Ottawa/Rockcliffe Airport or Rockcliffe Airport , a former military base, is a

non-towered airport In aviation, a non-towered airport is an airport without a control tower, or air traffic control (ATC) unit. In the United States, there are close to 20,000 non-towered airports compared to approximately 500 airports with control towers. Airports ...

located on the south shore of the

Ottawa River The Ottawa River (, ) is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. It is named after the Algonquin word "to trade", as it was the major trade route of Eastern Canada at the time. For most of its length, it defines the border betw ...

, northeast of

Downtown Ottawa Downtown Ottawa is the central area of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is sometimes referred to as the Central Business District and contains Ottawa's financial district. It is bordered by the Ottawa River to the north, the Rideau Canal to the east, ...

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

, Canada. The airport is the home of the

Canada Aviation and Space Museum The Canada Aviation and Space Museum () (formerly the Canada Aviation Museum (''Musée de l'aviation du Canada'') and National Aeronautical Collection (''Collection aéronautique nationale'')) is Canada's national aviation history museum. The m ...

, which owns the field, and is used and maintained by the Rockcliffe Flying Club. In August 2018, on the 100th anniversary of its use as an airfield, it was officially recognized as Canada's oldest active airport. 100th anniversary of Rockcliffe Airport letter from Ottawa Mayor

100th anniversary of Rockcliffe Airport letter from Ottawa Mayor

History

The airport land was originally a military rifle range. In 1918, the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...

began using the field behind the range for experimental mail flights, and the airport opened officially in 1920 as the ''Ottawa Air Station'', one of the six original airfields opened across Canada by the new Air Board. Since it is on the shore of the Ottawa river and the runways were connected to the riverfront by a road, it was one of very few airports capable of handling and transferring floatplanes on both land and water. On March 12, 1930, Canadian

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

flying ace

William George Barker William George Barker, (3 November 1894 – 12 March 1930) was a Canadian First World War fighter ace and Victoria Cross recipient. He is the most decorated serviceman in the history of Canada. Early life Born on a family farm in Dauphin, Man ...

crashed into the Ottawa River and died during an aerial demonstration over the field. In July 1931,

Charles Lindbergh Charles Augustus Lindbergh (February 4, 1902 – August 26, 1974) was an American aviator, military officer, and author. On May 20–21, 1927, he made the first nonstop flight from New York (state), New York to Paris, a distance of . His aircra ...

and

Anne Morrow Lindbergh Anne Spencer Morrow Lindbergh (June 22, 1906 – February 7, 2001) was an American writer and aviator. She was the wife of decorated pioneer aviator Charles Lindbergh, with whom she made many exploratory flights. Raised in Englewood, New Jerse ...

visited the airport during their northern surveying tour. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. Rockcliffe participated in the British Commonwealth Air Training Program and many other kinds of testing, training, and transport operations, including flying overseas mail to troops in Europe. The military importance of the airport declined after World War II, since the runways were too short for typical jet operations. The armed forces shifted most operations to

RCAF Station Uplands The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; ) is the air force, air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environmental commands within the un ...

(now

Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport Ottawa/Macdonald–Cartier International Airport or simply Ottawa International Airport is the main international airport serving Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and its metropolitan area as well as Gatineau, Quebec known as the National Capital Re ...

) in 1957, and ceased flying operations at Rockcliffe in 1964, retaining the station only as an administrative base, while the Rockcliffe Flying Club began using the field for civilian flying. During the 1970s, the airport was also used for scheduled

short takeoff and landing A short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft is a fixed-wing aircraft that can takeoff/land on short runways. Many STOL-designed aircraft can operate on airstrips with harsh conditions (such as high altitude or ice). STOL aircraft, including tho ...

(STOL) commercial flights to the short-lived

Victoria STOLport Victoria STOLport was a STOL, short take-off and landing aerodrome near downtown Montreal during the mid-1970s. The STOLport had been constructed on the former parking lot for Expo 67. The airport operated a two-year STOL demonstration service, ...

near downtown

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

. The objective was to demonstrate

Twin Otter The de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada in the mid-1960s and still in production today. Built by De Havilland Canada from 1965 to 1988, Viking A ...

STOL A short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft is a fixed-wing aircraft that can takeoff/land on short runways. Many STOL-designed aircraft can operate on airstrips with harsh conditions (such as high altitude or ice). STOL aircraft, including tho ...

aircraft in downtown areas and avoid longer drives to the

Ottawa Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...

and

airports. For a variety of reasons STOL operations in downtown settings have not proven successful. The military left the airport completely in 1994, but their aircraft collection remained to form the nucleus of the

Canada Aviation Museum The Canada Aviation and Space Museum () (formerly the Canada Aviation Museum (''Musée de l'aviation du Canada'') and National Aeronautical Collection (''Collection aéronautique nationale'')) is Canada's national aviation history museum. The m ...

. Only one of the former triangle of runways remains active. Runways 04/22 and 15/33 were closed along with most taxiways now servicing the aviation museum.

Tenants

Current tenants of the airport: *

Canadian Aviation Museum The Canada Aviation and Space Museum () (formerly the Canada Aviation Museum (''Musée de l'aviation du Canada'') and National Aeronautical Collection (''Collection aéronautique nationale'')) is Canada's national aviation history museum. The m ...

- two buildings * Rockcliffe Flying Club * Rockcliffe Yacht Club Former tenants: *

Canadian Forces The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; , FAC) are the unified Military, military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air commands referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force. Under the ''National Defenc ...

(

RCAF The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; ) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environmental commands within the unified Canad ...

Canadian Army The Canadian Army () is the command (military formation), command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also re ...

) - 1920–1964 *

Dominion of Canada Rifle Association The Dominion of Canada Rifle Association (DCRA; ) is a Canadian shooting sports organization governing fullbore target rifle disciplines. The Association was founded in 1868 and incorporated by an Act of Parliament 63-64 Victoria Chapter 99, as ...

* Airtransit - a wholly owned subsidiary of

Air Canada Air Canada is the flag carrier and the largest airline of Canada, by size and passengers carried. Air Canada is headquartered in the borough of Saint-Laurent in the city of Montreal. The airline, founded in 1937, provides scheduled and cha ...

used Rockcliffe to demonstrate STOL passenger operations to

from 1974 to 1976

Transportation to airport

By car, the airport can be reached by Sir George-Étienne Cartier Parkway. By transit,

OC Transpo OC Transpo is the primary Transit district, public transport agency for the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, operating bus rapid transit, light rail, conventional transit bus, bus routes, and door-to-door paratransit in the nation's capital regi ...

Route 25 occasionally provides direct access to the airport. Route 7 is a short walk from the airport.

Incidents

* March 28, 1950 – USAF Douglas C-47B-50DK had an engine fire and crashed shortly after takeoff, resulting in five fatalities (including American Ambassador

Laurence Steinhardt Laurence Adolph Steinhardt (October 6, 1892 – March 28, 1950) was an American economist, lawyer, and senior diplomat of the United States Department of State who served as U.S. Ambassador to six countries. He served as U.S. First Minister to Sw ...

) and one survivor. * July 22, 1953 – A RCAF Canadair C-54GM Argonaut caught fire during loading; the aircraft was destroyed with no fatalities. * September 14, 2023 - A private plane was stolen, crashing shortly after and damaging two planes. The thief was arrested at the site of the crash and an investigation is ongoing.

References

External links