photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Don Boyd | all galleries >> Memories of Old Hialeah, