Meadows Field is the primary airport of Bakersfield, California, and is owned by Kern County. Meadows Field is also called Kern County Airport #1. The airport covers 1,357 acres (549 ha) and has two runways. The main runway, 12L-30R, is the longest in the San Joaquin Valley.
History
Kern County Airport No. 1 was opened in 1920, and was owned by the Kern County Chamber of Commerce. It was located in the southwest corner of the current airport, where the hangars are currently located. The original facility would consist of one runway, one terminal building, and a few hangars and other aircraft related buildings. In 1935, Kern County would purchase the airport from the Chamber of Commerce. It would be the first county owned airport in the nation.
During World War II, the airport was used by the United States Army Air Forces as a night fighter training airfield. The Air University Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics (AAFSAT) moved its 481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group from Orlando Army Airbase, Florida, to California and assigned its 423d Night Fighter Squadron to the airport in January 1944. Flying P-70s and A-20 Havoc training fighters, the squadron trained over the Central Valley before being deployed to England in March. The 481st then began training replacement pilots at the airport until the end of the war in September 1945.
In 1957, with the advent of the jet age, Kern County would modernize the airport. A new terminal would be constructed east of the runway, and would replace the original terminal. The new building would also house the control tower. The change would also make room for adding more hangar near the location of the old terminal. That same year, the county would rename the airport to Meadows Field (by a board of minute order on August 6, 1957), after Cecil Meadows. He was the county's Director of Airports from 1935–1957, except during World War II, when he served as a pilot in the armed forces. He was also responsible for the county purchasing the airport and the changes until that time.
In 1957, The "Kern County Air Terminal" building was opened. On February 27, 2006, the terminal was replaced by the "William M. Thomas Terminal", which contains jet bridges, an indoor luggage carousel and a Blimpie restaurant. The former terminal was renovated into an international terminal with a newly constructed customs facility adjacent to it.
United Airlines served Meadows Field from 1946 until 1979-80 and again for three years starting in 1984-85. Southwest Airways and its successors were there from 1956 until 1979, and Continental appeared for a year or so in 1987-88. American Airlines operated flights to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport from 1984 until 1999. In 2008, Delta Connection and ExpressJet Airlines discontinued operations at the airport, and Mexicana ended its international flights to Guadalajara. From November 2010 - June 2011, Allegiant Airlines operated flights to Las Vegas.
William M. Thomas Terminal (Domestic)
William M. Thomas Terminal has four gates and houses Continental Airlines, United Express and US Airways Express. It serves all domestic flights at the airport. Construction for the terminal was completed in 2006. Features of the terminal include a rotunda with compass point floor design and a scaled model of Spaceship One (which flew out of Mojave about 50 miles (80 km) east of Bakersfield). It is also constructed on a hill, which allows for all passenger services to be on the second level, while airport services are on the first.
Kern County Air Terminal (International)
Kern County Air Terminal has two open air gates and contains no airlines. It serves all international flights at the airport. It was constructed in 1957 and originally served all domestic flights. It was remodeled into the international terminal in 2006, after the construction of the new domestic terminal. The terminal currently does not house any international carriers after Mexicana discontinued service in 2008.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meadows_Field_Airport
