TRIBUTE TO SKY RANCH FLYING SERVICE

The Heritage Group of the Chocolate Bayou Festival has spent many months gathering information and oral histories on the historic Chocolate Bayou neighborhoods.  This includes the greater Sunnyside area, and other communities in Houston’s south-to-south east region.

This highlight features Houston’s SKY RANCH FLYING SERVICE, the first Black owned and operated airport in the City of Houston, the State of Texas and the United States of America.

BACKGROUND: When Eleanor Roosevelt made a 30minute demonstration flight at Tuskegee Institute’s Civilian Pilot Training program, it signaled the development of the 99th Pursuit Squadron: a Black flying unit in the Army Air Corp.  This unit became known as The Tuskegee Airmen, which gained renown for its valor and excellent fighting record in World War 11.

• Following WW 11, three (3) Tuskegee Airmen, Ben Stevenson, Elton “Ray”Thomas and Hulon “Pappy” White relocated to Houston Texas to establish a flight training program, charter flying, cargo services as well as other services that would afford Black G.I.’s and civilians the opportunity to learn about aviation, continuing the tradition of the Tuskegee Airmen.

• Located on Reed road, on the historic Taylor-Stevenson Ranch, The Sky Ranch was in operation from 1946-1948.  The earliest depiction of the field which has been located was on the January 1950 San Antonio Sectional chart, describing the Sky Ranch as a commercial airport with a total of three (3) runways the longest being 2,200’.

• With the airport closed by legislation that restricted use of the G.I. Bill, the three men and their families continued contributing to the training of aviation mechanics and transportation personnel at Texas Southern and Prairie View A&M Universities.

• Long time Sunnyside resident Azalea White, wife of  “pappy” White (in addition to supporting her husband and the other airmen), made her mark in history by becoming the first Black female pilot licensed in the state of Texas –1946.

• The Sky Ranch is but one example of the innovation and significant contributions made by this community to the City of Houston, the State of Texas and the nation.