The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-10-01
MANTEO AIRPORT CONSIDERED
ONE OF GREATEST ASSETS OF
WALTER RALEIGH COASTLAND
New Yorker Says More Publicity Should Be
Given Advantages of This Modern Utility
and It's Value to the Flying Public in Order
to Serve Greater Tourist Business.

1EOIIl IOWI Is IIlOIG COIIlp1GtSly
appreciated away from home
than by many of those who live
near it. In view of the great
amount of money invested here
by the Federal Government, and
then given free to the people of
Dare County. there is compare
lively little promotion of the air
port to make known its advan-
tages to outsiders.
However its true valuce is
greatly appreciated by Jim Nor
ton newspaper man in New
York City who is on the staff of
the Journal-American, and this
interest is ably expressed in a
letter to the editor this week. Mr..
Morton, who is a regular commu-
ter to Dare County in season,
writes as follows:
"In all the ballyhoo designed
to establish the Dare coast big
business resort in place of the
remote, unspoiled retreat it used
to be, the splendid facilities of
Manteo Airport have been large
ly overlooked. From the business
standpoint, this has been a mis-
take. To remedy the situation
would assuredly serve the best
interests of Dare County as a re-
sort.
In all the 500 miles of coast
land between New York and
Morehead City there are only
three resort airports comparable
to Manteo's, and any pilot famil-
lar with them all will agree that
Manteo Airport is the best. 1t
provides the best all-around
service and facilities, and re-
mains open "a hours day the
year around. Considering there is
additionally a beach laning strip
- Kill Devil Hills, it would not
exaggeration to describe
~ IS Head area as having the
~ esort airport facilities on
- fiddle Atlantic Coast.
There simply aren't any con-
veniently situated airports at
Virginia Beach or Ocean View,
and such outstanding resorts as
Chincoteague, Ocean City.
Maryland, and most of the Jer-
sey shore are without airports. II
any of those localities had first
class field like Manteo's with
hard-surface runways, lights for
night landing, a steel hangar,
overnight accommodations, ma
jor repairs, and nearby res
taurant, they would publicize 1T
to high heaven.
As a pilot familiar with most
) air facilities between Montreal
and Key West, let me say Manteo
Airport is the most unpublished
in my Is years experience In
flying. might add that long
lean Bill Henderson is the most
competent, courteous, and con-
scientous airport manager you'll
find anywhere, a real asset to
any community. His rates, too,
are the most reasoable on the en-
tire coast.
II would seem only fair to him,
and Just plain good business for
the whole area, to focus more at
tention on the air facilities OF
Dare County. Not only are pilots
able and apt to make week end
visits during the off-season-its
brief hop from Richmond,
Washington, Philadelphia, and
New York for a week end at the
beach-but they will spread the
word to many of their flying
friends upon their return, and to
those who don't fly as well.
When you start attracting pi-
lots and air travellers, that's
"found money" Every fisher,
man. thanks to Aycock Brown,
knows all about Mays Head.
Kitty Hawk, Collington, ana
Oregon Inlet. Most sun-batners
recognize that the sands are
clean-swept and the water clear
r IN the Dare Beaches. 1t
- seem productive, there
develop some OF these
~ ems of publicity. And l
4 70, one, as a newspaperman OF
some experience, cannot under
stand why such leading attrac-
ton as Manteo Airport has been
so long ignored. -.
AS a personal aside, its fine
facilities and service enabled me
n to spend every week end at our
i Bodie Island cottage from the
middle of June to the present
s 1t was a simple matter 10 COM
mute the 400-mile distance from
New York in my Bellanca TOUT
place airplane, requiring less tnan
three hours in transit. And my
See AIRPORT, Page Eight