Documentary celebrates historic airport's rescue

The Friends of Albert Whitted Airport (FOAWA) hosted two premiere screenings on October 28 and 29, with more than 1,000 people lining up to see it at The Palladium at St. Petersburg College.

The film showcases the city’s unique place in history. St. Petersburg was the site of the world’s first scheduled passenger airline service in 1914, when the St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line began flying passengers 17 miles across Tampa Bay. Albert Whitted Airport, which opened in 1929, sits along the bay’s western edge.

Over the years, Albert Whitted faced opposition from community members who wanted to close the airport and turn the land into a park, high-rise condos, and more.

“It came up in 1981 and then right around 2000; it was like every 20 years there was a new administration, a new mayor who forgot Albert Whitted Airport is good for the city and they’d try to find alternative uses for it,” FOAWA president Walt Driggers said. “In 2003, one of the mayors brought a referendum and the question on the ballot was: Do you want Albert Whitted Airport to be an airport forever?”

The answer was a resounding "yes." St. Petersburg voters approved keeping the airport open by nearly a three-to-one margin.

AOPA played a key role in that effort—meeting with city leaders, pilots, and local organizations to help ensure the future of the airport. AOPA Southern Regional Manager Stacey Heaton attended the premiere.

“’Our City, Our Airport’ does a great job not only highlighting the unsung heroes who worked for decades to both protect and grow the airport, but it is also the perfect example of how an airport can connect with its community through education, inspiration, lifesaving services, and the preservation of open space,” Heaton said after attending the premiere.

The film was directed by Andrew Lee and produced by Laura Landry with Roundhouse Creative Studio, who interviewed 95 people—airport advocates, pilots, community members, and more.

Heaton and AOPA Air Safety Institute Senior Vice President Mike Ginter, who previously served as AOPA's vice president of airports and state advocacy, are both featured in the film, highlighting the essential role general aviation airports play across the country.

“Of the 5,100 public-use airports in this country, less than 10 percent are airports served by airlines. Ninety percent are airports like Albert Whitted. This airport is essentially the off-ramp from the national airways directly into downtown St. Petersburg,” Ginter said in the film.

“When businesses are looking for places to relocate, there's usually a top 5, top 10 things that they look for. Workforce, transportation, access to highways, access to an airport, whether a commercial airport or a general aviation airport. It helps make it look better. It's a bigger attraction because businesses need to get in and out,” Heaton added.

Additional screenings are scheduled for November, with showtimes and ticket information available on the FOAWA website.

Once the screenings conclude, Driggers said FOAWA will make the documentary available for streaming.