STOL Field

The closure was an internal business decision by its owner, Bell Helicopter Textron. Bell consolidated its flight test operations at other, larger facilities, such as the Bell Flight Research Center in Arlington, TX. The closure was for operational and economic efficiency as the specific experimental programs requiring the specialized STOLport were concluded. It was not closed due to an accident, military conversion, or public pressure.

The site has been completely redeveloped into a residential housing subdivision. The former runway is no longer intact, with houses and streets built over parts of it. However, a significant portion of the runway's original path is preserved as a long, narrow green space or park area between rows of homes. The history of the site is commemorated in the development's main street name, 'Stolport Drive'.

The Bell Helicopter Joshua STOLport was a private airfield with significant importance in aviation research and development. It was specifically designed and used by Bell Helicopter for flight testing of experimental Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) and Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft. Notable programs tested here included the Bell D-292, developed under the U.S. Army's Advanced Composite Airframe Program (ACAP), and likely other advanced rotorcraft and tiltrotor concepts that contributed to the development of aircraft like the V-22 Osprey. Its short, 2,200-foot runway was ideal for testing the unique flight characteristics and low-speed handling of these innovative aircraft designs.

There are zero plans or prospects for reopening the airport. The land has been permanently repurposed for high-density residential use, with infrastructure and homes built directly on the former airfield, making any return to aviation operations impossible.