Grant County International has one of the longest runways in the USA and was designated an alternate landing site for the Space Shuttle. It boasts a modern passenger terminal and yet has no scheduled services. Many in the aviation industry are aware of it, but few truly know what happens there. Jay Selman paid a visit to get a better understanding of this unique airport.
Military history
The sprawling 4,700-acre (1,900ha) airfield is just north of Moses Lake in Grant County, Washington State on the west coast of the USA. It opened on November 24, 1942. Moses Lake Army Air Base was used to train Lockheed P-38 Lightning pilots, and subsequently Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress crews. It proved to be in an ideal location for pilot training – the weather was generally good and, more importantly, it was surrounded by vast swathes of unrestricted airspace well away from most regular air routes. In May 1945, with World War Two drawing to a close, the facility was mothballed – but as it happened, there was only a temporary cessation of activity.
Three years later the US Air Force reopened the airfield to provide a headquarters for the 325th Fighter Wing, All Weather (325th FW). More than 1,000 personnel moved in, …
