In 1943, airports
were needed in defense of the country. The Islip Town Board signed an agreement
with the government for construction of a landing field. Islip Airport was
born. In 1944 Lockheed Aircraft Corporation built the first hangar at the
airport. Five years later the Town built the airport's first terminal building
preparing for airline flights. Through the 1950s the Sperry Corporation
conducted aerospace research at the airport.
Allegheney
Airlines began passenger service at MacArthur in 1960. It was officially named
MacArthur Airport in 1966.
The Town
of Islip owns and operates the airport, which serves approximately two million
commercial passengers a year. The Department of Aviation is led by the
Commissioner of Aviation and Transportation, who works closely with the Town
Board to manage and steward the airport.
MacArthur
Airport serves primarily the three million residents of Nassau and Suffolk
counties. The FAA designated MacArthur Airport an Official Metro Airport in
early 2011, meaning it is now grouped with LaGuardia, JFK and Newark in travel
and informational searches for New York airports, providing better exposure to
the traveling public.
Sources:
“Long
Island MacArthur Airport.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Apr.
2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Island_MacArthur_Airport#History
Siniski,
Steve. History, www.macarthurairport.com/history
