Last Week's Flights Were the Last

The three turf runways, 1675-foot 17-35; 2040-foot 5-23; and 9-27 (2468 feet), are closed; and another of our country's old airports will stay quiet. Cape Cod airport (2B1) just outside Marstons Mills (MA) closed last week. The owners, unidentified members of the Danforth family, wanted it that way. They told the operators two months ago that, when May 1 (the lease date) came around, the agreement would not be renewed.

The strip started, as did so many, as an Army Air Corps facility, eighty years ago, and continued as a training base through WWII.

Neighboring Barnstable (MA) Town Manager John Klimm told reporter Emily Dooley of the Cape Cod Times that his people appreciated the airport. "We've said to the owners that we very much would like to keep the airport open, but we can't force them to do it."

The town is trying to work out a purchase-lease deal to save the airport. The businesses on the field, including gliding, skydiving, primary training, and the Cape Cod Flying Service, all have to vacate by the end of the month, if negotiations fail.

Meanwhile, the last grass-strip airport on Cape Cod will stay silent, with only birds doing all the flying.

FMI: www.airnav.com/airport/2B1