Ruth Haines
Howard Hughes Municipal Airport was located in Houston, Texas. The airport was originally named Houston Municipal Airport and was opened in June 1927 by W.T. Carter, Jr. through his company, the Houston Airport Corporation. In 1938, Howard Hughes visited Houston to celebrate setting a new speed record by flying around the world in 91 hours. The city announced the renaming of Houston Municipal Airport to Howard Hughes Municipal Airport. However, the name change was short-lived as city leaders soon learned that the airport no longer qualified for federal grant money as long as it was named after a living person. The airport's name was quickly changed back to Houston Municipal Airport, and it later became known as William P. Hobby Airport in 1967.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Howard Hughes Municipal Airport |
| Location | Houston, Texas |
| Year of Activation | 1942 |
| Purpose | Training pilots of the Women's Army Service |
| Year of Deactivation | 1943 |
| Current Name | William P. Hobby Airport |
| Location of Current Name | 7 mi (11 km) from downtown Houston |
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What You'll Learn
Howard Hughes Municipal Airport was once named Houston Municipal Airport
In July 1938, Howard Hughes set a new speed record by flying around the world in 91 hours. He visited Houston to celebrate his achievement, and the city announced that they would rename their municipal airport after him. However, just a few months later, city leaders learned that the airport would no longer qualify for federal grant money as long as it bore the name of a living person. As a result, the airport's name was quickly changed back to Houston Municipal Airport.
In 1940, a new air terminal was opened at the airport, serving as the administration building and supporting airline and traffic control operations. The airport was activated in November 1942 to train pilots of the Women's Army Service Pilots, but it was deactivated in May 1943 when the mission was transferred to Sweetwater Army Air Field in Texas. Over time, the airport underwent several name changes and renovations.
Today, the airport is known as the William P. Hobby Airport, named after the 27th Governor of Texas. It is an international airport located 7 miles from downtown Houston and is the city's oldest commercial airport. The airport has undergone significant developments, including the opening of a new Hobby Airport concourse in 2008 and the construction of a new international terminal in 2013, reintroducing international operations to the airport.
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The airport was renamed after Howard Hughes in 1938
The Howard Hughes Municipal Airport was located in Houston, Texas. The airport was renamed after Howard Hughes in 1938.
The history of the airport began in June 1927 when W.T. Carter, Jr. opened an airfield named after himself. Ten years later, in 1937, the City of Houston purchased the W.T. Carter Field and renamed it the Houston Municipal Airport. In July 1938, Howard Hughes set a new speed record by flying around the world in 91 hours. To celebrate this achievement, Houston invited Hughes to the city. During his visit, the city announced that the Houston Municipal Airport would be renamed the Howard Hughes Municipal Airport.
However, this name change was short-lived. Soon after the announcement, city leaders discovered that the airport would no longer be eligible for federal grant money as long as it bore the name of a living person. As a result, the airport's name was quickly changed back to the Houston Municipal Airport. Despite the reversal, the airport still played a significant role in aviation history.
In November 1942, the airport was activated as the Howard Hughes Airport to train pilots of the Women's Army Service Pilots. Unfortunately, this activation was short-lived as well, with the airport being deactivated in May 1943 when the mission was transferred to the Sweetwater Army Air Field in Texas.
Over time, the airport underwent several name changes and expansions. In 1967, the Houston Municipal Airport was renamed the William P. Hobby Airport, and in 1969, it became a secondary airport for domestic airline service and a centre for corporate and private aviation with the opening of the Houston Intercontinental Airport (now known as the George Bush Intercontinental Airport). Despite these changes, the airport continued to honour Howard Hughes's legacy through its operations and contributions to aviation.
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The name change was short-lived due to federal grant ineligibility
Howard Hughes Municipal Airport was located in Houston, Texas. The airport was originally named Houston Municipal Airport, but in 1938, the city of Houston renamed it after Howard Hughes, an American business magnate, following his record-setting flight around the world in 91 hours.
However, the name change was short-lived. City leaders soon learned that the airport was no longer eligible for federal grant money as long as it bore the name of a living person. As a result, the airport's name was quickly changed back to Houston Municipal Airport, just months after it had been renamed.
