Ames First Airport

Gerbracht Aeronautic Corporation
Ames First Airport

In 1924 brothers Joe and Wilford Gerbracht built the first airport in Ames, located in the bottom lands east of the Skunk River on the south side of Lincoln Way. Joe sold his interest in the airport to his brother in 1927. Later, in May of 1928, the metal hangar was moved to the new 80 acre site the Gerbrachts leased which was less than a mile south of Ames on the east side of Highway 69.

Will open New Airport Here

A new airport, a mile and a half south of Ames, is being developed by Wilford Gerbracht for the Gerbracht Aeronautic corporation. The field will be opened May 15. The port is being laid out on the front 40 acres of the Frank Murphy farm, on the east side of the Jefferson highway. The back 40 has been sub-leased by Gerbracht to W.M. Miller.

Three runways, two of them 1,320 feet long, and one 1,500 feet long, have been marked off. The whole field has been plowed, and double disked and will be seeded down with blue grass and alsike, and then harrowed and rolled to give a smooth, hard surface. The approaches on the north, east, and south are wholly unobstructed. A few trees will be removed from the west side.

A new hanger to accomodate visiting ships will be built at the northwest corner of the road, next to the highway. Two acres will be fenced off for auto parking space, and a public entrance will be constructed.

from the April 7, 1928, issue of the
Ames Daily Tribune and Ames Evening Times

Hisso-powered 7000 Travel Air plane named Pegasus. The plane was one-of-a-kind because it had a cabin for four passengers but the pilot sat outside to "feel the wind and hear the wires."

Wilford Gerbracht

Gerbracht Aeronautic Corporation flying instruction contract from 1929

Wilford Gerbracht is pictured with Vivian Snook, student flier whose contract is shown above.

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