Will Rogers World Airport

[bradh]

The 90's were great because there was a transition from some of those great older planes phasing out, and some larger planes flying routes that made no sense for their size

[mkjeeves]

I do remember the observation area. Don't think I ever tried to shoot photos at the airport but I have a Braniff sticker on a Zero Hallibuton case I used to keep my photo equipment in. I also well remember smoking on flights. (I've since quit.) My first flight was on a prop Frontier flight between Ft. Smith and OKC in the '70s IIRC. (Or could have been OKC to ABQ.)

[Just the facts]

That observation tower was the old control tower.

[Urbanized]

Ah, didn't know that, but makes sense. Even as a kid its seemed laid out like I thought a control tower might be.

[ljbab728]

That observation tower was the old control tower.

Kerry, I won't say positively that you're wrong but I've been using the airport since before that terminal was built and I always remember it being an observation tower. I don't think it was tall enough to be a control tower.



It did not have a complete view of the runways.

And please note this depiction of the original building. It shows the current air traffic control tower and shows no observation tower at the terminal.

[PhiAlpha]

Before the remodel OKC used to have an observation tower that you accessed from inside the terminal. Of course back then even non-passengers could go past the security checkpoint (heck at one time there wasn't even a checkpoint) and walk all the way to the gates to see off friends and family, meet them coming off if the jetway, etc.

I was going to mention that. It even had 4 or 5 $0.25 binocular stations. I loved going up there as a kid. Too bad that didn't survive the renovation.

[PhiAlpha]

That observation tower was the old control tower.

Thats what I thought as well.

[ljbab728]

Thats what I thought as well.

Sorry, but I think you're both wrong. Please see my previous post about this. My memory tells me it was added after the terminal was built.

[bombermwc]

yeah there's no way it was a control tower because of the height/view. You couldn't see over to even the other side of the opposite terminal wing. If you can't do that, there's no way you're high enough to control the whole airport....can't even see the whole thing. Control towers aren't built with access the way the observation tower was built either. It would have been more protected, even back in the old days when the thing was built. I do miss having one though. I remember as a kid, running up there to try and figure out which plane a relative was coming in on.

[Urbanized]

^^^^^^^
Same experiences as a kid, and I didn't even grow up here, just spent much time here with family.

Everything said to debunk JTF's story about it being an old control tower makes total sense. I'm sorry that I was lured into believing his assertions simply based on his self-assured tone LOL...

[Josh Ryan]

Reading another thread about Edmond buying a statue from Houston stadium being torn down, I was reminded of the modernist wall bronze sculpture that graced the east wall of the ticket level before the last renovation of the airport. It wasn't all that special IMO, very much in the vein of mid-century art IIRC, but I always looked at it when at the OKC airport. The art historian in me wonders what happened to it. Sold? Donated? Scraped? Original artist? So special I can't find any photos of it.

There was an interesting conference room at the airport too that made some architectural news a few decades ago. There was a column off to the side of the room that was made to look like landing gear by adding tires on each side, and the ceiling was made to look somewhat like a wing, as if the conference table was on the tarmac under a wing of a plane. I saw it in the news, was in it for a meeting once, and figured it was demolished during the last renovation. Have wondered if it's still there.

The City At Night by Paul Maxwell was donated/installed in 1966. It was removed and stored during the last terminal expansion project. Currently airport staff is looking for opportunities to restore/re-purpose the piece for installation in new construction.


The Wing Room (staff nickname) was removed with the last terminal expansion project. The Cherokee Room is more of a standard, large meeting space to handle full staff and tenant meetings.

[Bellaboo]

That observation tower was the old control tower.

No it wasn't. The old tower came down and the observation tower was built with the new concourse. It used to cost a dime to go up in it.

[Josh Ryan]

call the airport and speak to administration about this 405-316-3200

Or if you want to notify us more directly, email wrwa@okc.gov, josh.ryan@okc.gov and/or karen.carney@okc.gov. Because we no longer have a dedicated public viewing area, the notification is so that we can let PD/Security/Ops know you're here and that you are not shooting for a commercial purpose (requires a permit).

[PhiAlpha]

Sorry, but I think you're both wrong. Please see my previous post about this. My memory tells me it was added after the terminal was built.

That makes sense. Regardless, it was a cool and unique feature that I haven't seen in many other airports. I which they had found a way to retain it, at minimum for people beyond the security checkpoints.

[Just the facts]

Then I stand corrected.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?n...,2684278&hl=en

[OUman]

I have a bunch of photos I took from that observation tower. I went there back in '03 with a friend and we did some spotting for a few hours, too bad it wasn't replaced. My dad took me and my sister as well a few times up there, lots of fun.

It's a shame we have an airport authority that doesn't feel a spotting area is a priority. Even Austin and both Houston airports have areas where people can go watch planes without worry.

[mkjeeves]

Then I stand corrected.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?n...,2684278&hl=en

Tom Morton, the spokesman for the airport mentioned in that article, was my neighbor for a number of years. Died in 2000.

[Laramie]

I too am a bit surprised with OKC's apparent stance on spotting. Considering OKC has a bit of tradition with aviation and is the only 'world' airport - you'd think they'd recognize the potential tourist appeal of the facility.

More like Will Rogers Regional Airport (WRRA)...

[PhiAlpha]

FYI if someone hasn't posted it, below are some shots of the renovation ongoing in the airport tunnel. Basically they painted all the walls white and replaced the old fluorescents with color alternating LEDs. Nothing extravagant, but it does look a lot better and much less depressing. The shot of the LED airplane window replicas is about a month old, so its probably closer to complete now.

[ljbab728]

Since we are talking nostalgically about the original new terminal, how many remember the restaurant that you almost had to hunt for? It was a very nice one which was upstairs from the ticketing area with a great view of the airfield.. I remember taking some friends there once for dinner when we had no other reason to go to the airport. It also might surprise some that Delta had a frequent flyers lounge at one time along one of the concourses with free liquor.

[mugofbeer]

Ive never heard of that!

[Josh Ryan]

[DelCamino]

Josh, or any other person associated with WRWA, I've been searching the past month's Airport Trust agendas and haven't seen anything relating to the airport expansion project. Can you provide an update? Thanks.

[Josh Ryan]

Josh, or any other person associated with WRWA, I've been searching the past month's Airport Trust agendas and haven't seen anything relating to the airport expansion project. Can you provide an update? Thanks.

Stakeholder meetings have been held and the architects-engineers are now in the design phase. We hope to bring something for review/approval to the Trust in the next few months. After approval, construction docs will be developed and maybe then we'll have a preliminary timeline to share with you.

[DelCamino]

Stakeholder meetings have been held and the architects-engineers are now in the design phase. We hope to bring something for review/approval to the Trust in the next few months. After approval, construction docs will be developed and maybe then we'll have a preliminary timeline to share with you.

Thanks.