Bader Field
Bader Field, also known as Atlantic City Municipal Airport, was a city-owned public-use general aviation airport located in the Chelsea Heights section of Atlantic City, New Jersey.[1] Named for former Atlantic City mayor Edward L. Bader, who acquired the land for aviation purposes, the airfield opened in 1910 as a venue for air carnivals and early flight exhibitions, becoming the first U.S. municipal facility dedicated to both landplanes and seaplanes upon formal operation in 1919—the year the term "airport" was coined to describe it.[2][3] The airport hosted pioneering aviators including the Wright Brothers and Glenn Curtiss during its formative years and later served as the inaugural base for Civil Air Patrol coastal patrols in 1941, conducting antisubmarine reconnaissance amid World War II threats to U.S. shipping.[3][4] Despite its historical significance as the nation's oldest continuously operating municipal airport, Bader Field faced operational decline due to competition from the larger Atlantic City International Airport, inadequate maintenance, and Atlantic City's fiscal pressures, leading to its permanent closure on September 30, 2006.[5][6] The site's subsequent vacancy has prompted ongoing redevelopment proposals aimed at economic revitalization, though none have yet materialized into large-scale projects.[7]Origins and Early Development
Establishment and Initial Operations
Bader Field was established in 1910 by the City of Atlantic City, New Jersey, initially as a dedicated site for air carnivals and aviation exhibitions on a 25-acre tract of marshland near the Boardwalk.[3][8] This made it one of the earliest aviation facilities in the United States and the first municipal airport supporting both landplanes and seaplanes, predating formal federal licensing standards.[8][1] The field, originally known as the Atlantic City Aviation Field, capitalized on the city's resort prominence to attract early aviators, with operations centered on temporary runways and hangars suited for demonstration flights rather than sustained commercial use.[3] Initial operations focused on hosting air meets that drew pioneering figures, including the Wright Brothers and Glenn Curtiss, who conducted exhibition flights and seaplane demonstrations there as early as 1910.[3] The site also served as the departure point for Walter Wellman's airship America in its failed attempt to cross the Atlantic Ocean on October 15, 1910, highlighting its role in experimental long-distance aviation.[3][8] By 1911, Bader Field received authorization for passenger transport, enabling short-hop flights for tourists and marking an early shift toward practical air travel amid the post-Wright era enthusiasm.[1] In 1919, a local newspaper article by Robert Woodhouse first applied the term "airport" to Bader Field, reflecting its evolution into a formalized hub for aircraft operations.[8] Early infrastructure included basic sod runways and water access for seaplanes, supporting ventures like Curtiss's partnership with the nearby Traymore Hotel for scheduled flights to New York City.[3] Through the 1920s, the field hosted regular air shows and became a base for privately owned aircraft among local business leaders, fostering general aviation growth before larger commercial demands emerged.[3]Pioneering Achievements in Aviation
Bader Field, established in 1910, served as a foundational venue for early aviation experimentation and public demonstrations, hosting air carnivals that attracted pioneers such as the Wright Brothers and Glenn Curtiss.[3] In 1911, the airfield received the first U.S. license authorizing scheduled passenger transport, with Glenn Curtiss initiating commercial air taxi services between Atlantic City and nearby resorts, marking one of the earliest instances of revenue-generating aviation operations.[9][10] The site facilitated ambitious transoceanic attempts, including the October 1910 departure of Walter Wellman's dirigible America—the first airship endeavor to cross the Atlantic Ocean from U.S. soil, though it ended in failure after 720 miles due to engine issues and weather.[3][9] By 1918, Bader Field transitioned to municipal ownership, becoming the first city-operated airport in the United States and solidifying its role in standardizing public aviation infrastructure.[9] In the interwar period, the airfield hosted groundbreaking powered flights, including William G. Swan's June 4, 1931, launch of the first U.S. rocket-assisted glider, which briefly propelled his modified sailplane aloft using solid-fuel rockets strapped to its frame, carrying mail as an experimental payload.[11][12] On July 17, 1933, pilots C. Alfred Anderson and Dr. Albert E. Forsythe departed from and returned to Bader Field after completing the first transcontinental flight by African American aviators, spanning from Atlantic City to Los Angeles in a borrowed Fairchild 24, overcoming mechanical challenges and demonstrating endurance in segregated skies.[3] During World War II mobilization, Bader Field pioneered civil defense aviation efforts; on December 1, 1941—just days before Pearl Harbor—it hosted the inaugural flight training of the Civil Air Patrol, establishing the model for volunteer auxiliary operations that included coastal patrols and search-and-rescue missions nationwide.[13] These achievements underscored the field's evolution from exhibition grounds to a hub for technological and operational innovations in American aviation.Operational Phases
Commercial and Scheduled Airline Service
Bader Field initiated authorized passenger flights in 1911, marking one of the earliest instances of scheduled commercial air service in the United States, with aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss operating the initial flights using early seaplanes and landplanes from the facility.[9][14] These operations catered primarily to exhibition and short-haul passengers, leveraging the field's proximity to Atlantic City's boardwalk and its facilities for both wheeled aircraft and seaplanes, though volumes remained low due to the nascent state of aviation technology.[15] Scheduled commercial passenger service expanded modestly after World War II, with airlines providing regional connections as early as 1949 amid growing demand from tourism and emerging casino interests.[16] By the 1950s, carriers like the predecessor to Allegheny Airlines had established routes serving Atlantic City, transitioning from mail-focused operations to include passenger flights on small propeller aircraft suited to the field's short runways.