-History-
Horace Williams Airport, located in Chapel Hill, NC, started as Martindale Field in 1928. In 1940, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill expanded the property with the help of UNC professor Horace Williams, the airport's namesake. During WWII, the airport was a training base for the UNC ROTC and the United States Navy. There, presidents George H.W. Bush and Gerald Ford, along with 18,000 others received flight training. The airport continued to be a home for flight training, with the Chapel Hill Flying Club based there from 1962-2001 and famous African American aviator Warren Wheeler giving flight instruction in the 1960s. UNC Chapel Hill ran its air operations here from 1968-2011, flying university doctors to rural parts of North Carolina and transporting university officials nationwide. Throughout the decades, the airport faced increasing criticism and pressure to close from the community and the university. After defying the unjustified hate for over fifty years and UNC forcing the airport into financial instability, it closed on May 15, 2018. The airport property is still almost entirely intact today and there are no immediate plans to develop the property. It is feasible it may reopen some day, time will tell...
Please enjoy this blast from the recent past with this Horace Williams Airport (circa 2015) scenery!
-Credits-
This scenery was made by Paul Rotramel and Conor Rollins.
I'd like to thank Paul for his amazing modeling and SDK work! He did the majority of the work, and his impressive modeling truly makes this airport come to life! Big thanks to Daniel Schwartz who suggested this scenery idea and helped Paul and me along the way with tons of pictures and videos of the airport as well as acting as proofreader so we could make it as true to life as possible!
What a very nice job you've done! My kind of airport 👍
2 years ago
Ron_Attwood
This is truly lovely. Superbly well done. Just as I remember it when it served a vital public function. Much appreciated.
2 years ago
Thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying it! Your feedback is very much appreciated!
2 years ago
Demant
mackuen
Amazing work by both creators! Couldn’t have done it without them! Means so much to see this airport live on for people worldwide to enjoy for free. You guys nailed it!
2 years ago
Thank you!! Couldn't have done it without your help!
2 years ago
Demant
drs96