Paper Airplane Day a chance to look back at Oklahoma’s aviation achievements, history

By Richard Hall / Development / May 25, 2023

Oklahoma’s aviation sector has a storied past, and a remarkable future ahead of itself.

Aerospace firms in the greater Oklahoma City area produce nearly $12 billion in goods and services annually, educational programs have been developed for students of all ages, and city and state leadership continue to provide business incentives that stimulate industry growth.

Events like the Tinker Air Show at Tinker Air Force Base — which returns July 1-2 after a four-year hiatus — allow aerospace enthusiasts to get close and personal with military and non-military aircraft. It also encourages learning and creativity, as this year’s program will highlight the science, technology, engineering and mathematics that make human flight possible.

It all had to begin somewhere, and the state’s aviation history is rich, robust and includes many interesting milestones of which most people aren’t aware.

May 26 is Paper Airplane Day and what better way to celebrate than by looking back at some of the Sooner State’s finest aviation moments.

And, don’t worry: We’ll also take a look at how to build a paper airplane.

The early years of Oklahoma’s aviation history

Just a short while after statehood, folks witnessed the first powered flight in the state. It happened in 1910, in Oklahoma City by Charles F. Willard. He went on to be recognized as the first barnstormer, performing aerial stunts to crowds nationwide.

A year later, Clyde Cessna (yes, that Cessna) achieved his first successful flight in Oklahoma in a plane of his own design. What followed was a two-year stint performing flight shows around the state and the eventual creation of what’s now the Cessna Aircraft Company.

Recognizable names and two World Wars

World War I turned a lot of people into heroes and legends. Like William Ponder, a man from Mangum, Okla., who was one of the country’s most successful fighter pilots. He shot down a confirmed six aerial combatants, earning him the title of “flying ace.”

Pilots out of Fort Sill would practice their skills in navigation, map reading and aerial photography. The planes they would use were called Jennies, short for the Curtiss JN-4D. Jennies were manufactured by Dewey Aeroplane Company, which was founded by Joseph Bartles, the son of Jacob Bartles, for whom the city of Bartlesville is named.

Following the First World War, Stanley Draper moved to OKC and immediately began shaking things up. In 1919, he became a respected member of the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce and created an aviation committee that would go on to create the city’s first airport.

As OKC’s population grew throughout the 1930s and ’40s, Draper encouraged and was an important figure in establishing what’s now Tinker Air Force Base and the Federal Aeronautical Administration Center.

Airfields to support the efforts during World War II began sprouting up all over the state, including in Yukon, Ardmore and Altus. Norman even became home to a naval air base.

And let's not forget three important historical figures in all of aviation, let alone Oklahoma's aviation history: Mary Haizlip, Eula “Pearl” Carter Scott and Jerrie Cobb.

Cobb, from Ponca City, began flying at 12, became an Air Force fighter jet and bomber pilot at 21, and became the nation's first female astronaut in 1959.

Scott, of Marlow, was just 14 when she tackled her first solo flight, becoming the youngest to do so. The Chickasaw Tribe member earned her wings under Wiley Post.

Haizlip was the second woman to receive her commercial pilot license and was the first woman pilot inducted in the Oklahoma Aviation and Space Hall of Fame.

The oil industry’s impact on Oklahoma’s aviation industry

In the 1920s, Oklahoma’s oil industry was roaring, and it lit a spark under the seats of a handful of go-getters looking to get some while the gettin’ was good.

In 1928, Tulsa Municipal Airport opened for business and quickly became one of the world’s busiest airports due to Oklahoma’s thriving oil industry. Wanting in on what was happening, oil tycoon Erle Halliburton founded Southwest Air Fast Express, which prompted the construction of a second airport in Tulsa just one year later.

Then there’s Wiley Post, a name almost every Oklahoman is familiar with. Most people know he’s the guy who died alongside Will Rogers when their plane crashed in 1935 near Point Barrow, Alaska, but few know Post got his start in the oil field flight business and went on to become one of the most revered aviators in history. Without Post, it may have been many more years before the discovery of the jet stream or the development of the first pressurized suits.

The legacy of Oklahoma’s aviation industry

Thanks to Oklahoma’s wide-open skies, military and federal presence, and central location, the aviation industry has seen soaring growth.

Tinker Air Force Base employs more than 26,000 people and has a nearly $4 billion economic impact on the state. The greater OKC area also is home to hundreds of aerospace companies such as Boeing , Lockheed Martin and Pratt & Whitney. Altogether, they employ roughly 43,000 workers.

State aerospace agencies, the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, Tinker AFB and others help develop talent that drives industry innovation and growth. The University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University both partnered with the FAA Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center to establish the Centers of Excellence, which focuses on technical training and human performance.

For those still in primary school, CareerTech offers STEM Academies for high school students, as well as certificate and customized training programs. The Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission also strongly supports STEM and aviation-related K-12 educational programs.

You don't need to be in school to become more educated on the state's aviation history: Science Museum Oklahoma, the 99s Museum of Women Pilots at Will Rogers World Airport and the Tulsa Air and Space Museum all cover the subject incredibly well.

Now, about that paper airplane…