SHORT HISTORY OF OAKLAND AIRPORT
The first flight of an aircraft in the west occurred by balloon in Oakland in 1853 and beginning in 1910, some of the earliest airfields in the west were established in Alameda and Oakland. Many famous aviators and personalities received training at these fields, including the first Chinese aviator Fong Yue, as well as both Stanley Hiller Sr. and Jr., Weldon B. Cooke, Silas Christofferson, Louise Thaden, Bob Six, "Pat" Patterson, Amelia Earhart and Peter Uberroth, to name a few. The Oakland Airport was the departure point for all the early flights across the Pacific, beginning with Hegenberger and Maitlan, Smith and Bronte, the Dole Racers, and Kingsford Smith and crew. The airport was dedicated in 1927 by Charles Lindbergh and it quickly became the premier airport on the West Coast and the site of important advances in aviation. It became the major terminal for transcontinental and west coast commercial passenger and airmail service. United Airlines got its start at Oakland. The Boeing School of Aeronautics, Taloa Academy, and today, Sierra Academy along with many other training schools at Oakland, have been primary contributors to the training of may thousands of aviation workers from all over the world. Oakland also became the largest Naval Reserve Air Base in he country and served the Navy for 33 years. Marine and army air reserve units also operated here from the early and mid-thirties through the Korean War.
During WW II, Oakland became the major aviation marshalling point for all military aircraft and flights to and from the Pacific. After the war it became headquarters for the three largest charter airlines in the world: Transocean headed by Orvis Nelson, World Airways headed by Ed Daly, and Transamerica headed by Kirk Kerkorian. Currently Oakland is the 9th busiest airport in the world and a major air cargo center.
Fleet admiral Chester Nimitz and "Jimmy" Doolittle both played significant roles in aviation at Alameda and Oakland. Lt/Col Doolittle departed Alameda on April 1st, 1942 on the aircraft carrier USS Hornet and led his B-25s to bomb Japan and give a major boost to American morale in the fight for the Pacific. Nimitz initiated pilot training for UC Berkeley NROTC cadets at Oakland Airport in the mid-twenties and Nimitz Field at Alameda NAS was named in his honor. Thousands of aviation workers were trained at both Alameda and Oakland over the years and the training continues at Oakland.
NOTED HISTORICAL AVIATION EVENTS AT OAKLAND/BERKELEY
1853
Joseph "Ready" Gates made first manned flight west of the Rocky Mountains in the balloon "California" from Oakland.
1904
Captain Thomas Baldwin made first successful controlled rigid dirigible flight in America at Oakland.
1908
Fung Joe Guey (a.k.a. Fung Yue) organized an airplane manufacturing company in Oakland and manufactured his own engine.
1909
Fung Joe Guey built and flew the first airplane in Oakland.
1909
Hall Scott Motor Co. in Oakland/Berkeley designed and built the first engine specifically for aircraft and went on to become an early mass producer of aircraft engines.
1909
Sunset Field, Alameda, was the first airfield built in the San Francisco Bay Area.
1911
Weldon B. Cooke flew a plane named the Black Diamond built in Pittsburg, California in 1911, over Oakland. He became the first licensed pilot west of the Mississippi River.
1912
First "International Aviation Meet" held at Oakland--the 5th or 6th held in the world.
1915
Jacuzzi Brothers began making airplane propellers in Berkeley.
1917
One of five US Military School of Aeronautics was established at the University of California was established. "Jimmy" Doolittle, Chester Nimitz, and many other noted aviators graduated from this ground school during WWI.
1916
Durant Field was established in East Oakland, later officially named Oakland Airport (different site from current Oakland Airport).
1919-1921
Ciifford Durant, Presdent? Eddie Rickenbacher, Vice President; and Reed Chambers, General Manager, established Durant Aircraft Corporation in Oakland.
1924
Bessie Coleman became the first licensed black pilot of either sex and started flying aerial advertising out of Oakland for Coast Tire and Rubber Company.
Lt's. Lester Maitland and Albert Hegenberger made the first flight (3 engines) from the US West Coast to Hawaii in Fokker "Bird of Paradise."
1927
Ernest Smith and Emory Bronte made first civilian and first single engine flight across Pacific from Oakland to Hawaii in Travel Air 5000 named "City of Oakland."
1927
Dole "Race" (Pacific Air Race) flew from Oakland to Hawaii.
1927
Charles Lindbergh dedicated new Oakland Airport
1927
Boeing Air Transport initiated first transcontinental air mail, passenger, and express service from Oakland
1928
Model Airline established headquarters at Oakland to improve commercial aviation, very successful
1928
Charles Kingsford Smith and crew flew the first transpacific flight from Oakland to Brisbane, Australia in 83 hours.
1929
Boeing School of Aeronautics was established at Oakland Airport to train aviation specialists.
1931
Oakland Airport given rating of AIA, the highest possible and the only airport on the Pacific Coast to have the rating at the time, by the Bureau of Air Commerce
1934
United Airlines was created from Boeing, Pacific, National Air Transport Companies, and Varney Air Lines, and began flying out of Oakland Airport to Chicago and New York.
1935
Pan American Airways "Clipper" flying boats began flying the Pacific from Alameda flying to Hawaii, Midway, Guam, Manila, and later to Hong Kong and New Zealand.
1935
Amelia Earhart became the first solo pilot and first woman to fly from Hawaii to the West Coast, landing in Oakland.
1937
Amelia Earhart started her two attempts to be the first woman to circumnavigate the globe, from Oakland.
1942
Doolittle's Raiders departed Alameda Naval Air Station aboard the aircraft carrier USS Hornet to be the first bombers to carry out a retaliatory raid on Tokyo after Pearl Harbor.
1946
Transocean Air Lines was founded at Oakland Airport under Orvis Nelson and became the largest "non scheduled" airline in the world.
1950
World Airways at Oakland under Ed Daley, became the largest "non scheduled" airlines in the world.
1962
Oakland Airport expands to include new commercial runway and terminals (South Field) and become Oakland International Airport.
2003
Qantas Airways recreates the 1928 Kingsford Smith flight from Oakland to Brisbane with a new 737-800 commercial jet in 12 hours.