Mason Jewett Field is a public use

airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surface ...

located one nautical mile (1.85 km) southeast of the

central business district A central business district (CBD) is the commercial and business centre of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides with the "city ...

Mason Mason may refer to: Occupations * Mason, brick mason, or bricklayer, a craftsman who lays bricks to construct brickwork, or who lays any combination of stones, bricks, cinder blocks, or similar pieces * Stone mason, a craftsman in the stone-cut ...

, in

Ingham County Ingham County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 284,900. The county seat is Mason. Lansing, the state capital of Michigan, is largely located within the county. (Lansing is the only ...

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. It is owned and operated by the

Capital Region Airport Authority Capital Region International Airport , formerly Lansing Capital City Airport, is a public, Class C airport located northwest of downtown Lansing in a portion of DeWitt Township, Michigan that has been annexed to the City of Lansing via Pub ...

, which also oversees the nearby

Capital Region International Airport Capital Region International Airport , formerly Lansing Capital City Airport, is a public, Class C airport located northwest of downtown Lansing in a portion of DeWitt Township, Michigan that has been annexed to the City of Lansing via Pub ...

(LAN) in

Lansing, Michigan Lansing () is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is mostly in Ingham County, although portions of the city extend west into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. The 2020 census placed the city's population at 112,644, making ...

. It is included in the

Federal Aviation Administration The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...

(FAA)

National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) is an inventory of U.S. aviation infrastructure assets. NPIAS was developed and now maintained by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It identifies existing and proposed airports tha ...

for 2017–2021, in which it is categorized as a local

general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...

facility. Although many U.S. airports use the same three-letter

location identifier A location identifier is a symbolic representation for the name and the location of an airport, navigation aid, or weather station, and is used for staffed air traffic control facilities in air traffic control, telecommunications, computer programm ...

for the

FAA The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...

and

IATA The International Air Transport Association (IATA ) is a trade association of the world's airlines founded in 1945. IATA has been described as a cartel since, in addition to setting technical standards for airlines, IATA also organized tariff ...

, this airport is assigned TEW by the FAA and has no designation from the IATA. The airport is home to a chapter of the

experimental aircraft association The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is an international organization of aviation enthusiasts based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States. Since its inception, it has grown internationally with over 200,000 members and nearly 1,000 chapt ...

History

1940s-1960s

Mason mayor, Arthur W. Jewett, believed that the popularity of

aviation Aviation includes the activities surrounding mechanical flight and the aircraft industry. ''Aircraft'' includes fixed-wing and rotary-wing types, morphable wings, wing-less lifting bodies, as well as lighter-than-air craft such as hot air ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, and the return of

veterans A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in a particular occupation or field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in a military. A military veteran that has ...

to the area would make an airport an increasingly important asset to the community. Further, the airport could promote industrial development around Mason. On December 16, 1943, Jewett purchased the Elsworth Farm southeast of Mason.

Smith Smith may refer to: People * Metalsmith, or simply smith, a craftsman fashioning tools or works of art out of various metals * Smith (given name) * Smith (surname), a family name originating in England, Scotland and Ireland ** List of people wi ...

, p. 3 In early 1944, runway 9/27 was constructed at with a

turf Sod, also known as turf, is the upper layer of soil with the grass growing on it that is often harvested into rolls. In Australian and British English, sod is more commonly known as ''turf'', and the word "sod" is limited mainly to agricultu ...

surface. An existing

hip roof A hip roof, hip-roof or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope (although a tented roof by definition is a hipped roof with steeply pitched slopes rising to a peak). Thus, ...

barn A barn is an agricultural building usually on farms and used for various purposes. In North America, a barn refers to structures that house livestock, including cattle and horses, as well as equipment and fodder, and often grain.Allen G. ...

at the west end of the airfield was converted into an airplane

hangar A hangar is a building or structure designed to hold aircraft or spacecraft. Hangars are built of metal, wood, or concrete. The word ''hangar'' comes from Middle French ''hanghart'' ("enclosure near a house"), of Germanic origin, from Frankish ...

capable of holding three or four planes. A hangar with room for six planes, was built at the northwest end of the airport. A

Civil Air Patrol Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a congressionally chartered, federally supported non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded mem ...

