Historical Airport Codes?

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Lindberg

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Lindberg
I'm going through my logbook and entering everything into MyFlightbook. One issue I'm having is that some of the airport codes on my cross countries no longer mean what they used to mean. Some, I know what airport it was, so it's easy enough to figure out the new code. But some I only have the old code, like BPR, and I have no idea where that is. You'd think I'd remember where my first solo cross country was to, but no.

Is there someplace to look up the historical codes?
 
Airnav has some, but there's no listing of BPR.

https://www.airnav.com/airports/id-changes-all.html

Most of the changes were when METAR replaced SA reports. METAR does not permit digits in airport identifier, so every airport with weather reporting (which rapidly was expanding at the same time do to AWOS and similar automated stations) had to switch if they had numbers.

Some states are more agressive at switching the old 2 digits with a letter corresponding to the CENTER airpsace they are in to the newer 2 digits with the USPS post code for the state in them...like O51 becoming OK67.
 
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It's quite possible that the airport just isn't there any more as well.

The only BPR reference I can find is in the Philippines.
 
Where is Lindberg? Or...where was he when he did his solo cross country?

What were the other airports listed for that flight?

That would help narrow it down a bit!
 
Lindberg said:
I'm going through my logbook and entering everything into MyFlightbook. One issue I'm having is that some of the airport codes on my cross countries no longer mean what they used to mean. Some, I know what airport it was, so it's easy enough to figure out the new code. But some I only have the old code, like BPR, and I have no idea where that is. You'd think I'd remember where my first solo cross country was to, but no.

Is there someplace to look up the historical codes?
Click to expand...

BPR was Bridgeport, Texas. The airport was about two miles south of Chico. Bridgeport VORTAC, gone as well, was about two miles to the southeast.
 
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timwinters said:
Where is Lindberg? Or...where was he when he did his solo cross country?

What were the other airports listed for that flight?

That would help narrow it down a bit!
Click to expand...

Lindburg did his flight training in Nebraska, soloed in Kansas.
 
I had the same problem when I went back to try to re-construct my XC experience for my IR. Couple of the fields in CA where my first 6 yrs of flying were have closed. It helped that I kept the 1992 version of Pilots Guide to California Airports all these years. This site was also helpful: http://www.airfields-freeman.com/index.htm
 
timwinters said:
Where is Lindberg? Or...where was he when he did his solo cross country?

What were the other airports listed for that flight?

That would help narrow it down a bit!
Click to expand...
I'm in the DFW area. My training was at TX05, which is now T31.
 
roncachamp said:
BPR was Bridgeport, Texas. The airport was about two miles south of Chico. Bridgeport VORTAC, gone as well, was about two miles to the southeast.
Click to expand...
Yes, that was it! Apparently XBP now. Did you just happen to know that, or did you find it somewhere? I also have MVL, which isn't listed at either of the sites above.
 
Lindberg said:
Yes, that was it! Apparently XBP now. Did you just happen to know that, or did you find it somewhere? I also have MVL, which isn't listed at either of the sites above.
Click to expand...

You're not the only one who, as a student pilot, found it difficult to remember XBP was Bridgeport.

Howdy to you from Denton!!! You coming over to the airshow this Saturday?
 
Lindberg said:
Yes, that was it! Apparently XBP now. Did you just happen to know that, or did you find it somewhere? I also have MVL, which isn't listed at either of the sites above.
Click to expand...

No, not XBP now, BPR is now gone. BPR was Bridgeport Municipal Airstrip, it was located about three miles northwest of the city at 33°16' 97°48'. It had three runways of crushed rock; 16/34 was 2100' long, and 12/30 was 2160', and 6/24 was 2025'. I've attached scans of a 1966 approach plate.

I've also attached two scans of old sectional charts. The 1968 image shows the old airport and Bridgeport VORTAC but nothing at the location of the present day Bridgeport Municipal Airport. In the 1973 image the old airport is missing completely, not even an abandoned airport symbol, and the new airport is shown.

The present Bridgeport Municipal Airport, now XBP, was previously 1F9. It probably became XBP when it received an AWOS.
 

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AggieMike88 said:
You're not the only one who, as a student pilot, found it difficult to remember XBP was Bridgeport.
Click to expand...
I think it was probably 1F9 at the time. I must have gotten BPR from the VOR.:dunno:

And I figured out that "MVL" was actually "MWL," for my Bowie-Mineral Wells cross country. I think most students around here have probably been to the same six airports.

Howdy to you from Denton!!! You coming over to the airshow this Saturday?
Click to expand...
Unfortunately I will be in Austin. I saw your post over on DFW Pilots, and it looks like it should be a good time. My kids would definitely be up for a helo ride.
 
flyingron said:
Airnav has some, but there's no listing of BPR.

https://www.airnav.com/airports/id-changes-all.html

Most of the changes were when METAR replaced SA reports. METAR does not permit digits in airport identifier, so every airport with weather reporting (which rapidly was expanding at the same time do to AWOS and similar automated stations) had to switch if they had numbers.

Some states are more agressive at switching the old 2 digits with a letter corresponding to the CENTER airpsace they are in to the newer 2 digits with the USPS post code for the state in them...like O51 becoming OK67.
Click to expand...

Our airport kept it's numbered code for 5 years with a METAR report. It finally took us getting a TAF that forced us to change to all letters. I remember getting a call from the NWS when I worked the desk. The guy told me either we were going to choose a code, accept a premade code, or face losing our TAF, nicely of course.

The issue was a problem upstream about our METAR and TAF getting kicked off the NWS and other international agency servers. The guy said he was amazed that we were "allowed" to kept our number code originally.
 
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