Atlantic City, US 🇺🇸 Closed Airport
US-11513
-
8 ft
US-NJ
Loading...
Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: 39.360001° N, -74.4561° E
Continent: NA
Type: Closed Airport
Keywords: KAIY AIY
Loading weather data...
| Designation | Length | Width | Surface | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
04/22 |
2595 ft | 100 ft | ASP | Active Lighted |
11/29 |
2948 ft | 100 ft | ASP | Active Lighted |
| Type | Description | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| A/D | APP/DEP | 124.6 MHz |
| CLD | CLNC DEL | 121.7 MHz |
| UNIC | CTAF/UNICOM | 123.0 MHz |
September 30, 2006
The airport was closed primarily for economic and real estate development reasons. By the 2000s, it was operating at a financial loss for the city of Atlantic City. Its prime waterfront location made the 143-acre site extremely valuable for potential redevelopment projects. Furthermore, most commercial and significant aviation traffic had long since moved to the larger, more modern Atlantic City International Airport (ACY), leaving Bader Field to serve mainly general aviation, which was not enough to sustain its operations.
The site is currently a large, mostly vacant tract of waterfront land. The original airport terminal and hangars were demolished in 2016. The land is intermittently used as a venue for large-scale special events, such as concerts (e.g., Orion Music + More festival), festivals, and car shows. A minor league baseball stadium, formerly known as The Sandcastle and now called Surf Stadium, was built on a portion of the property in 1998 and remains on the site, though its use has been inconsistent. The majority of the former airfield, including the runways, is undeveloped.
Bader Field holds a significant place in aviation history. Opened in 1910, it is considered one of the first airports in the United States. The term 'airport' itself is widely credited to have been coined here in 1919 to describe the facility, which was the first in the nation equipped to handle both landplanes and seaplanes. During its active years, it was a crucial hub for general aviation, serving private pilots and tourists flying into the resort city. It was also the founding location and first national headquarters for the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) in 1941. While it once handled some scheduled passenger flights, these services eventually consolidated at the larger Atlantic City International Airport (ACY). Its FAA identifier was AIY.
There are no plans or realistic prospects for reopening Bader Field as an airport. The operational role has been fully absorbed by Atlantic City International Airport (ACY). The land's high value, its location surrounded by urban development, and the city's desire for tax-generating redevelopment make a return to aviation use highly improbable. The site has been the subject of numerous ambitious but unrealized redevelopment proposals over the past two decades, including plans for casinos, luxury housing, entertainment complexes, and a Formula One racetrack. Its long-term future remains a topic of ongoing debate and planning within Atlantic City.
was a terrible idea. it was the best airport to visit atlantic city. walking distance to the casinos and hotels.
It doesn't make any sense that the FAA closed Bader Field. It was a great little airport servicing AC and was easy to get in an out of; no red tape, no long lines, just fun. The excuse of the tall buildings being too close was a load. We used to fly over the President Hotel all the time and no one ever got hurt. I don't think until the Citation incident that there was ever a situation. It was good enough for Lindbergh and the host of presidents and officials. So convenient, a real shame politics had to prevail......There will always be a place in my heart for Bader Field. Check out my latest book "Bader Field" by Carl David.......
I agree, having had many flights in and out of there over the years with my father. My latest book, "Bader Field" (Nightengale Press) is aptly named because that was the last place I saw my father. There is a good amount of flying in the book. (The cover has a shot of my Dad next to his last airplane (Aztec D) at Bader Field.
Carl David
Great memories of Bader Field. My solo flight in 1967 was one my greatest thrills. My first flight instructor was Joe Trappy who also was the GM of the field. Joe also taught my dad at Wings Field in 1945. To think that Bader was closed for "development" purposes just gets under my skin. It was a great place for a kid to learn and grow up.
Jim Duffy
hot day take off with a cherokee 140 and 3 on board was "very iteresting",through downtown atlantic city,YEARS AGO.
If you want to see cluelessness in action, google for the OY-JET video. A jet registered in Denmark "landed" at Bader Field, landing downwind on a runway NOTAMed against jet operations, touched down at about the half way point on a runway that would have been too small for that jet even without a tail wind and without leaving half the runway behind them, skidded into the bay, and then after everybody was evacuated one of the jet engines seemed to start up and start pushing the plane around the bay.
Reply to @XingR:
And that's one of the excuses they always use for closing airports. They build these monstrosities near the approaches (even though there are usually lots of other places they COULD build them) and then later claim that "it's dangerous to have an airport near all these people." In this case, they even build a sports stadium basicaly *ON* the airfield. *sigh*
Yes, sadly the field closed almost a year ago, on September 30, 2006. According to the Wikipedia article, it was built in 1910, was the first aerodrome to be described as an "air-port" (in 1919), and was the founding location of the U.S. Civil Air Patrol (1941).
One of the airports I visited on my solo cross-country training flights. I note thta it is now NOTAMed permanently closed so I guess it will be off the map soon. The approach into runway 29 at night, past the arprtment houses and condos wwas "interesting".