"Will Rogers" - Inappropriate for an Airport?

[writerranger]

You know how we all get used to hearing things and it doesn't mean much to us. People from Iowa that I know got the biggest kick driving down to southern Oklahoma and passing through a town called "Pauls Valley." It sounds normal to us, but it was funny to them. They asked if there was a "Bill's Mountain" nearby. Just an example. Which brings me to.......

We've heard, "Will Rogers World Airport" all of our lives and think nothing of it. I've been traveling recently and was flying into Oklahoma City when a businessman said, "You know, every time I fly into Oklahoma City I am mortified that they would name an airport - of all things - after a person who died in a plane crash!" The lady on the aisle across from us heard him and agreed. The businessman (from Chicago) said, "Why not Oklahoma City International?" I thought about it.....hmm.....OKCI.....maybe they have a point. I didn't go on to mention that our general aviation airport is named after Wiley Post (died in the same plane crash as Rogers). But that makes sense given that Post is known for his aviation history.

The man said you could build the biggest statue of a man in the world and Will Rogers would deserve it - but an airport? He was really put off. I wonder how often people that know their history are bothered by our "Will Rogers World Airport?"

It's one of those things that I had never given much thought to. But, in these image conscious days for our city as it grows, what do you think of Will Rogers name being attached to our airport? Are there better ways to honor him? Would OKCI - or something else entirely - be better? What do you think?

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[SoonerDave]

I think Will Rogers World Airport is as much a part of Oklahoma City history as anything. I vote to leave it alone.

-SoonerDave

[writerranger]

I think Will Rogers World Airport is as much a part of Oklahoma City history as anything. I vote to leave it alone.

-SoonerDave

Actually, I feel much the same way. It's all I've known all these years. But for new people just becoming acquainted with Oklahoma City, I can see where they may think it's rather odd.

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[jbrown84]

Ha. I really never thought about it that way. I guess I remember him for other things, not that he died in a plane crash. Of course I knew that, but I never thought of the irony.

Was this guy also saying that Rogers deserves better than an airport? It's not like we're the only ones that named our airport after a famous figure. (Houston Bush, John Wayne, JFK)

I don't think it's a problem. Some people are superstitious. Whatever.

I did always wonder why we are the only "World Airport" while everybody else is an "International Airport", but I suppose that was for the sake of alliteration.

[writerranger]

Ha. I really never thought about it that way. I guess I remember him for other things, not that he died in a plane crash. Of course I knew that, but I never thought of the irony.

Was this guy also saying that Rogers deserves better than an airport? It's not like we're the only ones that named our airport after a famous figure. (Houston Bush, John Wayne, JFK)

I don't think it's a problem. Some people are superstitious. Whatever.

I did always wonder why we are the only "World Airport" while everybody else is an "International Airport", but I suppose that was for the sake of alliteration.

You're like me, I knew it and had heard the whispers about our two big airports being named after two people who died in plane crashes, but honestly - never gave it much thought. It's all I had ever heard and it just seems normal.

I used the term "inappropriate" in the thread title because that's the term the man from Chicago used. That's how he saw it. He said he loved Will Rogers, but that of all things to name the airport after him? (Because of his being associated with his death in a plane crash.) That was the gist of where he was coming from. While I see it as normal and part of our history, I do understand how he could feel that way. We're just all so used to hearing the name of our airport we don't give it a second thought.

BTW, I mentioned this to a colleague today and he said he had heard visitors say similar things like, "Didn't Will Rogers die in a plane crash?" (with a strange look on their faces) as they were getting off the plane.

It's funny when something seems so natural - like "Pauls Valley" - that we fail to see what others might think. I can see the humor in that and it being a "quaint" name - but I've heard it forever so I had not appreciated it.

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[jbrown84]

I think they both have airports named after them because of their association with aviation in general, not because they died in plane crashes.

I can see how it's kind of ironic, and might freak out the superstitious, but I wouldn't say inappropriate. It's not like it's soiling his name.

It's not like it's the Karen Silkwood Plutonium Factory. That would be inappropriate.

[writerranger]

I think they both have airports named after them because of their association with aviation in general, not because they died in plane crashes.

I can see how it's kind of ironic, and might freak out the superstitious, but I wouldn't say inappropriate. It's not like it's soiling his name.

It's not like it's the Karen Silkwood Plutonium Factory. That would be inappropriate.

Oh, actually it was obvious he didn't think it was named after him BECAUSE of the plane crash.

Jbrown, that is funny! The Karen Silkwood Plutonium Factory!! (sad story though)
Kinda like the Dick Cheney Charm School.

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[jbrown84]

no, the Dick Cheney Gun School.

[writerranger]

no, the Dick Cheney Gun School.

There you go!

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[mranderson]

You know how we all get used to hearing things and it doesn't mean much to us. People from Iowa that I know got the biggest kick driving down to southern Oklahoma and passing through a town called "Pauls Valley." It sounds normal to us, but it was funny to them. They asked if there was a "Bill's Mountain" nearby. Just an example. Which brings me to.......

We've heard, "Will Rogers World Airport" all of our lives and think nothing of it. I've been traveling recently and was flying into Oklahoma City when a businessman said, "You know, every time I fly into Oklahoma City I am mortified that they would name an airport - of all things - after a person who died in a plane crash!" The lady on the aisle across from us heard him and agreed. The businessman (from Chicago) said, "Why not Oklahoma City International?" I thought about it.....hmm.....OKCI.....maybe they have a point. I didn't go on to mention that our general aviation airport is named after Wiley Post (died in the same plane crash as Rogers). But that makes sense given that Post is known for his aviation history.

