The History Behind The Msy Airport Code

The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (IATA: MSY) is an international airport in Kenner, Louisiana, 11 miles west of downtown New Orleans. The airport's IATA code, MSY, stands for Moisant Stock Yards, named after aviation pioneer John Bevins Moisant, who died in a plane crash in 1910 on the land where the airport was later built.

MSY stands for Moisant Stock Yards

The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is designated by the three-letter identifier MSY. This stands for Moisant Stock Yards, honouring the aviation pioneer John Bevins Moisant (or simply John Moisant).

John Moisant was born in 1868 in Kankakee, Illinois, to French-Canadian immigrant parents. He lived in El Salvador for about a decade and became interested in aviation in 1909 when he attended the Reims Air Meeting in France. He took flying lessons and embarked on a short but remarkable career in aviation. He won numerous races and contests, and in 1909, he built and flew the first aluminium-framed aircraft. In 1910, he became the first to fly across the English Channel with a passenger. He was also known for his daring flying feats, such as being one of the first pilots to fly over cities like Paris, London, and New York.

On New Year's Eve 1910, Moisant came to New Orleans with his group of daredevil aviators. They performed aeronautical acrobatics and attempted to break the distance record for a non-stop flight. Unfortunately, his plane crashed in Kenner, which is near where the airport is now located. The land where he crashed later became a stockyard and was named Moisant Stock Yards in his honour.

In the 1940s, the City of New Orleans recognised the need for a larger airport to accommodate its growing air transportation demands. The municipal airport on the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain was no longer sufficient. The new airport was built on the land where Moisant had crashed decades earlier, and it was named Moisant Field in his memory. Commercial air service at Moisant Field began in May 1946, and it was considered one of the largest commercial airports in the nation at the time. Over the years, the airport underwent expansions and name changes, eventually becoming the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport in 2001 to honour the native musician's 100th birthday.

Named after aviator John Bevins Moisant

The MSY airport code stands for Moisant Stock Yards, named after aviator John Bevins Moisant. John Moisant was an American aviator born in Kankakee, Illinois, to French-Canadian immigrant parents. He lived in El Salvador for around ten years and, in 1909, he went to France to investigate airplanes at the request of José Santos Zelaya, the President of El Salvador.

Moisant's interest in aviation was sparked when he attended the Reims Air Meeting in France, where he took flying lessons and embarked on a short but remarkable aviation career. He won numerous races and contests, and built and flew the first all-metal-frame aircraft made of aluminium in 1909. The following year, he flew the first flight with passengers across the English Channel. He was also known for his daring flying feats, including being one of the first pilots to fly over cities like Paris, London, and New York.

John Moisant formed the Moisant International Aviators, a travelling flying circus, with his brother. The troupe performed in air shows in several cities across the United States. However, his life was tragically cut short in a plane crash near the New Orleans area on December 31, 1910. The crash occurred on land that would later become the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.

To honour his legacy, the area where he died was named the Moisant Stock Yards, and the airport's IATA code became MSY. The original name of the airport was Moisant Field, further paying tribute to the aviation pioneer.

John Moisant was known as the 'King of Aviators'

The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is assigned the code MSY, which stands for Moisant Stock Yards. The airport was originally named Moisant Field, after John Bevins Moisant, an American aviator, aeronautical engineer, flight instructor, businessman, and revolutionary. John Moisant was known as the "King of Aviators" for being the first to conduct passenger flights over a city (Paris) and the first to fly across the English Channel with a passenger.

John Moisant was born on April 25, 1868, in L'Erable, Illinois, to French-Canadian immigrants. In 1880, the family was living in Manteno, Illinois, and Moisant's father was working as a farmer. In the late 1880s, after the death of Moisant's father, the family moved to Alameda, California. In 1896, Moisant and his brothers moved to El Salvador, where they bought sugarcane plantations that generated a substantial income for the family. In 1907 and 1909, Moisant led two failed revolutions and coup attempts against President Figueroa in El Salvador. It was the proceeds from these business ventures that funded his aviation career.

Moisant entered the aviation field in 1909 as a hobby, after attending the Grande Semaine d'Aviation de la Champagne air show in Reims, France. He designed and built two aircraft between August 1909 and 1910, before he became an officially licensed pilot. His first aircraft, the Moisant Biplane, was constructed entirely from aluminum and steel and became the first all-metal aircraft in the world. However, its inaugural flight in February 1910 ended in a crash after ascending only 90 feet.

