Event to Commemorate Watts-Woodland Airport History

Oct. 19, 2009 - PRLog -- A celebration will be held Saturday October 24th, 2009, at 11:00 AM, commemorating the historic 90th anniversary of the Watts‐Woodland Airport, and the 90th birthday of Milton
B. Watts, a recognized aviation pioneer and founder of Woodland Aviation, Inc.

The October 24th event to be held at Watts-Woodland Airport will host aviation dignitaries and invited guests, display several vintage aircraft, and will include a photographic history presentation and time capsule ceremony.

The airport, founded by the Yolo Fliers Club in 1919, is believed to be one of the oldest continually operating privately owned, public use airports in the country.

The 1921 Aero Exhibition and Race, held at the airport and attended by over 4,000 spectators, was recognized as “the largest air meet ever held on the Pacific Coast” by the Associated Press, bringing world wide attention to the City of Woodland.  The airport was also identified as the first civilian air field in California north of the Tehachapi.

Many aviation pioneers attended the 1921 meet, including WWI American ace Eddie Rickenbacher; Major “Hap” Arnold (later appointed as Chief of U.S. Air Forces 1941‐ 1946); Cliff Prodger, England’s greatest flier; Captain E.M. Deckert, famous French Ace; Major Reed Chambers, the youngest man to be commissioned Major in the history of the United States; and Major Atkinson, Commander of Mather Field.

Milton B. Watts has figured prominently in California aviation, purchasing what is now the Watts‐Woodland Airport from Wegger’s Seeding and Dusting, and operating Watts Agricultural Aviation until its sale in 1977.  He was also, in 1957, one of the founders of T.B.M., Inc.; a California air tanker and aerial forest fire fighting business.

Watts founded Woodland Aviation in 1963, focused on the sale, maintenance and operation of Beechcraft products. (Beech is major manufacturer of quality general aviation aircraft.)

Woodland Aviation joined a handful of successful, independent; family owned and operated Beechcraft dealers across the US, and Milton Watts was recognized as Beechcraft “Man of the Year” in 1989.  The company was also instrumental in the launch of a successful worldwide jet charter company in 2004.