The Louisville Airport's Sdf Code: History And Mystery

Louisville Airport's code, SDF, is based on its former name, Standiford Field. The airport was named after Dr. Elisha David Standiford, a local businessman and politician who was active in transportation issues and owned part of the land on which the airport was built. Standiford Field was built by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1941 on a parcel of land that was unaffected by the Ohio River flood of 1937. The airport remained under Army control until 1947 when it was turned over to the Louisville Air Board for commercial operations.

Louisville's airport code is based on its former name, Standiford Field

Louisville's airport code, SDF, is based on the airport's former name, Standiford Field. Standiford Field was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1941 on a parcel of land south of Louisville that was found to have remained dry during the Ohio River flood of 1937. The airport was named for Dr. Elisha David Standiford, a local businessman, legislator, and transportation advocate who owned part of the land on which the airport was built. Standiford Field opened for passenger business on November 15, 1947, and all commercial flights were moved there from Bowman Field, which had previously been Louisville's main airport.

Standiford Field was renamed Louisville International Airport in 1995. The airport's name was changed again in 2019 to Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in honour of the boxing legend and Louisville native Muhammad Ali. However, the airport code SDF was not changed, as the code ALI was already in use by Alice International Airport in Texas.

Standiford Field has undergone numerous expansions and improvements since its opening. Growing pains in the late 1940s led to the construction of the Lee Terminal, which opened in 1950 and could handle 150,000 passengers annually. In 1970, the terminal was expanded again, with the main lobby extended and a new concourse built for Delta Air Lines. The Louisville Airport Improvement Program (LAIP) in the 1980s led to the construction of a new landside terminal, which opened in 1985. In 1989, a new airside terminal was opened, and in 2005, a $26 million terminal renovation project was completed. The airport is currently in the midst of another major renovation project, SDF Next, which includes over $400 million in planned enhancements.

Standiford Field was named after Dr. Elisha David Standiford, a local businessman and politician

Standiford Field, now known as Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, was named after Dr. Elisha David Standiford, a local businessman and politician. Standiford was a key figure in Louisville's transportation history, and he owned part of the land on which the airport was built.

Standiford Field was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1941 on a 1,500-acre parcel of land south of Louisville. This land was identified as a suitable site for an airport during an aerial survey in 1937, as it was not affected by the Ohio River flood that year. The airport was initially kept under Army control until 1947, when it was handed over to the Louisville Air Board for commercial operations.

The airport's IATA code, SDF, is derived from its former name, Standiford Field, and has been retained despite subsequent name changes. In 1995, the airport's name was changed to Louisville International Airport, and in 2019, it was renamed Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in honour of the boxing legend and Louisville native, Muhammad Ali.

Standiford Field replaced Bowman Field, which had been Louisville's main airport until around 1947. The latter was too close to the city centre to expand, and all commercial flights were eventually moved to the new airport.

Standiford Field was built by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1941

Standiford Field, now known as Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1941. The airport was constructed on a 4,000-foot runway south of Louisville, on land that was unaffected by the Ohio River flood of 1937. The airport was named after Dr. Elisha David Standiford, a local businessman, legislator, and transportation advocate who owned part of the land on which it was built.

The new airport was intended to replace the existing Bowman Field airport, which, at 400 acres, could not keep up with the increasing number of airline passengers. An aerial survey during the 1937 flood identified a large, dry area of farmland owned by Dr. Standiford as the ideal location for the new airport.

Standiford Field remained under the control of the U.S. Army until 1947, when it was turned over to the Louisville Air Board for commercial operations. During World War II, the airport was integral to airfield operations and aircraft manufacturing. Aircraft manufacturers Curtiss-Wright and Consolidated Vultee built planes for the War Department at Standiford Field during the war.

In 1947, Standiford Field opened for passenger business, with American, Eastern, and TWA as the first airlines. For the first few years, the airlines operated out of a World War II-era barracks on the east side of the field. In 1950, a proper terminal, the Lee Terminal, was constructed, with a capacity of 150,000 passengers annually.

Over the years, Standiford Field underwent several expansions and renovations to accommodate growing passenger traffic. In 1970, the terminal was expanded, and a new concourse for Delta Air Lines was built. In the 1980s, plans for a new terminal were developed, leading to the construction of a new landside terminal in the 1990s. The airport's name was changed to Louisville International Airport in 1995, and it underwent a major renovation in 2005.

In 2019, the airport was renamed Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in honour of the boxing legend and Louisville native, Muhammad Ali. Despite the name change, the airport code SDF, which stands for Standiford Field, remains in use today.

Standiford Field became Louisville's main airport in 1947

Standiford Field, named after Dr. Elisha David Standiford, a local businessman and politician, became Louisville's main airport in 1947. The airport was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1941 on a 400-acre parcel of land south of Louisville that was unaffected by the Ohio River flood of 1937. The airport remained under the control of the U.S. Army until 1947, when it was turned over to the Louisville Air Board for commercial operations.

Until 1947, Bowman Field was Louisville's main airport, but it was too close to downtown Louisville to expand. In November 1947, all Louisville airline operations moved from Bowman Field to Standiford Field, which opened for passenger business on November 15, 1947. The first airlines operating at Standiford Field were American, Eastern, and TWA, handling more than 1,300 passengers a week. The old Consolidated Vultee cafeteria on the airport was used as a temporary terminal, and the airlines operated out of a World War II vintage barracks on the east side of the field.

The growing number of passengers led to the construction of a new terminal, Lee Terminal, which opened on May 25, 1950, with a capacity of 150,000 passengers annually. The terminal had six gates and increased terminal space to 114,420 square feet. By 1970, boarding at Standiford Field had increased to almost a million a year, leading to further expansion and construction of a new concourse and lobby.

The airport was renamed Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in 2019

The airport's IATA airport code, however, remained SDF, based on the airport's former name, Standiford Field. The code could not be changed to ALI, as it was already in use by Alice International Airport in Texas.

Standiford Field was named for Dr Elisha David Standiford, a local businessman and politician, who was active in transportation issues and owned part of the land on which the airport was built.

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