By Ron Eland

Last week I interviewed Seth Grabel, a very talented magician, who now calls Boulder City home. He’s featured in this week’s edition on page 2.

bcr default image
A story of reconciliation amidst division
By Bill Evans Boulder City Review

I keep going into the week when it is time for me to write a column with an idea that I know I want to write about but events keep pushing that idea further out into the future.

bcr default image
Who did more for veterans?
By Chuck Baker

Did President Joe Biden or President Donald Trump do more for America’s veterans? It all depends how one keeps score: Introduce laws? Pass laws? Do large things, or many small things? Important things, or things that were not so important?Below are two examples according to Military.com.

bcr default image
Holy smokes!
By Rod Woodbury

Two weeks ago on June 25, I received messages from panicked individuals at the Elks Lodge RV Park stating that the Boulder City Fire Department had been conducting a controlled burn that had gotten out of control.

bcr default image
July is PR Month
By Jennifer Spinkelink Parks and Recreation Department

For nearly 40 years, the nation has celebrated Park and Recreation Month in July to promote building strong, vibrant, and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation.

bcr default image
July 4 safety and awareness checklist
By Norma Vally

As we celebrate our great nation’s birthday, let’s run down this safety and awareness checklist so we can have a blast this 4th… but only the good kind.

bcr default image
“Be Kind, Be Boulder” this Fourth of July
By Joe Hardy

Happy Birthday, America! Today, we celebrate an act of autonomy and sovereignty that happened in 1776, nearly 250 years ago: the Founding Fathers signing of the Declaration of Independence established this great nation. (It would be another 155 years before Boulder City’s founders arrived to construct Hoover Dam!)

bcr default image
Ensuring fire safety at Lake Mead
By Maxwell Dotson

At Lake Mead National Recreation Area, our mission extends beyond preserving the natural beauty and recreational opportunities.

bcr default image
Independence Day in Boulder City
By Eric L. Lundgaard

I was elected to the Boulder City council long ago. Believe me, there were more exciting events that occurred during city council meetings in the mid-to-late 1980s than there are at present. We had Skokie Lennon who arrived in the council meetings while standing at the back of the room. When he had something to say he would erupt with the statement “can you hear me?” Of course we could since he was the loudest person in the room. He would say what he had to say and then leave.

bcr default image
Nothing to fear

A June 13 letter by Norma Vally claimed Pride Month in Boulder City is an example of identity politics that will cause divisiveness in our safe, kind, and welcoming town. I cannot disagree more.