Resources

Exploration of Flight (Centennial Airport)

Speaker Series: Commercial Aviation in Colorado

Speaker Series: Commercial Aviation in Colorado

Date: Saturday, Jan 4, 2025 | 11:00AM to 12:30PM
Location: Exploration of Flight (Centennial Airport)
Categories: Lecture, Special Events

Join us at Exploration of Flight as we honor the first commercial passenger flight that took place on January 1, 1914! Steve Kelly will give a presentation covering the highlights of the historic development of air travel in Colorado over the past 85 years.

Pre-Purchase Tickets

The commercial aviation industry in Colorado began its development in the 1920’s with the original Air Mail routes connecting cities in the state to the East/West transcontinental air corridor. The city of Denver saw a great opportunity in air transport and built Denver Municipal Airport in 1929. Although built shortly before the Great Depression, the airport was a success, so much so that 65 years later the city had become a major airline hub and a new airport had to be constructed.  The new Denver International Airport exceeded expectations and is now ranked the third largest by passenger volume in the world.

Photo above: Stapleton Airport, Denver, Colorado, United Airlines DC-6 “Mainliner 300 NC37508” is on the tarmac. Credit: Denver Public Library Special Collections, Z-117

Speaker: Steve Kelly

Steve Kelly grew up in Denver where he developed a passion for aviation and space travel. A long-time volunteer at Wings over the Rockies™, he was engaged in everything from aircraft restoration to guided tours. Over the past few years, he has concentrated on historic presentations, with space exploration and the development of aviation in Colorado as major themes. He created a series on our museum displays called “Artifacts Speak” and a series on NASA’s Gemini Program. He served as the volunteer chairperson for the museum’s Apollo Commemoration in 2019. Since then, he has given presentations on the development of the atomic bomb and our future in space exploration. Steve was employed as a senior engineer for Lockheed/Martin Corporation at the Deer Creek, Waterton, and Gaithersburg, MD facilities.

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Plan Your Visit

Exploration of Flight Exploration of Flight

Centennial Airport

Exploration of Flight

Monday 10am-5pm
Tuesday Closed
Wednesday Closed
Thursday Closed
Friday 10am-5pm
Saturday 10am-5pm
Sunday 12pm-5pm

Address:
13005 Wings Way Englewood, CO 80112

E: info@wingsmuseum.org

P: 303-360-5360 ext. 160

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