Pacific Gateway by Woodruff Minor August 28, 1853 flight of balloon California inflated on a small lot on 3rd St near

Broadway July 29, 1904 Thomas Scott Baldwin in California Arrow made first successful airship flight in the US at Oakland's Idora Park. Dec 14, 1903 Wright Brothers flew at Kitty Hawk October 1903 California Eagle flew in SF but ditched into the bay after sun heated hyrogen bag. 1908 Feng Ru (Fung Joe Guey) flew first test flight but crashed into workshop September 21, 1909 Feng Ru Flew over Piedmont Hills 20 minute flight October 1911, Weldon B. Cooke was credited as being first man to fly over Oakland 1912, Chinese-American Aviator Tom Gunn Wright of China made demonstration flights in Alameda for China military attache's 1919 Oakland's Durant Field opened situated south of E. 14th between 77th and 84th Avenues Sept 17, 1927 dedication of Oakland Municipal Airport ( and SF municipal). 680 acre tract on Bayfarm Island purchased for $620,000. Later enlarged to 850 acres. Lindburgh unveiled bronze plaque honoring Maitland and Hegenberger. June 28, 1927 army plane Bird of Paradise piloted by Lt. Lester Maitland and copilot Lt. Albert Hegenberger left Bay Farm and landed in Oahu next day - 1st successful pacific aerial crossing. February 1980, North Field designated a landmark by Oakland city Council Bronze plaque to Smith and Ulm at Administration Building The original airport at North Field was built in 1927 and is still in operation today for air cargo, general aviation and corporate jet activities. Commercial passenger and cargo jet aircraft operate from South Field, which opened in 1962. Original buildings consist of 5 hangers, an administrative building, and a hotel and a restaurant. December 1926 Oakland voters overwhelmingly approve a charter amendment to create a new city board, the Board of Port Commissioners, charged with overseeing the city's waterfront. February 1927 Oakland City Council expands the Board of Port Commissioner's authority to include operation of an airport within the port area.

June 1927 Construction of Oakland Municipal Airport (what is now North Field) begins, including construction of a 7,020-foot runway, the longest in the world for its day. July 1927 Pilot Ernie Smith and his navigator Emory Bronte set a new speed record from Oakland to Hawaii 25 hours, 37 minutes. August 1927 Nine airplanes and thousands of spectators gather at Oakland Municipal Airport for the start of the Dole Races to Hawaii, sponsored by pineapple magnate James Dole. September 1927 Oakland Municipal Airport is dedicated, with Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh presiding over the ceremonies. December 1927 Boeing Air Transport (predecessor to United Airlines) inaugurates U.S. transcontinental passenger and airmail service between Oakland and New York. February 1928 Boeing Air Transport begins West Coast passenger and airmail service between Oakland and Southern California. May 1928 Australian World War I ace Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith departs from Oakland with a crew of three bound for Australia via Hawaii. The 7,300-mile trip takes seven days and is the first flight between the two continents. Summer 1929 Construction is completed on airport building facilities, including five hangars, passenger terminal/administrative offices and a restaurant. February 1930 The passenger terminal is now adjoined by the nation's first airport inn. June 1931 Amelia Earhart guides an autogiro (a hybrid airplane/helicopter) into Oakland, the firstever transcontinental flight in this aircraft. March 1932 Trans World Airlines inaugurates service from Oakland. January 1935 Amelia Earhart returns to Oakland after an 18 hour, 15 minute flight from Honolulu, the first trans-Pacific solo venture, where 15,000 aviation enthusiasts greet her. May 1937 Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan take off from Oakland to begin their ill-fated around-the-world journey. June 1937 United Airlines introduces Douglas DC-3 aircraft for its Oakland-New York service. The plane carries 14 passengers and makes the trip in just over 15 hours, with stops in Salt Lake City, Cheyenne and Chicago. August 1940 The Board of Port Commissioners purchases 302 acres of land adjoining the airport, expanding the facility to 1,200 acres. 1943 Oakland becomes the marshalling point for all planes bound for the U.S. forces in the Pacific. All of Oakland's commercial flights are diverted to San Francisco Municipal Airport

for the duration of the war. 1945 A new 6,200-foot east-west runway paralleling the original runway is constructed. 1946 Western Airlines begin scheduled service between Oakland and Los Angeles. The "Fly Oakland" campaign is launched to discourage the wartime practice by airlines of transporting Oakland passengers to San Francisco Municipal Airport. 1947 The airport is returned to Port control. American Airlines begins flights from Oakland. 1953 Oakland voters approve a $10 million general obligation bond issue for major expansion of Oakland Municipal Airport. 1960 The Port begins construction of a 10,000-foot jet runway behind a 4.5-mile dike to the south of the airport's existing facilities. The new 600-acre complex will consist of a new passenger terminal topped by a 10-story control tower, a separate air cargo building and a jet hangar. 1962 The new $20 million Oakland International Airport (OAK) opens. Aviation Pioneers at Oakland Amelia Earhart (1897 - 1937) Weldon B. Cooke (d. 1914) Bessie Coleman (1893 - 1926) Captain Charles Kingsford-Smith (1897-1934) Durant Field The first experimental transcontinental airmail through flight lands in Oakland. Left to right: Mayor John L. Davie, unknown, Eddie Rickenbacker, John M. Larsen (aircraft salesman), partially obscured unknown man, Bert Acosta (in cavalry boots), J. J. Rosborough (postmaster), unknown. Russell Clifford Durant (called "Cliff" by his friends) was a race car driver, speedboat enthusiast, amateur flier, President of Durant Motors in Oakland, and son of General Motors founder William "Billy" Crapo Durant. In 1916, he established Durant Field at 82nd Avenue and East 14th Street.[22] The first experimental transcontinental airmail through-flight finished its journey at Durant Field on August 9, 1920, with Army Capt.