A History of the Visalia Municipal Airport
The Dean of aviators in Tulare County was Sol Sweet who was still actively engaged in operating Sweet’s Flying Service until the 1980's. Sol learned to fly in 1927 in an Alexander Eagle Rock that he bought from Lester Lambkin.
In 1927 Sweet and his partner, Edwin Deeds, were flying from Porterville to Visalia’s Hyde Field (Green Acres Airport) when a water line broke spraying the men with hot water. Sweet held the line together while his partner made a forced landing in J.F. Putnam’s cow pasture west of Visalia. Such landings were not uncommon in aviation’s infancy. Sweet and Deeds liked the fairly level pasture and leased it in order to open their new company, Sweet-Deeds Aircrafters. Sol Sweet convinced the City of Visalia that the level land would make a good airport site and Visalia Municipal Airport began as two grass strips in June 1928. The Visalia Chamber of Commerce and American Legion Post No. 18 promoted the field as a municipal airport. In 1928 the people of Visalia endorsed a $50,000 bond election, and the city bought the land. The first hangar was an over-sized tent, but members of the Building Trades donated labor and a substantial hangar was soon built. Edwin Deeds took over an agency for Eagle Rock planes and Sol Sweet went into partnership with Harlan Kelsey.
In 1949, the Board of Supervisors recognized the need for, and adopted a comprehensive airport master plan. The increased use of the airport by aircraft made it necessary to complete a new master plan in 1971 as well.
Visalia is currently home to 154 aircraft, averages 226 aircraft operations per day and acts as a regional cargo hub for FedEx.