Squadron Squadron may refer to: * Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies * Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, ...

plane from Lansing was the first to land on the new runway. In October 1944, Stanley Keck became the first operator of the new Jewett Flying School. A north–south runway was completed at the east end of the existing runway. An increase of privately owned aircraft based at the airport prompted the construction of five

tee hangar {{Refimprove, date=January 2011 A Tee hangar is a type of enclosed structure designed to hold aircraft in protective storage, and their shape takes advantage of the shape of most general aviation aircraft where the main wings are longer than the ...

s along Eden Road in mid-1946. The Sycamore Valley Flyers flying club operated at the airport from 1946 to 1966. In 1948, Laylin Jewett established an aircraft maintenance facility at Jewett Field. In the fall of 1949, lights were installed on runway 9/27.

, p. 4 A model airplane hobby shop opened at the airport in the winter of 1949.

, p. 5 By 1950, there were more than 30 planes based at the airport. In September 1950, the airport owner, Arthur Jewett, decided to close the airport. By the mid-1950s, Jewett reopened the airport with Bartlett Smith as Assistant Airport Manager. Harold Manville operated a flight training and aircraft rental business at the airport from 1968 to 1974.

1970s to present

In October 1973, a two-year disagreement over a lease on the airport was settled between Arthur Jewett and the airport's operator, Harold Manville. In November, the Michigan Aeronautics Commission granted a license to Arthur Jewett, allowing the facility to remain in operation.

Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman people, Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caes ...

, pp. 253-254 By 1973, Jewett reported losing $150,000 in operating the airport.

Morris Morris may refer to: Places Australia *St Morris, South Australia, place in South Australia Canada * Morris Township, Ontario, now part of the municipality of Morris-Turnberry * Rural Municipality of Morris, Manitoba ** Morris, Manitob ...

, p. 107 In March 1977, the Capital Region Airport Authority purchased the of airport property from Arthur Jewett as a reliever airfield for Capital City Airport (now Capital Region International Airport) in Lansing. The existing buildings at the airport were removed and a new

asphalt Asphalt, also known as bitumen (, ), is a sticky, black, highly viscous liquid or semi-solid form of petroleum. It may be found in natural deposits or may be a refined product, and is classed as a pitch. Before the 20th century, the term a ...

runway 9/27 was constructed. The north–south runway was decommissioned and a new

terminal Terminal may refer to: Computing Hardware * Terminal (electronics), a device for joining electrical circuits together * Terminal (telecommunication), a device communicating over a line * Computer terminal, a set of primary input and output devic ...

was built on its location. During the next decade, the Capital Region Airport Authority purchased approximately of adjoining property, allowing the runway to be lengthened to . A lighted parallel

taxiway A taxiway is a path for aircraft at an airport connecting runways with aprons, hangars, terminals and other facilities. They mostly have a hard surface such as asphalt or concrete, although smaller general aviation airports sometimes use gravel ...

was also constructed. The

Experimental Aircraft Association The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is an international organization of aviation enthusiasts based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States. Since its inception, it has grown internationally with over 200,000 members and nearly 1,000 chapt ...

, Chapter 55, moved to Jewett Field in 1984. The Association built the airport's Chapter Hangar in 1985, which provides space for members' aircraft, a workshop, and a meeting room.EAA Chapter 55 History
, ''Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 55'', eaa55.org, Retrieved September 15, 2009 In 1998, Jewett Field operator AeroGenesis Aviation built a maintenance hangar and office building at the airport. In June 2009,

Lansing Community College Lansing Community College is a public community college with its main campus in Lansing, Michigan. Founded in 1957, the college's main campus is located on an urban, site in downtown Lansing spanning seven city blocks approximately two block ...

signed a five-year lease for a hangar at Jewett Field to house the college's aviation mechanics program. The program is based out of nearby