The history of the airport dates back to 1927 when W.T. Carter, Jr. opened an airfield named after himself. Ten years later, in 1937, the City of Houston purchased the W.T. Carter Field and renamed it Houston Municipal Airport. The airport was used to train pilots of the Women's Army Service Pilots during World War II, from its activation in November 1942 until May 1943, when the mission was transferred to Sweetwater Army Air Field in Texas.
Over the years, the airport underwent several name changes and expansions. In 1940, the Air Terminal opened, serving as the administration building and supporting airline and traffic control operations. In 1967, the airport was renamed William P. Hobby Airport after the 27th Governor of Texas. The opening of the Houston Intercontinental Airport in 1969 caused a shift in services, and Hobby Airport was temporarily closed. However, it was later reopened as a secondary airport and continues to serve as an important aviation hub in Houston.
Today, the former Hughes Airport in California is occupied by the Playa Vista development, and the hangar where Hughes created the "Spruce Goose" has been preserved and is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Buildings.
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The airport is now called William P. Hobby Airport
The Howard Hughes Airport in Houston, Texas, was activated in November 1942 to train pilots of the Women's Army Service Pilots. However, it was deactivated in May 1943 when the mission was transferred to Sweetwater Army Air Field in Texas. The airfield that would become Howard Hughes Municipal Airport was originally established in June 1927 by W.T. Carter, Jr., who opened an airfield named after himself. In 1937, the City of Houston purchased the W.T. Carter Airfield and renamed it Houston Municipal Airport. After Howard Hughes set a new speed record by flying around the world in 91 hours in July 1938, he visited Houston to celebrate, and the city announced the renaming of Houston Municipal Airport to Howard Hughes Municipal Airport. However, the name change was short-lived, as city leaders soon learned that the airport no longer qualified for federal grant money as long as it was named after a living person. Thus, the airport's name was quickly changed back to Houston Municipal Airport.
In 1967, the airport changed its name again, this time to William P. Hobby Airport, named after William Pettus Hobby, who served as the 27th Governor of Texas. Hobby Airport is Houston's oldest commercial airport and was its primary airport until the Houston Intercontinental Airport (now George Bush Intercontinental Airport) opened in 1969. Hobby Airport was initially closed after the opening of Houston Intercontinental but was later reopened as a secondary airport for domestic airline service and a center for corporate and private aviation. Today, Hobby Airport is an operating base for Southwest Airlines, offering both international and domestic flights. As of December 2017, it is the fifth-largest airport in Southwest's network.
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It is Houston's oldest commercial airport
Houston's oldest commercial airport, William P. Hobby Airport, was initially called Houston Municipal Airport. The airport was opened in June 1927 by W.T. Carter, Jr. through his company, Houston Airport Corporation, and was known as W.T. Carter Field. In 1937, the City of Houston purchased the airfield and renamed it Houston Municipal Airport.
In 1938, Howard Hughes visited Houston to celebrate setting a new speed record by flying around the world in 91 hours in July of that year. During his visit, the city announced that Houston Municipal Airport would be renamed Howard Hughes Municipal Airport. However, just a few months later, the city leaders learned that the airport no longer qualified for federal grant money as long as it bore the name of a living person. Thus, the airport's name was quickly changed back to Houston Municipal Airport.
In 1942, the airport was temporarily activated as Howard Hughes Airport for the purpose of training pilots of the Women's Army Service Pilots. However, it was deactivated again in 1943 when the mission was transferred to Sweetwater Army Air Field in Texas. The original Houston Municipal Airport continued to serve as the city's primary airport until the opening of the Houston Intercontinental Airport in 1969.
Due to the shift of services to the new intercontinental airport, the original Houston Municipal Airport, now known as William P. Hobby Airport, was closed in 1978. However, it was reopened a few years later as a secondary airport for domestic airline service and a centre for corporate and private aviation. Today, Hobby Airport is an operating base for Southwest Airlines and is the fifth-largest airport in the airline's network as of 2017.
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Frequently asked questions
Howard Hughes Municipal Airport is located in Houston, Texas.
The airport was renamed after Howard Hughes visited Houston in 1938 to celebrate setting a new speed record by flying around the world in 91 hours.
The airport is now called William P. Hobby Airport, Houston's oldest commercial airport.
