Article by Kaylee Swenson, AOC Intern; University of Missouri Ph.D Candidate.
Like many small towns in Oklahoma, Ponca City has a regional airport that is primarily used by private pilots and those looking to refuel. With a full-service Fixed Base Operation (FBO) and a local flight academy, the Ponca City Regional Airport (PNC) sees regular use despite not offering any commercial flights. Though by the numbers this regional airport may seem indistinguishable from the dozens of regional and municipal airports found throughout the state, PNC has a surprisingly rich aviation history, and today it effectively engages with the local community to encourage interest in aviation.
When in the airport terminal, often utilized as overflow seating for those waiting to dine in the airport’s restaurant, several photos of the airport from the 1940s can be seen on the walls. Don Nuzum, the airport’s manager, and de facto historian will gladly tell guests about the surprising history captured there.
Perhaps due to its isolation from any major cities, the Ponca City Regional Airport was utilized to train British pilots as part of the British Flying Training School Program during World War II. During this time (1941-1944), the U.S. Army Air Forces took control of the airport to train their own pilots in addition to Royal Air Force cadets, each of whom received approximately 6 months of flying courses. The airport was returned to the city at the end of the war and remains owned by the city to this day.
Another fascinating piece of aviation history is that Ponca City is the hometown of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Mercury 13 member Geraldyn "Jerrie" Cobb, who learned to fly in the area and regularly flew back into Ponca City to visit her parents later in life. Cobb and the other women who comprised the Mercury 13 team were highly skilled pilots but were denied the opportunity to become astronauts because of their gender. To prove their capability, each of the women took and passed the same tests that NASA required of male astronauts for the Mercury missions, even having the tests overseen by the same doctor. Ultimately, they were still denied the opportunity based on their gender, however, their efforts were vital to the ongoing fight for gender equality.
Jerrie Cobb is not the only famous face that frequented the Ponca City Regional Airport. Nuzum confirmed local rumors that several celebrities have made a habit of stopping at the airport to refuel and dine at the restaurant over the years. "Patrick Swayze would fly his own plane here all the time. We would get a lot of golfers; Greg Norman would stop here when he was flying back from Hawaii. We also got a lot of race car drivers back when NASCAR had to make stops to refuel," Nuzum shared. For the last 30 years the airport has been home to Enrique’s Mexican Restaurant– locally known for their "pillowy" chips. The restaurant draws locals and pilots alike to the airport. The restaurant is a family-owned business and attracts attention both for the unique chips they serve and for the great views of the runway that customers can enjoy as they eat.
The airport also hosts a widely popular fly-in breakfast on the first Saturday of each month, which is run by the local airport booster club, Ponca City Aviation Foundation. The fly-in breakfast has been taking place for over 20 years, and Nuzum says they have only canceled the breakfast twice in its long history: once for a blizzard, and once during the onset of the COVID lockdown. Beyond those two instances, the airport boasts that fly-in breakfast will take place "rain or shine," and has 20+ years of consistency to prove it. This monthly event fosters local interest in aviation by offering breakfast in one of the hangars, as well as having flight simulators and a local flight instructor on hand to answer any questions. Proceeds from the fly-in breakfast are used for aviation education within the local community.
Though often overlooked, local airports are a vital part of the aviation industry. In addition to inspiring new generations to pursue aviation, these regional and municipal airports also offer a look into the unique culture and history of their small towns. If you want to see the intersection of aviation and community, look no further than your local airport.
