By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor
A couple of young men were out to take their friends for rides in the newest form of transportation out on East Beach in Galveston back in the 1920’s. Well, the city said, “enough of this. You all need to get off the beach with your flying apparatus.”
It just so happened that one of those young men knew a farmer who had a plot of land and invited them to bring their flying machine to his property.
Fenelon A. Waters and Bob Scholes started flying their airplanes out on a sandy plot of land west of the city that has ebbed and flowed through times of prosperity, wars, hurricanes, and a pandemic while still supporting the needs of aviation in Galveston County.
Scholes International Airport (GLS) is owned by the city of Galveston, but the city doesn’t fund it. Funding must come from revenue generated by aviation activities and other sources. Some of the revenue comes from tenants such as Moody Gardens and Schlitterbahn.
The airport sits on 996 acres of land some of which is leased out to commercial enterprises.
Back when the airport first opened for business, it was mostly to serve the thriving entertainment industry on the island. Bob Scholes, whose name is pronounced like the ‘sch’ in school according to his second cousin Judge Trey Dibrell, was named director of the island airport.
Then came World War II, and the army took over turning the airport into a military base. Wide concrete runways were added to accommodate the military needs, more hangers were built.
Of course, wars end and with the ending of WWII, Scholes Airport had grown in its capabilities and its future looked bright. The army handed the airport over to the city as a municipal airport. Entertainment was once again a thriving industry on the island and Scholes resumed his post as the airport director.
Hurricane Carla in 1961 left her destructive mark on the airport. The facilities producing NAVION aircraft were destroyed, and the production plant never came back.
Scholes died of cancer while in his office at the airport in 1961.
Hurricane Ike in 2008 damaged every building on the property. Forty airplanes were destroyed. “It was really tough on a lot of people to open their hangers and see their loss,” explained pilot and airplane owner Stan Humphrey.
It didn’t take long for the airport to get up and functioning after Ike, but the airport would never be the same. Many antique one-of-a-kind aircraft were lost and Lone Star Flight Museum, which hosted antique planes along with the Warbirds, moved to the mainland.
Flights are down and so is revenue since Hurricane Ike, still the airport continues its legacy. Serving as a reliever airport for Hobby Airport helps bolster the airport’s revenue. SIA(GLS) takes the overflow of corporate planes and training when needed for Hobby Airport.
No matter the storms of life, the devoted small engine pilots love the airport and so do the traffic control staff, the commercial pilots and Make Shahan, the current airport director, all agree: It’s a great airport with everything you need including full service for incoming aircraft.
“We’ve got two runways and an air traffic control tower. It’s a beautiful place to fly,” said Shahan.
Air traffic controller Rob Glover has been looking out traffic towers for 30 years and he loves the view from Galveston’s tower best of all the towers he’s worked in.
During Harvey the airport was used to evacuate hundreds of people. The airport is ready for serving the region in times of need such as natural disasters as a point of evacuation and providing for crucial supplies.
On a typical day at the airport, there might be military training flights coming in for a landing to fuel up or to practice a particular maneuver. Then there are the student pilots coming in from the Houston area for training exercises. Some aircraft just stop in and get fuel from Jay Balentine’s Island Jet Center.
Corporate planes are often seen at the airport flying passengers in to enjoy the island’s tourist attractions or for business affairs.
The airport supports the needs of the petroleum industry with numerous daily helicopter operations. Medical aviation is an important part of what the airport provides for those who need to come to the island by aircraft particularly patients for the Shriners Burn unit.
Under Shahan’s leadership, the airport has seen some much-needed improvements. The air traffic tower recently underwent extensive repairs including new safety features out on the catwalk and repairs to the historic concrete runways have been made.
“Since Shahan took over, the airport has progressed substantially and I think my cousin Bob would be very pleased with what’s happening,” said Dibrell.
The future for the airport is once again looking bright. The word is out: Galveston is a great island getaway and tourism is thriving. Cruise ships are filling harborside and plans exist for even more cruise activity. Possibly some of the cruise passengers will be flown directly to the island.
With an eye on the future, airport staff are working to be sure the airport can handle more airplanes and hope to be able to provide full-time customs services.
It’s a pleasant experience sitting up on the airport’s observation deck. You don’t have to pay a single cent to view the planes coming and going over the blue water. If the weather is nice, you will be treated to many planes coming and going.
PS: Don’t forget to bring your binoculars.
2 comments
Hurricane Carla arrived in 1961.
Thank you for the correction.