Events per year 78 on record 1910 1930 1950 1970 1990 2010
01 Fields and flying grounds1903–1918 · 1 OF 1 LISTED Grass fields, army aerodromes and the first flying schools. An airfield is wherever the ground is flat and the farmer agrees.
8 DEC Milestone United States Army becomes the operator.
02 The airport is invented1919–1938 · 3 OF 5 LISTED Terminals, control towers and radio arrive. Capitals are linked by scheduled services, and cities start to build municipal airports.
— Milestone Ford Motor Company becomes the operator. — Milestone Glenn L. Martin Company becomes the owner. — Milestone City of Los Angeles becomes the owner.
03 War1939–1945 · 3 OF 9 LISTED Thousands of military airfields are laid down in six years. Many of today’s airports began as one of them.
APR Milestone United States Army Air Forces becomes the owner. — Milestone United States Navy becomes the owner. — Milestone United States Army Air Forces becomes the operator.
04 Postwar and the jet age1946–1969 · 6 OF 12 LISTED Wartime fields pass to civil use and piston airliners fill them. From 1958 jets need longer concrete runways, and airports move further from the cities they serve.
— Milestone Baltimore becomes the owner. — Milestone Lubbock becomes the operator. 18 AUG Milestone United States Air Force becomes the operator. 18 SEP Milestone United States Air Force becomes the owner. 2 MAY Milestone County of Inyo becomes the owner. SEP Milestone Martin Marietta becomes the owner.
05 Wide bodies1970–1989 · 23 OF 23 LISTED The 747 makes mass travel ordinary. New sites are chosen for size, not proximity.
— Milestone Listed as Recorded Texas Historic Landmark. — Milestone Maryland Aviation Administration becomes the operator. — Milestone Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission becomes the owner. 20 SEP Milestone State of Maryland becomes the owner. 6 OCT Milestone Listed as National Register of Historic Places contributing property. 30 DEC Milestone Listed as National Register of Historic Places listed place. — Milestone Lansing becomes the owner. — Milestone National Aeronautics and Space Administration becomes the operator. — Milestone Lansing becomes the operator. 23 SEP Milestone Listed as National Register of Historic Places listed place. 19 OCT Milestone Listed as National Register of Historic Places listed place. 11 APR Milestone Listed as National Register of Historic Places listed place. 10 DEC Milestone Listed as National Register of Historic Places listed place. 22 NOV Milestone Listed as National Register of Historic Places listed place. 5 APR Milestone Listed as National Register of Historic Places listed place. 4 FEB Milestone Listed as National Register of Historic Places listed place. 14 FEB Milestone Listed as National Register of Historic Places listed place. — Milestone Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority becomes the owner. 7 JUN Milestone Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority becomes the owner. 7 JUN Milestone Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority becomes the operator. 10 NOV Milestone Listed as National Register of Historic Places listed place. 1 JAN Milestone Listed as Listed in the Wisconsin State Register of Historic Places.
06 Built on water1990–2009 · 19 OF 20 LISTED In East Asia, where there is no land left, it is made: airports on artificial islands and reclaimed sea. Elsewhere, old city airports close.
21 MAY Milestone Listed as National Register of Historic Places listed place. — Milestone Ames Research Center becomes the owner. 12 JUL Milestone Listed as National Register of Historic Places listed place. 1 JUL Milestone Ames Research Center becomes the operator. 3 JUN Milestone Listed as National Register of Historic Places listed place. 20 NOV Milestone Listed as National Register of Historic Places listed place. 10 JUN Milestone Listed as National Register of Historic Places listed place. — Milestone County of Stanislaus becomes the owner. 3 AUG Milestone Listed as National Register of Historic Places listed place. 11 MAR Milestone Listed as National Register of Historic Places listed place. 26 MAR Milestone Listed as National Register of Historic Places listed place. 7 JUL Milestone Listed as National Register of Historic Places listed place. — Milestone MET – Montreal Metropolitan Airport becomes the owner. 2 JUN Milestone Listed as National Register of Historic Places listed place. 21 JUL Milestone Listed as National Register of Historic Places listed place. — Milestone Ak-Chin Indian Community becomes the owner. 17 NOV Milestone Listed as National Register of Historic Places listed place. 22 JAN Milestone Listed as National Register of Historic Places listed place. 2 OCT Milestone Listed as National Register of Historic Places listed place.
07 Hubs2010–2026 · 6 OF 8 LISTED Gulf and Asian hubs grow to the top of the rankings. Historic fields become parks and housing.
16 DEC Milestone Listed as Listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage. 23 JAN Milestone Listed as National Register of Historic Places listed place. 1 JUL Milestone Connecticut Airport Authority becomes the owner. 10 NOV Milestone Planetary Ventures becomes the operator. — Milestone Space Florida becomes the operator. 4 MAY Milestone Listed as National Register of Historic Places listed place. FROM WIKIDATA AND THE FAA AIRPORT REGISTER · THE BEST-KNOWN FEW OF EACH KIND IN EACH YEAR · COUNTS AND THE CSV ARE THE WHOLE TABLE