Complex sentence: Prior to the opening of Floyd Bennett Field in 1930, a compacted dirt runway existed on the island and was generously referred to as "Barren Island Airport", but was used primarily by one pilot who took customers up for joy-rides.
Split into simpler sentences: Prior to the opening of Floyd Bennett Field in 1930, a compacted dirt runway existed on the island. It was referred to as "Barren Island Airport", but was used primarily by one pilot who took customers up for joy-rides.