Story and Photos By JOE FERNANDEZ
Nestled in the heart of Central Texas, Gillespie County Airport (T82) is the gateway to the Hill Country and tourist cities like Fredericksburg, just a couple of miles to the north, with rich German history and military museums.
It’s a popular area for tourists, especially as the airport boasts the Hangar Hotel and Airport Diner.
In 2023, T82 celebrated its 75th anniversary, but local lore points to a much earlier start to aviation in the area.
In a controversial take on the beginnings of flight, area historians point to Jacob Brodbeck, a teacher, surveyor, and county commissioner, who was said to have been the first to fly an aircraft under powered flight in 1868 — a full 35 years before the Wright brothers made their historic flight at Kitty Hawk. A bronze bust and plaque of Brodbeck stands in Fredericksburg’s Marktplatz Park.
It was in the early 1940s when Norman Dietel, the owner and publisher of the Fredericksburg Radio Post, petitioned the military to build an airport in town as military flights routinely flew over the city.
HC “Hans” Hannemann and his friend William “Red” Schroeder, local pilots who assisted the Navy with pilot training at Schreiner Field in nearby Kerrville, were also an integral part in the mission of creating an airport in the area.
In 1945, after a bond issue passed by just 19 votes, the county acquired about 350 acres and began planning the airport. Construction of the airport started in 1947 and was completed in 1948.
The airport, which opened with a single 3,000-foot runway, was initially designated as a daylight only facility.
But necessity is the mother of invention and some night landings were made possible thanks to local farmers using the headlights of their vehicles to light up the runway.
This was standard operating procedure up until 1954, when famous TV personality and pilot Arthur Godfrey flew into the airport to visit his friend, then senator Lyndon Johnson.
Shortly after the visit, Godfrey donated the funds to install lights at the airport.
In November 1955 Johnson presented the runway lights to local elected officials. They remained operational until they were replaced by modern LED lights in 2012, making Gillespie County Airport the first general aviation airport in Texas to have LED lights.
Over the years, the airport has continued to grow with an FBO terminal, hangars, a business park, and the runway lengthened to 5,001 feet. It recently became a dedicated fire tanker base, operating several single engine air tankers (SEATs), and helicopters.
It’s home to more than 100 based aircraft, plus it’s also bustling with tourists, who fly in to visit the Hangar Hotel and the Airport Diner, which opened in 2003. There’s also a conference center and an event hall on site.
Since 2004, the airport has been self-sufficient, which means it doesn’t take any tax money. In fact, the airport is an economic boon to the area. A 2018 study found that the airport has a $13.7 million impact on the local community.
With a bright future ahead, the airport held a ceremony and fly-in in May 2023 to honor the facility’s 75th anniversary.
This included a number of veteran and military groups, government personnel, and many visitors.
The day ended with a historical presentation, awards, several flights, and a celebratory dinner.
For more information: GillespieCounty.org
More Photos from Fly-Ins at T82
