Initially a grass strip in a meadow established by local investors Barr Peat, Clifford A. Ball and Bo Phelan, it was gradually improved. Changing hands several times, it was operated by the Pittsburgh-McKeesport Airport Corporation. Curtiss-Wright sold the field to Gus Becker, who operated the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics, which trained engine and aircraft mechanics in downtown Pittsburgh classrooms. During World War II PIA operated under government contracts, delivering training for the military. By 1944 the airstrip was a 2,500 feet (760 m) paved surface. Sold to Westinghouse in January 1949, the field was closed and redeveloped, becoming the Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory. The two paved runways, used for parking, and two hangars remain along with a maintenance building. The Art Deco terminal building was razed sometime in the 2000s.
There was a landing at Bettis sometime in the 1960s when a small plane landed claiming he confused it with Allegheny Co Airport, one mile (1.6 km) east, due to smoke obscuration.
Airlinesedit
Clifford Ball Airline was a contract carrier for the U.S. Mail between Pittsburgh and Cleveland from July 1, 1925.
Transcontinental and Western Air, TWA, stopped at Bettis Field from 1930 through 1932 as one of eleven stops made on a transcontinental airline service between Los Angeles and New York. Service was then shifted to the Allegheny County Airport.[1]
Homestead & Mifflin Township Historical Society Homestead & Mifflin Township Historical Society Newsletter April 2002 Volume 2, Issue 4, pp. 3–6
Further readingedit
William F. Trimble, "High frontier: a History of Aeronautics in Pennsylvania" University of Pittsburgh Press, 1982 OCLC 8132981
W. David Lewis and William F. Trimble, "The airway to everywhere: a history of All American Aviation, 1937-1953" University of Pittsburgh Press, 1988 OCLC 16757006
Brian Butko, Paul Roberts, William F. Trimble. "Pittsburgh history" Winter, 1993/94 ISSN 1069-4706
Tony Kambic. "Bettis: the field that brought airmail to Pittsburgh", Clairton, Pennsylvania: The Progress, July 1976 OCLC 19586192
Richard David Wissolik; David Wilmes et al. "A place in the sky: a pictorial and spoken history of the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport and aviation in western Pennsylvania" Latrobe, Pennsylvania: The Saint Vincent College Center for Northern Appalachian Studies, 2001 ISBN1-885851-17-0OCLC 47136718
bettis, field, airstrip, west, mifflin, pennsylvania, southeast, pittsburgh, pennsylvania, established, 1924, named, army, corps, lieutenant, cyrus, bettis, following, fatal, accident, jack, mountain, near, bellefonte, pennsylvania, 1926, contents, history, ai. Bettis Field was an airstrip in West Mifflin Pennsylvania southeast of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania established in 1924 It was named for U S Army Air Corps Lieutenant Cyrus Bettis following his fatal accident on Jack s Mountain near Bellefonte Pennsylvania in 1926 Contents 1 History 2 Airlines 3 See also 4 References 5 Further readingHistory editInitially a grass strip in a meadow established by local investors Barr Peat Clifford A Ball and Bo Phelan it was gradually improved Changing hands several times it was operated by the Pittsburgh McKeesport Airport Corporation Curtiss Wright sold the field to Gus Becker who operated the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics which trained engine and aircraft mechanics in downtown Pittsburgh classrooms During World War II PIA operated under government contracts delivering training for the military By 1944 the airstrip was a 2 500 feet 760 m paved surface Sold to Westinghouse in January 1949 the field was closed and redeveloped becoming the Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory The two paved runways used for parking and two hangars remain along with a maintenance building The Art Deco terminal building was razed sometime in the 2000s There was a landing at Bettis sometime in the 1960s when a small plane landed claiming he confused it with Allegheny Co Airport one mile 1 6 km east due to smoke obscuration Airlines editClifford Ball Airline was a contract carrier for the U S Mail between Pittsburgh and Cleveland from July 1 1925 CBA became Pennsylvania Airlines Pennsylvania Airlines was merged with Central Airlines becoming Pennsylvania Central Airlines PCA The Capital Airline eventually becoming Capital Airlines and becoming part of United Air Lines in 1961 Transcontinental and Western Air TWA stopped at Bettis Field from 1930 through 1932 as one of eleven stops made on a transcontinental airline service between Los Angeles and New York Service was then shifted to the Allegheny County Airport 1 See also edit nbsp Aviation portalHistory of aviation in PittsburghReferences edit timetableimages com TWA timetable Oct 30 1930 http www airfields freeman com PA Airfields PA SW htm bettis Richard David Wissolik Airport Early Days Part 1 Homestead amp Mifflin Township Historical Society Bettis Pittsburgh s first airfield Homestead amp Mifflin Township Historical Society Newsletter April 2002 Volume 2 Issue 4 pp 3 6Further reading editWilliam F Trimble High frontier a History of Aeronautics in Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh Press 1982 OCLC 8132981 W David Lewis and William F Trimble The airway to everywhere a history of All American Aviation 1937 1953 University of Pittsburgh Press 1988 OCLC 16757006 Brian Butko Paul Roberts William F Trimble Pittsburgh history Winter 1993 94 ISSN 1069 4706 Tony Kambic Bettis the field that brought airmail to Pittsburgh Clairton Pennsylvania The Progress July 1976 OCLC 19586192 Richard David Wissolik David Wilmes et al A place in the sky a pictorial and spoken history of the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport and aviation in western Pennsylvania Latrobe Pennsylvania The Saint Vincent College Center for Northern Appalachian Studies 2001 ISBN 1 885851 17 0 OCLC 47136718 40 21 25 N 79 53 54 W 40 357 N 79 8984 W 40 357 79 8984 Bettis Field closed Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bettis Field amp oldid 1209921776, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
