Igor I Sikorsky Memorial Airport (BDR)

## Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Airport (BDR) - Bridgeport, US

Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Airport (IATA: BDR, ICAO: KBDR, FAA LID: BDR) is a public airport located in Stratford, Connecticut, approximately three miles southeast of downtown Bridgeport. It is owned by the city of Bridgeport.

Type of Facility and Operations: The airport is primarily categorized as a general aviation facility. It features two operational asphalt runways: 11/29, which is 4,761 by 150 feet (1,451 x 46 m), and 06/24, which is 4,677 by 100 feet (1,426 x 30 m). The airport has a control tower and offers services from multiple fixed-base operators (FBOs). In the year ending February 28, 2019, the airport averaged 136 aircraft operations per day, with 94% being general aviation, 6% air taxi, and less than 1% military. While it once served major commercial airlines, scheduled passenger flights ceased in the early 1990s. However, Tailwind Air Service began offering seaplane flights between Sikorsky and the New York Skyports Seaplane Base in Manhattan in 2016.

Notable Features or History: The airport has a rich history, with its origins tracing back to Avon Field, a former racetrack where the country's first air show was held on September 28, 1911. It was known as Mollison Field after Captain Jim Mollison's transatlantic crash landing in 1933. The City of Bridgeport purchased the airport in 1937, renaming it Bridgeport Municipal Airport. In 1972, it was rededicated as the Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Airport, honoring aviation pioneer Igor Sikorsky, who established his Sikorsky Aviation Corporation in Stratford in 1929. Sikorsky's company was responsible for the production of the first practical helicopter, the VS-300, which first flew on September 14, 1939, and also developed "flying boats" like the Pan Am Clipper at this location. Historically important structures on the airport grounds include the Curtiss Hangar, built in 1928, and the Sikorsky Hangar, where early helicopter development took place. The airport is also home to the Connecticut Air and Space Center, a museum dedicated to vintage aircraft and local aviation history.

Current Status: Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Airport continues to operate as a public, general aviation airport. Discussions and projects regarding the airport's infrastructure and future development are ongoing, including the restoration of the historic Curtiss Hangar. The airport's location, owned by Bridgeport but situated within Stratford, has led to some political discussions regarding potential runway expansions and community concerns. As of recent data, 155 aircraft were based at the airport, including single-engine planes, jets, multi-engine aircraft, helicopters, and one glider. It offers customs and immigration services.