Airport
Progress: The Highlights
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1920s |
Initial Land/Air
Field in region |
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1945 |
City of Brainerd/Crow
Wing county purchase land |
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1947 |
Airport Commission
created |
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1948 |
First commercial
flight into Brainerd |
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1965 |
Airport renamed
“Walter Wieland Field” |
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1980s |
Main runway
lengthened and widened
Commercial terminal constructed
Maintenance/ARFF building
constructed
New fire truck purchased
Full-time staff hired |
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1990s |
20-year comprehensive
plan developed
Additional aircraft maintenance
hangar built
Terminal building remodeled,
expanded and connected to the GA
terminal
As a part of this
construction, administrative offices
and a conference room were
added, as well as space for an additional air carrier. |
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2000s |
Wetland mitigation
Relocation of the DNR tanker base
Completion of a new runway (16/34) |
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2012 |
Newly remodeled and
expanded airline terminal opens
Jet bridge added |
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 Brief History
The air travel in the Brainerd Lakes Area traces
its history back to the 1920s when Henry Rosko
housed the first air field in the region. But by
the 1930s, his field could not be expanded to
meet the growing demands of the aviation
industry. In time, Rosko’s field was abandoned,
and the city sought acreage east of Brainerd to
build a municipal airport. Due to the size of
the land, Crow Wing County was solicited as a
partner, and in 1945, the city of Brainerd
purchased about 900 acres on what is now Hwy
210. Within this land, a large field was
surveyed.
In the 1940s, this land acquisition and planning
was a big project. Developing an airport would
make Brainerd and Crow Wing County points on a
national system of air travel, similar to what
the railroad did to the region 50+ years
earlier.
 In 1947, Brainerd resident Walter Wieland urged
the City of Brainerd, in conjunction with Crow
Wing County, to develop an Airport Commission in
an effort to own and operate an airport. An
application was made to the US government for
financial assistance to build the airport
complex. Money from local, state and federal
sources combined to create the airport.
Initially, two runways were constructed at the
airport — runway numbers 1/19 and 12/30, and the
complex housed a maintenance hanger and a small
office. The fixed base operator (FBO) was in
charge of the airport operations with financial
oversight from the City of Brainerd’s clerk’s
office.
In 1948, North Central Airlines, formerly known
as the Wisconsin Central, was the first
commercial service to fly into Brainerd. The
aircraft was a 10-passenger Lockheed 10A. This
first service offered one round trip per day,
providing weather conditions were right.
 The early years saw few passengers and a small
amount of freight. The airport’s future seemed
threatened. But, the economy grew and so did
traveler’s thirst for the great northern
Minnesota adventure.
By the mid 1950s, North Central was a hot
ticket, with as many as 302 passengers per month
using the service in the summer. During the
winter month, North Central had four flights per
day at Brainerd -- two north-bound and two
south-bound. During the summer, air travel
doubled.
In 1965, the Brainerd-Crow Wing County Municipal
Airport was officially renamed the “Walter
Wieland Field,” in honor of its founder,
eventually transitioning to the current name of
"Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport."
 In the 1980s, runway 4/21 was realigned,
lengthened and widened, becoming 5/23. A
commercial service airline terminal was
constructed. North Central Airline, became
Republic, then Republic Express, before evolving
into the current carrier of Mesaba/NW Airlink.
The 1980s also brought a new maintenance/ARFF
building, a fire truck was and the addition of
full-time staff, including an Airport Manager.
In 1990, the Airport Commission adapted a
20-year comprehensive plan (1990- 2010) which
identified the need for a new commercial service
runway. Runway project was surveyed and planned.
An additional aircraft maintenance hanger was
built. The terminal building was remodeled,
expanded and connected to the GA terminal. As a
part of this construction, administrative
offices and a conference room were added, as
well as space for an additional air carrier.
In 2000s, the approval of runway 16/34 which
involved a wetland mitigation and the relocation
of the DNR tanker base.
Today, the 1,475-acre site hosts up to five flights daily in the summer. General aviation
plays a major role at the airport with seven
10-unit t-hangers and 11 private hangers. Airmotive Enterprises is the airport’s Fixed
Base Operator (FBO) and offers charter plane
service all over the country. Flying lessons are
also given. The Civil Air Patrol also has a base
at the airport, as well as North Memorial Air
Care, Brainerd Helicopter Service and a
full-service restaurant.
Throughout the history of the Airport, it has
consistently received strong support from both
the city of Brainerd and Crow Wing County. This
community support, partnered with assistance
from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
and the MN Office of Aeronautics, has built the
Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport into a
first-class facility positioned for the future.
Read more history about the
airport from the September 1983 Brainerd Daily
Dispatch special section |
