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.