Moisant's second aircraft, the Moisant Monoplane, had difficulty staying upright on the ground and was never flown. In the spring of 1910, Moisant took flying lessons at the Blériot School in France, beginning his short but distinguished flying career. He obtained his pilot's license from the Aéro-Club de France and became the thirteenth registered pilot in the United States.

On August 9, 1910, Moisant made his third flight as a pilot, flying from Étampes to Issy-les-Moulineaux over Paris with a passenger, his mechanic. This made him the first aviator to fly a passenger over a city. That same day, he flew over Paris again with Roland Garros as his passenger. On August 17, 1910, Moisant flew the first flight with a passenger across the English Channel, with his mechanic Albert Fileux and his cat, Mademoiselle Fifi, as his passengers.

Moisant achieved several other notable feats in aviation, including winning a race at the International Aviation Meet at Belmont Park, New York, and setting a record for turning a full circle in the air in Memphis, Tennessee. He also co-founded the Moisant International Aviators, a prominent flying circus that toured the United States, Mexico, and Cuba.

On December 31, 1910, just months after becoming a trained pilot, Moisant died in an air crash near Harahan, Louisiana, while competing for the 1910 Michelin Cup. He was attempting to land at an airfield when he was caught in a gust of wind and thrown from his plane, falling about 25 feet and landing on his head. He died from a broken neck. The site of his crash is now the location of the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, originally named Moisant Field in his memory.

Moisant died in a plane crash in 1910

The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (IATA: MSY) is located in Kenner, Louisiana, and is owned by the City of New Orleans. The airport's IATA code, MSY, stands for Moisant Stock Yards, named after aviation pioneer John Bevins Moisant, who died in a plane crash in 1910.

John Moisant was an American aviator known for his daring flying feats and contributions to the early days of flight. He was born in Kankakee, Illinois, in 1868 to French-Canadian immigrant parents. In 1909, he attended the Reims Air Meeting in France and became fascinated with aviation. He took flying lessons and began a remarkable, albeit short-lived, aviation career.

Moisant quickly made a name for himself in the world of aviation. He won several races and contests, but his most impressive achievements were building and flying the first all-metal frame aircraft made of aluminium in 1909 and becoming the first to fly with passengers across the English Channel in 1910.

On New Year's Eve 1910, Moisant came to New Orleans with his travelling group of daredevil aviators. They intended to thrill the crowds with their aeronautical acrobatics and attempt to break the distance record for a nonstop flight. However, tragedy struck when Moisant's plane crashed in Kenner, near where the airport now stands.

Moisant's death shocked the aviation community and the world. As a tribute to him, the area where he died was named the Moisant Stock Yards. When the airport was built on the same site years later, it adopted the MSY code, honouring Moisant's legacy and his contributions to the world of aviation.

The airport was renamed in 2001 to honour Louis Armstrong

The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, also known by its IATA code MSY, was renamed in 2001 to honour the 100th birthday of the famous native-born musician, Louis Armstrong. The airport is located in Kenner, Louisiana, and is owned by the City of New Orleans. It is the primary commercial airport for the New Orleans metropolitan area and southeast Louisiana.

The airport's IATA code, MSY, has an interesting history that dates back to the early 20th century. The code originally stood for "Moisant Stock Yards", named after John Bevins Moisant, an aviation pioneer who played a significant role in the early days of flight. John Moisant was an American aviator known for his daring flying feats, including being one of the first pilots to fly over cities like Paris and London. Unfortunately, his life was cut short in 1910 when he died in a plane crash near the New Orleans area. The crash occurred on land that would later become the airport.

In honour of John Moisant, the area where he died was named the Moisant Stock Yards, and when the airport was built, it adopted the MSY code. The airport was originally named Moisant Field, and commercial service began in 1946. Over the years, the airport underwent expansions and renovations, and its name evolved as well. In 1960, the official name of the airport was changed from Moisant Field to the New Orleans International Airport.

In 2001, the airport was renamed once more to honour Louis Armstrong, a world-renowned jazz musician with deep ties to New Orleans. Armstrong's influence on jazz music and the cultural fabric of the city made him a fitting namesake for the airport. The decision to rename the airport symbolised the celebration of New Orleans' rich musical heritage and cultural identity.

Despite the official name change, the airport retained its IATA code MSY, preserving a connection to its historical roots and paying tribute to John Moisant's significant role in aviation history.

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