Your Chamber’s Aerospace committee recently met at Stinson Municipal Airport (SSF) to discuss some of the ongoing capital improvement projects underway and plans for the future. Committee members were also given a short brief on the status of Terminal Development Program (TDP) planning at the San Antonio International Airport (SAT) and treated to a bus tour of Stinson Airport.
Ryan Hall, Airport Principal Planner, and Morris Martin, Airport Manager at Stinson, covered multiple projects that are happening at at Stinson, including a new taxiway echo and updating taxiway delta, generator reconstruction, and building modifications. During the bus tour, Morris pointed out the historical significance of Stinson which serves as the second oldest continuously operated airport in the United States. Originally founded as the “Stinson School of Flying,” the airfield was used by the federal government during World War I and World War II as a military training base. Following WWII, Stinson Field became the primary general aviation airport for the city of San Antonio for many years.
Today, Stinson does not service any commercial style flights and has focused its attention toward private, chartered flights and small passenger aircraft. Two of the biggest tenants at Stinson are Gate One FBO and SkySafety Flight Academy, allowing Stinson to complete a wide array of services, from flight training to aircraft storage and services. Stinson also hosts the San Antonio Police Department Helicopter Unit.