Culver, US πΊπΈ Closed Airport
US-11456
-
821 ft
US-IN
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Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: 41.220945Β° N, -86.383653Β° E
Continent: NA
Type: Closed Airport
Keywords: IN73
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Designation | Length | Width | Surface | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|
16/34 |
2400 ft | 65 ft | ASP | Active Lighted |
8/26 |
2500 ft | 65 ft | Turf | Active |
The airport was closed sometime between 1971 and 1977. It was last depicted as an active airfield on the 1971 Chicago Sectional Chart. By the time the 1977 USGS topographical map was published, it was no longer labeled as an airfield, indicating it had ceased operations.
The primary reason for closure was the discontinuation of the Culver Academies' formal flight training program, which was the airport's main purpose. After World War II, the program was phased out, and the land was eventually repurposed by the academy for campus expansion, specifically for athletic facilities.
The site of the former Fleet Field is now the location of the Culver Academies' athletic complex. The original grass runways and hangars have been replaced by numerous, well-maintained sports fields for soccer, lacrosse, and other outdoor activities. The area is fully integrated into the school's campus.
Established in 1920, Fleet Field was one of the first airports in Indiana and a pioneering center for scholastic aviation. It was owned and operated by the Culver Military Academy and named after Major Reuben H. Fleet, a Culver alumnus and key figure in early US aviation. The field was the base for the Academy's 'Aviation School,' where cadets received flight training. Operations began with surplus World War I aircraft, such as the Curtiss JN-4 'Jenny', and later included more advanced trainers like the Consolidated PT-1 and de Havilland DH-4. The airfield was a significant part of the academy's identity, hosting air shows and serving as a landing site for visiting dignitaries. It represented a unique and early integration of aviation education into a secondary school curriculum.
There are no plans or prospects for reopening Fleet Field. The land has been completely and permanently redeveloped for athletic use, making a future return to aviation operations virtually impossible.
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