🇺🇸 Stinson Municipal Airport

Stinson Municipal Airport (KSSF/SSF) is a public general aviation reliever airport located seven miles south of downtown San Antonio, Texas, and is owned by the City of San Antonio. It is the second oldest continuously operating airport in the United States, established in October 1915 by the Stinson family as the Stinson School of Flying,.

Notable Features and History:

• Historical Significance: The airport played a crucial role in the development of military air power, with the Stinson family training World War I fighter pilots,. It served as a training base during both World War I and World War II,.
• Reliever Airport: Stinson Municipal Airport serves as the designated General Aviation Reliever airport for San Antonio International Airport, handling small private charter flights, helicopter tours, pilot training, law enforcement, and medical services flights,,.
• Amenities: It features two runways, a full-service fixed-base operator (FBO), 24-hour self-service fuel, aircraft repair facilities, sales, storage, charter services, flight catering, helicopter training, pilot and passenger lounges, and hangar facilities.
• Community Integration: The airport is located along the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River and near the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It features the Stinson Hike and Bike Trail, which connects to Mission Reach,.
• Texas Air Museum: The airport is home to the Texas Air Museum, which showcases Texas and San Antonio's role in military air power development and highlights the "Flying Stinson Family",.
• Trailblazer Café: A bistro-style eatery with runway views and live music, popular with trail users.
• "Wings Over Stinson" Air Traffic Control Tower: A new air traffic control tower was constructed in 2019, incorporating biplane wings in its design to celebrate over 100 years of aviation history,.

Current Status: Stinson Municipal Airport averages about 100,000 takeoffs and landings annually. The airport has two 100-foot-wide asphalt runways and 13 fully occupied hangars. A 20-year master plan for the airport includes runway improvements, new hangars, and a 9-acre land acquisition for safety purposes, with an estimated cost of over $100 million. The plan aims to extend the main runway by 1,000 feet and add an instrument approach to the other end of that runway.

*Sources researched: flysanantonio.com, en.wikipedia.org, sanantonioreport.org*