History
The Hickory Municipal Airport was first opened to aircraft traffic on May 17, 1940. At that time, there were two unpaved runways which were 2,700 and 3,100 feet in length.
Shortly thereafter, the runway which came to be designated 6/24 was lengthened and both of the existing runways were paved. On August 2, 1941, Pennsylvania Central Airline which later became Capital Airlines, brought the first scheduled air-carrier service to Hickory. This service was interrupted by World War II, and was suspended in May, 1942. During the war years the Hickory Municipal Airport served as a Pilot Training center for the Military. In 1947, the Civil Aeronautics Administration opened the Hickory Interstate Airways Communications Station, which was housed in a wooden structure on the south side of the field, at the former FBO site. As the Flight Service Station, this operation is now housed, along with a portion of the Systems Maintenance Sector, in the modern Terminal Building. The main offices for the Systems Maintenance Sector are now located in the present FBO office building. In May, 1950, the City of Hickory contracted for the construction of a North-South Runway (runway 1/19), which is a total of 4,400 feet in length. Capital Airlines resumed scheduled service in August 1951, and continued until August 1952, at which time Piedmont Airlines began to serve Hickory. Since initial construction, runway 6/24 has been extended in length twice, to its present length of 6,402 feet. A full Instrument Landing System (ILS) was installed on runway 24, and commissioned in 1977. A MALSR Approach Lighting System was also installed on this runway.
In 1960, the base of operations for the airport was moved from the south side of the field when the new terminal building was constructed. In the mid-1960s, the Fixed Base Operator, Cannon Aviation, Inc., also moved from the south side of the field, into new quarters adjacent to the Terminal Building. The Fixed Base Operation was later bought by a locally formed corporation, Carolina Airways, Inc., and since that time, the FBO has changed owners several times and two substantial expansion projects have been completed.
In the early part of 1969, a new High Intensity Lighting system (HIRL) was installed on runway 6/24 as well as lighting on the parallel taxiway. A new taxiway, complete with lighting, was constructed parallel to runway 1/19. In the same improvements project, runway 6/24 was overlayed for the purpose of increasing the pavement strength and a new 36-inch Airport Beacon was installed.
In the Fall of 1973, the Federal Aviation Administration, following much planning and work, commissioned an Air Traffic Control Tower at the Hickory Airport.
Read more about this topic: Hickory Regional Airport
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