, with potential displacement due to that airport's expansion plans.Miller, Matthew
LCC airport lease raises red flag for union
''Lansing State Journal'', lsj.com, September 1, 2009, Retrieved September 15, 2009 By February 2010, the June 2009 lease was under litigation.Miller, Matthew
LCC countersues in Jewett hangar case
''Lansing State Journal'', lsj.com, March 26, 2010, Retrieved April 21, 2010 In February 2011, the hangar was purchased by Lansing Community College.Miller, Matthew
LCC buys hangar in Mason to settle suit
''Lansing State Journal'', lsj.com, March 3, 2011, Retrieved March 24, 2011 In May, the college announced that it would move its aviation mechanics program from Capital Region International Airport to the Jewett Field hangar.Miller, Matthew
Some Lansing Community College programs spared cuts
''Lansing State Journal'', lsj.com, May 17, 2011, Retrieved May 25, 2011

Aviation Days

Aviation Days is an annual event at Jewett Field that showcases vintage aircraft, including homemade planes, antique passenger planes, and World War II-era

military aircraft A military aircraft is any fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft that is operated by a legal or insurrectionary armed service of any type. Military aircraft can be either combat or non-combat: * Combat aircraft are designed to destroy enemy equipm ...

. The event is organized by the Experimental Aircraft Association, Chapter 55, in Mason.Miller, Matthew
Mason Aviation Days draws aficionados, amateurs alike
''Lansing State Journal'', lsj.com, August 16, 2009, Retrieved September 15, 2009

Facilities and aircraft

Mason Jewett Field covers an area of at an

elevation The elevation of a geographic location is its height above or below a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface (see Geodetic datum § Vert ...

of above

mean sea level There are several kinds of mean in mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. ...

. It has one

runway According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and takeoff of aircraft". Runways may be a man-made surface (often asphalt concrete, as ...

designated 10/28 with an

surface measuring 4,004 by 75 feet (1,220 x 23 m). The airport is staffed Monday through Friday from 7AM until 4PM. Currently Jewett Field has hangar space for more than 80 airplanes. The aircraft has a fixed-base operator that offers

jet fuel Jet fuel or aviation turbine fuel (ATF, also abbreviated avtur) is a type of aviation fuel designed for use in aircraft powered by gas-turbine engines. It is colorless to straw-colored in appearance. The most commonly used fuels for commercial a ...

and

avgas Avgas (aviation gasoline, also known as aviation spirit in the UK) is an aviation fuel used in aircraft with spark-ignited internal combustion engines. ''Avgas'' is distinguished from conventional gasoline (petrol) used in motor vehicles, w ...

. For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2020, the airport had 6500 aircraft operations, all

, an average of 125 per week (a decrease from roughly 10,000 operations in 2010, 17,822 in 2009, and 20,960 in 2008). At that time, there were 83 aircraft based at this airport (an increase from 64 aircraft in 2009): 71 single-engine and 8 multi-engine

airplanes An airplane or aeroplane (informally plane) is a fixed-wing aircraft that is propelled forward by thrust from a jet engine, propeller, or rocket engine. Airplanes come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and wing configurations. The broad spectr ...

, 2

helicopters A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forward, backward and laterally. These attributes ...

, 1

jet airplane A jet aircraft (or simply jet) is an aircraft (nearly always a fixed-wing aircraft) propelled by jet engines. Whereas the engines in propeller-powered aircraft generally achieve their maximum efficiency at much lower speeds and altitudes, jet ...

, and 1

ultralight Ultralight aviation (called microlight aviation in some countries) is the flying of lightweight, 1- or 2-seat fixed-wing aircraft. Some countries differentiate between weight-shift control and conventional three-axis control aircraft with ailer ...

Transit

* The closest

freeway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms ...

is US-127, which is approximately west of Jewett Field. The airport is accessible by road by taking US-127 exit 64 (Kipp Road) east to Eden Road. State highway M-36 is approximately north of the airport. * The

Capital Area Transportation Authority The Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA) is the public transit authority that operates mass transit bus service and paratransit within the metro Lansing, Michigan area, including service on the campus of Michigan State University. In , th ...