[3] This era saw limited but consistent service to nearby hubs, though Bader Field's infrastructure—featuring runways of approximately 2,595 feet and 2,948 feet—restricted operations to short takeoff and landing (STOL)-capable planes, precluding larger jets.[3] In the late 1970s, following New Jersey's legalization of casino gambling in 1976, Bader Field experienced a surge in commuter airline activity, driven by junket flights for gamblers and high-rollers. Local entrepreneurs formed South Jersey Airways (initially Atlantic City Airlines), which affiliated with Allegheny Airlines as an Allegheny Commuter partner, operating de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft on scheduled routes to destinations including Philadelphia (PHL), LaGuardia (LGA), John F. Kennedy (JFK), Washington-Reagan National (DCA), and Long Island MacArthur (ISP).[3][17] Service under this banner ran from around 1977 through the late 1980s, with Allegheny rebranding to USAir in 1979, after which Southern Jersey Airways continued brief expansions, such as additional New York routes by 1983.[3] All scheduled commercial passenger operations ceased by 1990, as airlines shifted to the larger Atlantic City International Airport (ACY) for better facilities and capacity, ending Bader Field's role in certificated air carrier service.[18] Post-1990, only charter and casino-affiliated flights persisted sporadically until the field's full closure in 2006, reflecting its evolution from pioneering hub to obsolete general aviation site amid regional airport consolidation.[3][15]Military and Training Activities
During World War II, Bader Field was requisitioned by the U.S. military for aviation training purposes following the national mobilization after the December 1941 Pearl Harbor attack. The United States Navy established operations at the airport, utilizing it as a pilot training base to instruct naval aviators in basic and advanced flight maneuvers, leveraging the facility's proximity to the Atlantic coast for overwater training exercises.[3] The U.S. Army Air Corps also employed Bader Field as a training site, conducting pilot instruction programs that contributed to the rapid expansion of American air forces, with the airport's runways and hangars supporting aircraft familiarization and operational drills essential for combat readiness.[8] In parallel, Bader Field hosted the inaugural activities of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), with the nation's first CAP flight occurring there on December 7, 1941, just hours after the Pearl Harbor bombing. CAP's Coastal Patrol Base No. 1 was activated at the airport on February 28, 1942, initiating anti-submarine patrols on March 10, 1942, where volunteer civilian pilots flew unarmed light aircraft to spot and report German U-boat positions threatening Allied shipping along the Eastern Seaboard.[19][13] These CAP missions from Bader Field amassed over 24 million combined flight hours nationwide during the war, with local operations providing critical intelligence that aided naval responses, though direct combat engagements were prohibited for the auxiliary force. The site's role underscored early civil-military collaboration in coastal defense, establishing New Jersey as the symbolic birthplace of CAP's wartime contributions.[20][21] Postwar, military training activities at Bader Field diminished as operations shifted to the newly developed Atlantic City Municipal Airport (later Atlantic City International Airport) in 1958, which incorporated former naval facilities for joint use, rendering Bader Field primarily a general aviation venue thereafter.[3]General Aviation and Air Shows
Following the relocation of commercial passenger services to Atlantic City International Airport in the 1950s and 1960s, Bader Field operated predominantly as a general aviation facility, serving as a reliever airport for private pilots, corporate flights, air taxi services, and recreational aviation in the Atlantic City region.[22][23] The airport supported operations for smaller fixed-wing aircraft, including flight training and transient parking, with infrastructure upgraded over time to include paved asphalt runways measuring up to 2,949 feet, taxiways, hangars, a control tower, and field lighting to enable night operations.[23][13] By the early 2000s, it remained active for general aviation with thousands of annual operations, though declining usage and urban redevelopment pressures contributed to its planned closure on September 30, 2006.[24] Bader Field's role in air shows was most prominent in its formative years, when it was established in 1910 explicitly to host aviation exhibitions and carnivals that drew crowds and advanced early flight demonstrations.[3] Atlantic City's inaugural air carnival that year, sponsored by the city and lasting ten days, featured record-setting performances such as Walter Brookins achieving an altitude of 6,175 feet in a Wright biplane, marking one of the earliest organized public aviation spectacles in the United States.[9] These events positioned Bader Field as a hub for pioneers including Glenn Curtiss, who conducted speed and endurance tests, and the Wright Brothers, whose technology was showcased, helping to popularize powered flight amid an era of rapid aeronautical experimentation.[3][25] Subsequent air shows at the field were smaller in scale compared to the beachfront exhibitions that later became Atlantic City's signature, but Bader Field continued to support occasional fly-ins and aviation gatherings into the late 20th century, including Civil Air Patrol demonstrations tied to its general aviation base.[24] One such event in August 2006 served as a final opportunity for pilots to access the airport by air before its decommissioning, underscoring its enduring appeal for enthusiast activities despite the shift toward regional reliever functions.[24]Infrastructure and Capabilities
Runways, Hangars, and Airport Facilities
Bader Field featured two primary asphalt runways oriented to accommodate prevailing winds in the coastal Atlantic City area. Runway 04/22 measured 2,595 feet in length by 100 feet wide, with an elevation of 7 feet at both ends, and was equipped with runway edge lights for night operations.[26][27] Runway 11/29 extended 2,948 feet in length by an unspecified width, also surfaced in asphalt and situated at 7 feet elevation.[27][28]| Runway | Direction | Length (ft) | Width (ft) | Surface | Lighting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04/22 | 04/22 | 2,595 | 100 | Asphalt | Yes |
| 11/29 | 11/29 | 2,948 | Unspecified | Asphalt | Unspecified |