Mineral Wells Airport


Mineral Wells Airport is a public airport four miles southeast of Mineral Wells, Texas. The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 called it a general aviation facility. It is owned and operated by the city of Mineral Wells. The airport, and the city, lie in Palo Pinto County and Parker County. The terminal is in Parker County.

History

Originally established as Camp Wolters in 1925, it was named for Brig. Gen. Jacob F. Wolters, commander of the Fifty-sixth Brigade of the National Guard, and designated a summer training site for his units.
Mineral Wells donated of land, leased, and in World War II provided land to increase the camp's area to. The airfield opened in May 1943 and was used by the United States Army Air Forces as a training base. The army camp became an important infantry-replacement training center with a troop capacity that reached a peak of 24,973.
In December 1945 the entire facility was deactivated.
Local businessmen purchased the land and facilities and converted them to private use. The tensions of the cold war, however, resulted in the reopening of the camp in early 1951, under the authority of the United States Air Force. At the installation, then named Wolters Air Force Base, was housed the newly formed Aviation Engineer Force. Special-category army and air force personnel were trained there.
In September 1956 the base became the Primary Helicopter Center directed by the United States Army. In June 1963 it was renamed Fort Wolters. At the time all army rotary-wing aviators received basic and primary flight training there.
The Vietnam War increased the need for pilots, and the base became the home for training not just army personnel, but also helicopter pilots for the Marine Corps in 1968 and for the Air Force in 1970. By 1970 Fort Wolters covered and leased an additional 1,700 to help handle the 1,200 helicopters used at the camp. By January 1, 1973, 40,000 students had completed the twenty-week training program. The base was also the home of the Beach Army Hospital, the Eighty-fourth Military Police Detachment, the 328th United States Army Band, and United States Army Reserve Detachment 20, Sixteenth Weather Squadron.
In 1975 orders deactivating the base were issued. Part of the land and facilities became the property of the city and private businessmen; and thirteen buildings became the Education Center of Weatherford College.
A portion of the land was transferred by the United States government to the state of Texas for development as part of Lake Mineral Wells State Park.
Pioneer Air Lines began flying to Mineral Wells in 1947; in 1949 it scheduled eight DC-3 departures a day. Successor Continental pulled out in 1958-59.

Facilities

Mineral Wells Airport covers 505 acres at an elevation of 974 feet. It has two runways: 13/31 is 5,996 by 100 feet and 17/35 is 4,188 by 100 feet.
In the year ending April 28, 2017 the airport had 32,250 aircraft operations, average 88 per day: 99% general aviation and 1% military. 59 aircraft were then based at this airport: 81% single-engine, 10% multi-engine, 7% helicopter, 1% jet, and 1% ultralight.

Accidents and incidents