Flying Memories

Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Orlando, FL

Between June of 1975 and July of 1976 Dar and I lived in Southwest Orlando -- actually not far from Turkey Lake Park where we're now camped. We had been married for a few years, hadn't had kids yet, and didn't own a house -- kind of foot-loose you could say. I had been working with Duo-Fast Corporation for a few years by that time and, when offered, we eagerly accepted a transfer from Minnesota (brrrr) to sunny Central Florida.

During that time I was flying, a skill I learned while living in Minnesota in 1974. After moving to Orlando I searched the area for the right airport I could call home, at least for my purpose of stretching my wings, as it were, and feeding my interest in aviation.

The general aviation airport of the Orlando area was Orlando Executive/Hernden Field as I remember it was called then. A few times I did fly out of Hernden but didn't like it. With it's control tower, shared airspace with Orlando International, and bustling activity, it was like driving through downtown Chicago when all I wanted was to take a quiet peaceful drive in the country. No, Hernden Field wouldn't do. So the search for a quieter airport out in the country went on.

One day I found a small grass strip on the rural western edge of the Orlando area called Maguire Airport. It was a very small operation with a few "tie-downs" they rented to local airplane owners, a maintenance hanger, and an office. They had 3 or 4 planes that they rented to students and people like me who already had a license and just wanted to fly once in a while. Compared to the 5000' long asphalt runway at my home base in Minnesota, Maguire's 2500' grass strip would be a big change. But during training I learned to like grass landing strips -- they're very forgiving compared to hard asphalt.

During the short time we lived there I probably only used Maguire Airport 6 or 8 times. But I loved the place. I spent a little time talking with owner Harold Maguire and enjoyed hearing how the airport just evolved over time from an orange grove to a pasture to an airstrip.

After Dar and I moved back to Wisconsin I didn't think much about little Maguire Airport. I had a growing family by then and my interests grew in other directions. It was another phase in my life.

This week, as I thought about the Orlando area, how much it's changed, how little I recognize in some places, I thought about my days at Maguire Airport. Searching maps I could neither find it nor remember exactly where it was relative to roads or other landmarks. Then I "googled" it and found a website about abandoned and little-know airfields. (Isn't the internet an amazing thing?) (I mean... it REALLY is!)

Here's a picture from about the time I was using Maguire Airport. Notice the orange groves all around...


And here's a straight-down picture from 2002...


If you click on the picture you'll see a larger version. In the first picture you can see that the airfield is close to the intersection of two roads. That same intersection is also on the second photo, down near the bottom left corner. Take note of all the development in the area, too. There's not a hint of "rural" left.

If you look carefully on the new picture, just below the parking lot in the center, there's an undeveloped area full of grass, brush, and trees. If you look carefully the foundations of the old maintenance shop and the smaller office are still visible, at least they were in 2002, the date the picture was taken. The grass runway ran right near where the parking lot and the stores meet.

I also checked out the area on Google Maps thinking it should have a more recent photo. Sure enough, now the shopping center and parking lot expansions have eliminated these last remaining signs of Maguire Airport.

They can take away my airport but they can't take away my memories.

T