The decade of the 1950s was one of continuing flight activity at Mexico Farms but the greater amount of flying transferred to the airport on the hill, the Cumberland Municipal Airport.
The beginning of the Kelly-Springfield Flight Operations at Cumberland had a large impact on local aviation, with Bill Holbrook being the key individual in the establishment of that corporate operation. The K-S Flight Operations went on to become a stable enterprise that served their company needs superbly and also accomplished a great deal of good will for the local community.
The names of Warren Mullenax, Dr. Royce Hodges II, Donald Smith, Lewis Ort, Bill Day, and Gene Kelley became quite familiar to local pilots. Also well known was a home town youngster, Joe Caldara, who became a two star general in the US Air Force and was a dedicated career officer and pilot who served with great distinction.
This was a period when, uniquely, automobile racing was allowed on the airport. These racing events were memorable and were huge events that attracted large crowds. Many of our local residents may wonder why those events could not continue, but with the restrictions placed on the airfield through Federal Aviation Administration financial support for airport improvements and with continuing airline service, racing events of that kind are no longer feasible. A public use airport, supported in large part through FAA funding, is for aeronautical activity only.
Wings Over Cumberland 