Every year on Aug. 19, aviation enthusiasts, pilots and curious residents take a moment to look to the skies in honor of National Aviation Day, a federal observance established in 1939 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to celebrate the history and rapid advancement of flight in the United States. The date was chosen to mark the birthday of Orville Wright, who along with his brother Wilbur, achieved the first successful airplane flights on Dec. 17, 1903, on the shores of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. That first flight lasted just 12 seconds and covered 120 feet, while changing the world forever.
Here in Chandler, that legacy isn’t just history, it’s part of the fabric of this community. Chandler Municipal Airport (CHD) has been a cornerstone of life in this city since 1928, and this Aug. 19 carries an extra local touch: it’s also the work anniversary of Airport Manager Ryan Reeves, who has been keeping CHD running strong for another year around the sun. Happy Aviation Day, Ryan.
Whether you’re a seasoned pilot or someone who simply loves to watch aircraft take off and land, here are five ways to celebrate right here in Chandler.
Sign up for an airport tour. Get an insider look at Chandler Municipal Airport with one of the city’s popular guided airport tours. Tours are available this fall — mark your calendar now for the Sept. 17 date, or save the date for the remaining tour dates (Oct. 16, Nov. 20 and Dec. 17 at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m.). Visit Airport Tours to reserve your spot for the September tour.
Watch the aircraft come and go. Sometimes the simplest things are the best. Pull up a spot near the airport and watch general aviation aircraft, flight training planes or helicopters take off or land. It’s free, it’s fascinating and you might just catch the aviation bug.
Visit Lantana Ranch Park. Just south of the airport, Lantana Ranch is an aviation-themed park with excellent sightlines of aircraft arriving and departing the nearby airport. It’s a perfect spot for families, plane spotters, or anyone who wants to combine a little outdoor time (it’s much cooler during the fall!) with some aerial activity.
Grab a meal at Hangar Cafe. Few dining experiences in the East Valley beat watching aircraft from the Hangar Cafe at Chandler Municipal Airport. Enjoy a delicious, diner-style meal with a view of the flight line and raise cup of coffee to Orville Wright, who would have turned 155 years old on National Aviation Day.
Check out aviation-themed books from the Chandler Public Library. Feed your soul with a good read. The Chandler Public Library has a collection of aviation titles for all ages, from pictures books for young flyers-in-training to deep dives into aviation history and technology. Or even a good fiction one! Visit Chandler Library to find a branch closest to you.
Chandler Municipal Airport has been a fixture of this community for nearly a century, and National Aviation Day is a perfect reminder of just how far (and now high) we’ve come since Kitty Hawk. Here’s to another year of flying high.
This article also was featured in the Chandler Arizonan.
