What good are small local airports — why doesn everyone just use big airports?
Airports, big and small, have been a traditional part of many American communities for almost 100 years. Aviation itself is a big part of our country’s history. In the early years, airplanes landed at circular air fields, always into the wind (there were no fixed runways). As commercial use of airplanes grew, runways were established according to the prevailing winds, and many of them were paved. Hangars and customer waiting areas were built. The term “General Aviation” came into use. It means non-airline use of aircraft. It’s like the distinction between a private automobile and a city bus. Most airports, even today, are dedicated to general aviation (GA). Many cities and towns built their own airports to encourage tourism and business — and to enjoy the status of having an airport. Today there are over 5,000 public airports in the U.S., including 253 in California (plus many private air strips). Airlines use about 18 percent of these airports. The rest, over 80 percent, are used onl
