History
The airport was originally established prior to World War II, named the Wilmington Airport and the Greater Wilmington Airport. The facility was taken over by the United States Army Air Forces during the war. Under USAAF control, the airport was renamed New Castle Army Air Base. The primary mission of the airfield was to facilitate the movement of aircraft overseas for delivery to the British and other Allies. Members of the historic Women Air Service Pilots (WASP) served as test and ferry pilots and towed targets for student gunners. There is a statue today at the airport that honors the women of the WASP that served their country in the time of need.
After the war ended, control of the airport was returned to civil authorities. A joint-use agreement was made between the United States Air Force and New Castle County authorities for a portion of the airport being retained for an Air National Guard Base. Trans World Airlines operated a large overhaul base for its overseas planes at the airport until 1957 when the airline moved it to the Kansas City Overhaul Base which became the basis for today's Kansas City International Airport.
In the late 1990s, the county leased the debt-stricken airport to the bi-state Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA), operators of the Delaware Memorial Bridge, on a thirty-year lease with the provision that the DRBA may seek up to two additional thirty-year leases.
Since taking over operations of the airport, the DRBA has made the airport profitable, upgraded many aging buildings, and constructed numerous new buildings and facilities on the property.
From 1991 through 1998, again from 2000 to 2006, and since April 2008, the state of Delaware is the only state in the union without any scheduled commercial flights in or out of the state. This is largely due to the small size of the state and the close proximity of large airports in Baltimore, Washington D.C., Philadelphia and Salisbury, MD. Skybus Airlines was the last commercial airline to fly out of New Castle Airport, with flights in 2008. Before Skybus, and Delta in 2006, the previous airline with scheduled flights was Shuttle America, which flew out of New Castle as an independent carrier from the airline's founding in November 1998 until February 2000. They offered service to Hartford, Buffalo, and Norfolk, using the 50-seat Dash 8-300 turboprop aircraft. Shuttle America would eventually discontinue its independent operations and become a commuter affiliate of United Express and Delta Connection. Prior to Shuttle America, the last scheduled service was provided to Parkersburg, West Virginia by USAir Express carrier Crown Airways in 1992-1993. United Airlines also served Wilmington, leaving in 1991.
Read more about this topic: New Castle Airport
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