Scholes (Galveston) already has customs and immigration officers on call and there has been talk of trying to get some commercial traffic there.

I'm glad to see if EFD developed, I just question the motives.

Yes, that's true, although the flights won't actually begin until November 3.

Allegiant will be operating nonstop LFT-LAS twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays with either MD-80 or MD-87 aircraft.

This development comes at a time when we've been losing service: DL Connection quit flying CRJs LFT-MEM at the first of this month and Vision Airlines recently quit flying Dornier 328 turboprops twice a week LFT-VPS. This latter service was a nice way to get to/from Destin.....

OMG, my heart skipped a beat when I saw this thread today. :D The air museum is moving there, and there is quite a bit of buzz around South Houston for EFD. It has the room for expansion, does not have the capacity and aircraft restrictions that HOU has, and is a lot closer to the 2nd largest cruise terminal in the USA in Galveston...

I absolutely loved EFD...free parking, XJT service (at various times), a 11-16 minute flight from IAH, extra EQM/EQS, 25-minute arrival due to easy security...what's not to like?!?!? :cool: Would love to see this return and would definitely utilize this service. :-:^

Way back in the day when EFD was still Ellington Air Force Base, I saw President Lyndon B. Johnson step off his Marine One helicopter and get on Air Force One....

I also remember being at Ellington AFB in the middle of the night with my Dad when the Apollo 11 astronauts came home on board a USAF C-141 (my Dad was an aerospace engineer who worked on the Apollo, Space Shuttle and Voyager I & II NASA programs).

And, of course, it was great to fly across Houston on ExpressJet back in the day....

EFD has some real history.....

THe military mission at EFD is still expanding also (147th switch to Preds, Vipers from OK guard, the moving of reserve units from med ctr, etc). Much new construction. Rumour of a commisary even (which I'd like to see).

And I believe NASA still has Northrop T-38 "Talon" supersonic jet trainers based at EFD in addition to some of their other research aircraft (such as their version of the B-57 featuring wings approximately twice as long as the old "Canberra" jet bomber)

Ellington is like 5 miles from my house - would be AWESOME to fly out of there instead of driving across town to IAH!

Me, too. We got a segment, 500 extra miles, all at the same price. I can't imagine that deal every returning.

Yes, the T-38s are still there and F-16s, AH-64s, and other interesting flights still go in and out (a bunch of historic aircraft, F-22s when they're flying, etc.).

NASA also just got another WB-57F that is being restored. Should start showing up over east Houston sometime soon.

Correct the WB-57s. I've been able to tour those facilities twice, very nice.
NASA Superguppy is there, along with Talons, and shuttle training bizjets amongst others. Vomit Comets on a stick too.

Vipers (F-16s) from Oklahoma Air guard are on constant alert at EFD now that TXANG retired theirs and swapped to Preds.

Quite the airport for spotting actually if you know where to look. Apaches and other helos too. There is actually an Apache unit at the Conroe airport also.

I too miss the EFD-IAH days. Aside from being the only city in the world with intra-city limit flights at the time (HOU too back in the Houston Proud express days), you got an extra 500 miles out of it.

It would be interesting if the cruise ship industry got on board with it. More ships will be porting in Galveston soon (sadly not at the Port of Houston cruise terminal out in the middle of nowwhere on the channel).
I made the mistake of arriving at Hobby for flight right as the cruise people were all in line. Security took an hour and ten minutes.

I heard rumours way back cruise industry wanted IAH-Galveston flights (like the old EFD ones, or DFW/DAL-Galveston) but they ended up not putting up enough money to subsidize. This was maybe 4 years ago. Just a rumour though.

I also remember when Houston Metro was operating DHC-6 "Twin Otter" aircraft to/from IAH out of their STOLport (CLC) just to the southeast of Ellington adjacent to State Highway 3. This little airport was constructed in a cow pasture when I was in high school and then shut down many years ago. Those "Twin Otter" STOL aircraft were a neat way to get to/from Intercontinental back when IAH was brand new.

Last time I drove down Texas 3 in the Clear Lake City area, I could not find where the STOLport had been located, what with all the suburban development in the area over the years.....

Um, ya ... They tried to bring regularly scheduled flights from Dallas about a dozen years ago or so, and even with twice or thrice weekly flights couldn't make a go of it.

Of course now with the cruise traffic, it may be different.

That was a sweet deal, plus the free parking. But no, the puddlejumper ain't coming back :(

EmailKid

a bit of a tangent but I wish they'd bring Fort Worth flights back. I know was the last to try but it would be really useful for me. When I need to go to the Fort Worth/Dallas area it is almost always for business in Fort Worth. I'd love a HOU/IAH flight to come back to FTW

Ah Yes..the old Metro Airport on Highway 3. Flew out of it many times back in the day. This was before the then all-military Ellington Field, opened up somewhat ans began allowing these commercial CO flights.

To locate the old site...If you are travelling south on Hwy 3, on the right you will see a defunct Allan Samuals Auto dealership occupying the old Merto airport site.

Just to +1 on all of the others who miss EFD, between me and my family, we flew in and out ofo this airport which was (and still is) a perfect 10 min from my dirveway, at least 200 times. I for one, hope they bring back CO flights from there, or even as was mentioned, a nice coach bus. Now thats a thought if they'll add EQM's, right?

Thanks for that - I'll look for the old STOLport site next time I'm down that way. I also always wondered how Houston Metro was able to build and operate this little airport when it was so close to then Ellington Air Force Base....

In addition, I believe the STOLport even had it's own bar in the small terminal!

And referencing the above comments concerning IAH-GLS service, Houston Metro flew this route as well with the "Twin Otter" back in the day.