(CATA) provides bus service from Lansing to Mason. Route 46 runs weekdays from downtown Lansing to the southside of Mason, near the airport. The ''Mason Connector'' runs weekdays and Saturday from south Lansing to Mason.

Incidents and accidents

* On July 26, 2006, a

Beechcraft A36 Bonanza Beechcraft is an American brand of civil aviation and military aircraft owned by Textron Aviation since 2014, headquartered in Wichita, Kansas. Originally, it was a brand of Beech Aircraft Corporation, an American manufacturer of general aviati ...

crashed during climbout from Mason Field. The pilot reported preflight and takeoff were normal, but the airplane hesitated and stopped climbing 150 feet above the ground. The plane climbed slowly for a moment then started a descent. Airspeed dropped, the stall horn sounded, and the airplane buffeted; the pilot lowered the nose to gain airspeed and banked to avoid obstacles, but the wing impacted an antenna and the landing gear impacted two cars and a parking lot. The plane came to rest and the occupants escaped before the aircraft was consumed by fire. The probable cause was found to be the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall/mush on takeoff. * On May 8, 2007, an Aeronca 7AC ground looped upon landing at Mason County. The pilot stated that the landing was good, but when he reached to turn off the carb heat the airplane turned to the left. He over-controlled with right rudder and attempted to abort the landing by adding power. He became airborne, stalled, and clipped a tree, causing the airplane to impact terrain. The probable cause was found to be the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll and failure to maintain sufficient airspeed during the aborted landing attempt, leading to an inadvertent stall. * On September 17, 2010, a Tecnam P2004 Bravo single-engine plane lost power and crashed in a field north of the airport shortly after takeoff, crushing the nose of the plane. The pilot was hospitalized.Vela, Susan
FAA begins investigation of Mason plane accident
''Lansing State Journal'', lsj.com, September 19, 2010, Retrieved September 19, 2010 * On September 1, 2022, a

Dassault Falcon The Dassault Falcon is a family of business jets, manufactured by Dassault Aviation. July 2017 saw the 2,500th Falcon delivered – a Falcon 900LX – since the first Falcon 20 was handed over to a customer in 1965. The fleet has accumula ...

business jet (N123RA) diverted from Capital Region International Airport (KLAN) due to engine issues and ran off the end of the runway into the grass.

Photo gallery

Image:Mason_Jewett_Field_Terminal_Building_1.jpg, Jewett Field terminal building in Mason, MI Image:Mason_Jewett_Field_Parking_Lot_Fuel_Terminal.jpg, Airport fueling center from parking lot Image:Mason Jewett Field runway 10-28 Jan 2012-2.jpg, Runway 10/28 from West Dexter Trail Image:Mason_Jewett_Field_Hangars_From_Eden_Road.jpg, Jewett Field hangars from Eden Road Image:Mason_Jewett_Field_Hangars_From_Entrance_Drive.jpg, Airplane hangars from Jewett Airport Road Image:Mason_Jewett_Field_Taxiway_Along_Entrance_Road.jpg, Taxiway and airplanes from Jewett Airport Road Image:Mason Jewett Field USGS 7-Apr-99.jpg, April 1999 USGS aerial photograph of Jewett Field Image:Mason Jewett Field Topo USGS 1-Jul-76.jpg, July 1976 USGS topographic map of Jewett Field

References

;Notes ;Bibliography * * * Smith, Bartlett
Mason Jewett Airport
''Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 55 Wingtips'', eaa55.org, March 2001, Retrieved April 22, 2010

External links

*
Capital Region Airport Authority
* at

Michigan DOT The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is a constitutional government principal department of the US state of Michigan. The primary purpose of MDOT is to maintain the Michigan State Trunkline Highway System which includes all Interstate ...

Airport Directory * * {{US-airport-ga, TEW Airports in Michigan Buildings and structures in Ingham County, Michigan Transportation in Ingham County, Michigan Airports established in 1944 1944 establishments in Michigan