Welcome to the August issue of the Metropolitan Airport News. With summer in full swing, I enjoyed reading this issue about a day out on the NYC Ferry System. Our Non-Rev Travelers, Maureen, and Jonathan Katz took a break from jet-setting all over the world and took advantage of living in one of the greatest cities on the planet, New York City. Riding the ferries is a wonderful way to get around the city on a hot summer day. It feels like a vacation for just $4.00 right in our own community. While I absolutely love to read about all their many adventures, I appreciate being reminded about everything we can do right here in the boroughs.
This month’s issue features the volunteers spearheading massive restoration projects at Floyd Bennet Field. This historic place is another outstanding local day trip for anyone to learn about how and why the metropolitan New York area has significant importance in aviation history and became known as the “Cradle of Aviation.” While we recognize that name as a world-class museum in Garden City, the term comes from aviation at its infancy, beginning in the early 1900s on Long Island, progressing during World War I, into the Golden Age of Flight, and booming in wartime and peacetime. Today, the aviation industry remains strong here, with over 200 aviation-based companies still operating in this region.
The women and men of the Historic Aircraft Restoration Project (H.A.R.P.) who tirelessly volunteer their time and talents to restore the vintage aircraft found at Hangar B are truly incredible individuals who lived and worked in the industry through the ’60s and ’70s, some who remember working on aircraft from the Golden Age. We are lucky to have them and their knowledge. Hopefully, they can pass along their gifts to the next generation of aircraft and aviation enthusiasts to keep the restoration projects going for a very long time.
We are coming off a very successful local event, the 2nd Annual Airport Community Golf Classic, which is raising money for local organizations dedicated to fostering educational and business opportunities in the local area. It was certainly a lot of fun, and so many airport companies and stakeholders were there to enjoy the day and network. There are lots of events still coming up throughout August and September; please check the Metropolitan Airport News airport calendar for the most up-to-date airport event listing, and register for weekly email updates!
I hope you enjoy the issue. Curating our content is definitely a labor of love for our talented Editor, Julia Lauria-Blum. If you would like to connect with us to offer ideas or introductions, please email [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you.
I’ll see you around the airports!
