In 1910, an awestruck crowd at the Roanoke Fair got its first glimpse of
powered flight when a Curtiss biplane soared overhead. Within the next
decade, gliders were lifting off from hills in South Roanoke and cow
pastures were being converted into airstrips. Once Roanoke Municipal
Airport was developed in 1929, earlier local airfields such as Cook,
Trout, and Horton Fields were rendered inactive. Then in 1941,
when--with federal assistance-- the municipal airport became Woodrum
Field, the region's air travel transitioned into the modern era and
brought services from major airlines to the area. Roanoke's aviation
reputation continued to grow when the city played a critical role in
military air travel and training during World War II, leading its
airport to become one of the busiest on the East Coast. Aviation in
Roanoke tells the stories of early airfields, the growth and
transformation of Woodrum Field, and the adventures of Roanoke's
aviation pioneers.