The man said you could build the biggest statue of a man in the world and Will Rogers would deserve it - but an airport? He was really put off. I wonder how often people that know their history are bothered by our "Will Rogers World Airport?"

It's one of those things that I had never given much thought to. But, in these image conscious days for our city as it grows, what do you think of Will Rogers name being attached to our airport? Are there better ways to honor him? Would OKCI - or something else entirely - be better? What do you think?

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I may not like hick things, however, I would oppose changing the name of Will Rogers World Airport. Here is why. Oklahoma City has the honor of having the first major airport in the nation named in honor of a member of the entertainment industry. Well ahead of John Wayne-Orange County in Santa Ana.

[brianinok]

I like it because it's unique. Younger people like myself (especially if they aren't from Oklahoma) need to be reminded about Will Rogers, and an airport is a fine way to keep that memory going. It doesn't bother me that it is named after a man who died in a plane crash. And there is no basis in their superstition. There might be if WRWA had a number of crashes to it's "credit" but it doesn't.

[mranderson]

I like it because it's unique. Younger people like myself (especially if they aren't from Oklahoma) need to be reminded about Will Rogers, and an airport is a fine way to keep that memory going. It doesn't bother me that it is named after a man who died in a plane crash. And there is no basis in their superstition. There might be if WRWA had a number of crashes to it's "credit" but it doesn't.

Here is another lack of basis for superstition. Will Rogers World Airport has never had a major plane crash. Plus, why would the FAA base a large percentage of their agency at an airport named after a man who died in a plane crash if there was anything to worry about? (retorical)

[writerranger]

Here is another lack of basis for superstition. Will Rogers World Airport has never had a major plane crash. Plus, why would the FAA base a large percentage of their agency at an airport named after a man who died in a plane crash if there was anything to worry about? (retorical)

I was just relaying the thoughts of this man from Chicago. Again, he wasn't being superstitious or "worrying" about anything. He just found it...well...odd. No big deal. I passed it along mainly because I think it's interesting how familiar things become normal things. People who know history and know that WR died in a plane crash wouldn't have to be superstitious to find it rather odd. Just relaying an outsiders thoughts. I thought it interesting.

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[okclee]

I am in the minority here, but I would rather see OKC International. I think that it would tie the city to the it's airport. Especially for people that are not familiar with Will Rogers or for that matter Oklahoma.

[Martin]

so we landed at jfk jr international airport where we then went by helicopter to francis powers heliport. from there we drove to the theatre on the george patton expressway and parked the car in the robert kennedy parking garage. at the theatre we watched the play from the abraham lincoln box. we then stayed overnight in the hotel's martin luther king jr suite and the next day took the sonny bono lift up to the slopes to do a bit of skiing.

ok. ok. in all honesty, i think it'd be more unlucky to name an airplane after will rogers than an airport.

-M

[Karried]

Thank God you had your lucky Rabbit's foot and Three Leaf Clover!

[jbrown84]

Well I guess I led us off topic a little on superstition.

I guess I'm still unclear on whether the guy thought it was odd/ironic or if he was offended. If that latter, I think it's kind of silly.

Again, I think Will Rogers is know for a lot of other things besides dying in a plane crash. In fact, I doubt many know that about him outside of Oklahoma. If it were John Denver, that would be different.

[Kerry]

Lets see - the airport in in Atlanta is really named Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International. Maybe in OKC it could be Rogers-Norick Oklahoma City International (if OKC can really be considered International).

BTW - tell your friend from Chicago the his own airport is named after someone killed in a plane crash. Lieutenant Edward O'Hare for whom O'Hare is named was shot down and killed in WWII. That is what I call ironic.

[writerranger]

Kerry, He's not my "friend," he was a guy on a flight I was on. I agree with everyone here that it shouldn't be changed (the name) and the man wasn't offended at all - it was an offhand comment that started a little discussion. More than anything I thought it interesting how some people see things differently than those who are around something and used to a name. (Like my 'Pauls Valley' example).

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[Kerry]

Writeranger - don't take offense - I was using the term Friend in a very general sense.

[writerranger]

Writeranger - don't take offense - I was using the term Friend in a very general sense.

I understand. Thanks, Kerry.

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[zuluwarrior0760]

That old quip has been going around since the time
the airports were first named....

We name roads after JFK even though he died in his car,
but let's just imagine for a second that JFK had actually died
in a plane crash.

I would venture a bet that NEVER would anyone land at that airport
and pose the query as to why it was named after him.......

why????

Because he did some other stuff as well as die in a plane, or a car, or
by a bullet wound to the back of the skull, which brings us to the
more interesting question, which is WHY do people laughingly ask the
question about Will Rogers.....

Next time you hear someone ask that on the plane, remind them that
in the 20's and 30's Will Rogers was arguably the most famous
man on the planet and Wiley Post was the absolute GOD of aviators!!
I say nearly a century after you pass, the manner of your death should
take a back seat to what you did in life.

We named the airport after him because he was and is Oklahoma's most
famous son, and I say leave it no matter how curious it seems that
people say that, leave Pauls Valley alone too.....

Imagine what that guy would talk about as he landed in Tulsa.......
Wow, I'm landing in.........tulsa!

[ETL]

It's fine as it is.

[jbrown84]

Thanks for the O'Hare tip. Now if I hear this again from someone, I have a pretty good comeback.

[writerranger]

Thanks for the O'Hare tip. Now if I hear this again from someone, I have a pretty good comeback.

Yes. I wish I had known that when Mr. Chicago was so mortified.

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