President’s Message

A single day is just too short to become re-acquainted with long-distance AAHS friends, or to strike up new conversations with like-minded historians, while also taking in the program, food and amazing surroundings, such as we enjoyed at the 60th Anniversary of AAHS meeting at the Grand Central Air Terminal (GCAT) on February 12.

And what a program! Walt Disney assembled
a wealth of artifacts, photos and documents (many from archives of AAHS members like John Underwood, Gary Hyatt and Phil Dockter) to present the history of GCAT in a specially built Visitor Center that will be available for public viewing by appointment. One item of interest for many of us was the original GCAT Airport Log (this one had copied pages), showing the landings and takeoffs of aircraft out of GCAT from 1933 to 1935. We discovered that the practice of the time by the GCAT tower included recording off-field aircraft landings and takeoffs only; local aircraft based at GCAT were not entered into the airport log. The Disney Co. did a stellar job of bringing the feel of the original Grand Central Air Terminal of 1929 back to life with their meticulous renovation. Architect John Bereley noted that The Disney Co., although owner of the building had a real responsibility to the public to preserve this icon of aviation history, as well as make the space useful for modern business activities of Walt Disney Imagineering employees.

There wasn’t nearly enough time to admire the detailed tiles, ironworks and glasswork of GCAT’s interior, and visit with the large group of 1930s re–enactors outside (orchestrated by ‘30s enthusiasts . . .