From humble beginnings in the 1920s, Piedmont Triad International Airport has grown to become an East Coast transportation hub situated at the heart of the Triad economy–a major economic driver, a partner with local businesses and the source for convenient travel wherever people want to go.

1927
Eight miles west of Greensboro, the airport began as a pasture labeled by noted racing pilot Captain Roscoe Turner as “the best landing field in the South.” The Tri-City Airport’s Lindley Field formally opened May 28. In July, the first passenger flew from the aiport in a chartered plane to New York City.

1928
Lindley Field became a stop on the eastern mail route. Pitcairn Aviation, the government’s airmail carrier, made the first delivery of air mail in North Carolina on May 1 at 8:15 p.m. Pilot Sid Malloy landed with two incoming bags of mail and took on three sacks of mail for his next stop, Atlanta.

1930
Pitcairn Aviation became Eastern Air Transport and launches North Carolina’s first passenger service from the Triad.  In 1935 Lindley Field was closed by order of the US Department of Commerce because of two near crashes. It reopened in 1937 with two new paved 2,500-foot runways and a passenger terminal.

1941
The Greensboro-High Point Airport Authority was created by the North Carolina General Assembly to own, operate and manage the airport in Guilford County.  On April 22, 1942 the Airport Authority held its inaugural meeting. Greensboro department store executive Joseph T. Martin was elected the Authority’s first chairman. High Point resident R.T. Amos became Vice Chairman, and Caesar Cone of Greensboro began a 26-year career as Secretary.

In the 1940s, the US Army Air Corps assumed control of the airport for the duration of World War II. The airport was a hub for the Overseas Replacement Depot (ORD), a refueling station, and a training site for fighter and bomber pilots. The Army built a second steel hangar and a control tower.

1950s
A decade of growth and planning set the precedent for strategic development of the regional airport. Significantly, the Authority purchased more than 900 acres of land around the airport to save it from other development. Runways were again lengthened to accommodate newer aircraft, a new air traffic control tower was constructed and an instrument landing system was installed. In 1958 a new 34,000-square-foot terminal opened, featuring aircraft gates, a restaurant, bank, operations office and counters for tickets and rental cars.

1967
The Airport hired savvy planner and administrator, Roger Sekadlo, as its first executive director — a post he would hold for 20 years. Under his guidance, the Airport Authority adopted a dramatic $63 million Master Plan, a package of dramatic changes that required the relocation of the entire airport facility to the northwest area of the airport’s property, as well as runway improvements, design of a new terminal and expanded general aviation and cargo areas.

1970s
The airport gained greater prominence on the East Coast offering passenger service from Delta, Piedmont, United and Eastern Airlines. Cargo carriers, including the postal service, textile manufacturers, and Federal Express – a new overnight letter and package delivery service – were shipping tons of freight each year. General aviation expands, with Air Service investing in a new 10-acre site and the arrival of newcomer Atlantic Aero.

1972
Ten years after joining the Airport Authority, Stanley Frank was elected Chairman – a position he would occupy for 19 years. Frank had quickly become a presence at the airport after moving to Greensboro in 1936, logging thousands of miles as a private pilot. His vision of the airport and its role in the Triad economy would drive the airport’s growth and planning for nearly three decades.

1982
Exponential growth was becoming familiar to the Airport. That year saw the opening of a new passenger terminal – the heart of today’s terminal – and the airport’s main runway was extended to 10,000 feet, making it the longest in the state. Piedmont Airlines, the largest carrier serving the Triad, constructed a major maintenance facility. The following year, the Marriott opened a $16 million, 300-room hotel on the airport property.

1993
Hudnall Christopher began 12 years as the chairman of the Airport Authority, ushering PTI through dramatic changes in the regional economy and in the airline industry. Christopher orchestrated much of the exponential growth and strategic direction that positions companies like FedEx, Dell, Comair and RF Microdevices to make the Triad their home.

That year, the Airport Authority also appointed Edward A. “Ted” Johnson Executive Director of PTI, a position he retains to the present day.  First hired by the airport in 1968, Johnson has held a number of posts, including that of director of development. Johnson knows the airport and its carriers and partners like no one else. On his watch, PTI has seen dramatic change and growth.

2000s
PTI continues to play a central role in regional growth. Guilford Technical Community College Aviation Center at PTI expanded its training program for airline mechanics, boosted with a $250,000 gift from Tom Davis. In 2002, the Airport Authority and FedEx signed the lease to build a $300 million cargo hub at PTI. Three years later, Comair selected PTI for its Southeastern Maintenance Facility location, which opened in 2006.

Read PTI’s 65th Anniversary Report (pdf)

Fast Facts About PTI (pdf)