By JIM ALEXANDER
The dedication ceremony for the St. Mary’s County Regional Airport (2W6) in Maryland, was held May 23, 1970. The event included a band, speeches, and a flag raising, and was the culmination of a project that began in early 1966.
Then, as now, St. Mary’s is a peninsular county in southern Maryland, bounded by the Potomac and Patuxent Rivers, which both flow into the Chesapeake Bay. Though not far from Washington, D.C., this was mostly farm and fishing country in 1970, with the notable exception of Naval Air Station Patuxent River, home of the US Navy Test Pilot School.
There were no interstate highways, no passenger rail service, no scheduled airlines — in fact, there were no public airports here at all in the 1960s, just 10 or so private airstrips. County leaders recognized the value of creating a public airport to support the growth of the Navy base and the local economy.
The new airport had a single concrete runway, 3,250 feet x 60 feet, an apron of 100 feet x 300 feet, a rotating beacon and runway lighting, no buildings, and 10 based aircraft.
Fast forward 49 years, and things had changed quite a bit.
In 2019, the airport was commencing taxiway, ramp, and road reconstruction to allow the now 4,150 foot x 75 foot runway to be further extended to 5,350 feet.
A terminal building, county hangar, FBO, flight school, maintenance shop, several large commercial hangars, and dozens of T- and box-hangars now support the local general aviation community. Based aircraft has grown to 200, including two medevac helicopters and the world’s only privately-owned AV-8A Sea Harrier.
In addition, the airport had become an epicenter for high-technology innovation, research, development, and economic growth to support NAS Pax River’s expansion, which now includes Naval Air Systems Command headquarters.
The University System of Maryland at Southern Maryland, a regional education center that provides high-tech workforce development for the Navy and other local industry, is adding a new building focused on autonomous systems research. The University of Maryland established an Unmanned Aircraft Systems Test Site at the airport in 2015, and a business incubator and multiple new aerospace businesses also popped up at the airport in recent years.
Airport developer S. Hunt Aero is kept busy with constant facility construction.
An airport innovation district plan was created to build upon the recent growth.
Last year, we noted the upcoming 50th anniversary milestone and the many reasons there were to celebrate it, so a small planning committee was formed. You only get one chance at a 50th anniversary, and we were going to do it right.
We came up with about 35 events, mostly free, to be celebrated throughout the year by the aviation community and the general public — something for everyone, including those who don’t typically visit the airport.
Things started out well. Santa arrived in his red helicopter to a crowd of 500 in December 2019. The local radio-controlled aircraft flying club had indoor static displays, simulators, and demonstrations in January to inspire youth towards aviation and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). The local Civil Air Patrol squadron held an open house to showcase its youth leadership programs, aerospace education, and emergency services. That included showing off its Cessna 182 equipped for search and rescue and disaster relief support.
For the pilots, the local EAA chapter hosted monthly VMC Club meetings for camaraderie and pilot proficiency. The airport also set up an Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Day in February that attracted 50 pilots for a Rusty Pilots seminar, two additional briefings, and a free lunch provided by Piedmont Flight Center.
A free public movie night with an aviation classic was held in the terminal building in early March, nearly 50 years exactly from the date of the film’s premiere.
Then, as we all know, COVID-19 became a pandemic and quickly took center stage. We heard about slowing the spread, flattening the curve, and social distancing.
As an FAA Safety Team Representative, I wondered if our Pilot/DPE Forum and WINGS events scheduled for March 14, 2020, should go on. We cancelled them, which was the right thing to do under the evolving circumstances.
The sudden turn of events made me think of Steve McCroskey’s immortal words from the 1980 movie Airplane!: “Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit smoking.”
We had just started food truck service at the terminal on March 10 as a convenience to the airport community and to gauge interest in having a permanent restaurant, both for airport workers during the week and pilots flying in on weekends.
After months of discussion and preparation, the food truck service was shut down almost immediately after it started. Again I saw actor Lloyd Bridges’ face on the movie screen: “Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit drinking.”
Like falling dominos, cancellation of other events quickly followed: An adoption/donation event to benefit the local animal shelter, complete with the Easter Bunny’s arrival via helicopter; a fly-in farmer’s market; a vintage aircraft fly-in; a 5K run on the new taxiway; a “700 mph Bourbon” flight flown by the Harrier; a drone airshow; Young Eagles flights, and the VMC Club. “Looks like I picked the wrong week to…” well, you get the idea.
An order from my employer to work remotely from home became effective March 19, followed by the Governor’s stay-at-home order on March 30.
The situation had a huge impact to individuals and local businesses, but one of the toughest aspects from a pilot’s perspective was not being able to fly.
The Navy was still flying. I could see and hear them over my house. Same for the Maryland State Police helicopters (also celebrating their 50th anniversary).
Ditto for some other general aviation flight activity, but not true for me or many other recreational pilots.
The magic of an airport comes from experiencing flight, whether in the air or just watching takeoffs and landings from a comfortable spot on the ground. The dream of humankind for thousands of years attained.
While aircraft museums are great, you need living, breathing, flying aircraft as the lifeblood of any airport. This was no way for St. Mary’s County Regional to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
We were able to adapt some to the new situation. On Mother’s Day, a drive-through farmer’s market was held at the airport, which attracted about 500 vehicles.
EAA Chapter 478 held its first virtual VMC Club meeting in May, and the WINGS presentation I was going to give as a live seminar in March was instead done as a nationwide webinar a couple of months later. A fly-by of the local hospital was also organized to honor healthcare workers, though at a more leisurely speed than that of the Thunderbirds or Blue Angels.
I’m still working from home, but Maryland is starting to open up again as of this writing. Flight activity at the airport has picked up again too (with some new protocols in place), and I should be able to get my currency flight in before my 90 days are up.
We’ll have to see how life unfolds over the next few months to see what 50th anniversary events may be able to go forward.
We’re hopeful that our fly-in breakfast, International Girls in Aviation Day, Airport Open House, and other events slated for later this year can proceed, even if it means reduced attendance, physical distancing, and wearing masks. Showing up is half the battle. You only get one chance at a 50th anniversary.
Like all things in aviation, you have to be flexible, adapt to changes, and modify the flight plan as needed. Here’s to a great 51st year and beyond!
2W6 is growing and remains the only public use airport in the tri-county Southern Maryland region outside the DC Special Flight Rules Area, so access is easy and convenient. Drop in and see us if you’re in the neighborhood!
Jim Alexander is chairman of the St. Mary’s County Airport Advisory Board.