Hub of the World

The world's largest commercial airport opened last week. Its official name was New York International Airport, but millions of New Yorkers knew it as "Idlewild," the name of a golf course that it displaced. The 4,900-acre airport (on Long Island, 38 minutes' drive from Manhattan's Airlines Terminal) covers an area as large as Manhattan Island from 42nd Street to the Battery; its 35 all-weather krypton flash approach lights (3,300,000,000 peak beam candlepower) are the brightest ever made by man. Idlewild's ten miles of paved runways (six strips completed, one under construction) will be able eventually to handle upwards of 60 aircraft landings and take-offs an hour.

On Idlewild's first day, only one airplane--a single-motored, four-seated Stinson--landed on the field. Traffic remained slow; in three days the port grossed a total of $13.53 from aircraft operations. One reason for the lack of planes was a squabble over fees between the major U.S. airlines and the Port of New York Authority, which runs Idlewild and the two other major fields (La Guardia and Newark Airports) in the New York area.

Showdown. New York City's new field is still short of ground facilities (it has only one makeshift administration building and two hangars), so the Authority did no more than try to contain the airlines' rebellion. It canceled the operating permits at La Guardia of such foreign lines as Peruvian International Airways, Scandinavian Airlines system, K.L.M. (Royal Dutch Airlines), Linea Aeropostal Venezolana, Air France and Sabena (Belgian Airlines), in effect forcing them to accept its invitation to move to Idlewild. Domestic airlines which had their eyes on New Jersey's Teterboro Air Terminal (20 minutes from Manhattan) found that the Authority had got there first with a good bid.

With its flanks (and the city's $80,000,000 investment) thus protected, the Authority went ahead with plans to make Idlewild the hub of the air world. Under the Authority's regional scheme, Idlewild will handle transatlantic traffic, La Guardia short domestic hauls, and Newark Airport transcontinental flights. Idlewild will be the showpiece.

Big Show. One enthusiast has estimated that its central terminal area--offices, depots, waiting rooms, plane ramps and parking spaces--will be bigger than eight Yankee Stadiums, five Rose Bowls and six Madison Square Gardens. To keep the passengers happy--and spending--the Authority hopes to build a hotel, movie theaters, a sports arena. By 1958, $170,000,000 will have been spent to make Idlewild a sightseeing center whose income will pay for the chronic deficits of airport operation.

Idlewild's official dedication will begin this month as the city's Golden Anniversary International Air Exposition, when 1,000 Air Force planes will pass in review before President Truman. During the nine-day celebration, the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard will demonstrate their latest aircraft. For the city the celebration will hold a broader significance. A field capable of moving 1,000 flights a day comes close to the commercial air supremacy predicted by Fiorello H. La Guardia when he called for the "best damn airport in the world."

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