50 years of Touching the Sky.
Meigs Field Open House 9/19/1999
1948-1998
Welcome to the 4th Annual Friends of Meigs Field Open House,
this year celebrating the golden anniversary of Meigs Field, perhaps the
best-known general aviation airport in the world. Over 3,000, members of
the Friends of Meigs welcome you, and hope you enjoy your visit today.
Chicago's history of lakefront aviation is rich, from
the first flight over Chicago in 1910 at Grant Park, to the first scheduled
air mail service in 1919, landing only yards from Meigs Field's current
location. From the enormous International Air Meet in Grant Park in 1911
to today's Chicago Air & Water Show that draws over two million fans
to the lake annually, Chicago's front yard has hosted aviation for generations.
Today Meigs Field handles nearly 50,000 flights per year
serving the downtown business district and McCormick Place. Meigs also
hosts monthly Young Eagles rallies of the Experimental Aircraft Association
and the Tuskegee Airmen, where over 4,500 Chicago children have already
experienced their first flight. The term Open House is something of a misnomer.
Meigs Field is open to the public 365 days a year, and it is the best place
in the city to watch airplanes. Today is just a special version of the
"air show" that Chicago Museum Campus visitors are treated daily.
Thanks for coming today. We hope you will enjoy it and
will help us preserve, Chicago's "little airport by the lake".
--Steven Q. Whilney President, Friends of Meigs Field
(The above was reprinted from the Meigs field program that was passed
out at the open house. 9/19/1999)
Flying to Chicago Meigs (CGX) is easier than you
think! (Easier than I thought!). Start with the purchase of a Chicago
terminal chart. Contact Chicago approach when you are within range
and inform them that you will be following the VFR route to Meigs field
(found on the terminal chart). Just report your altitude changes
to ATC. They will hand you off to Meigs tower and then all you have
to do is follow their directions to final approach.
Look familiar? Yeah, you've probably seen this many times on the flight
sim!
It's a great place to spend the day! Grab a cab, ride into town and
spend the day. The best part is when you go back to the airport, jump into
the cab and say, "To the airport and step on it!"
(More Pictures)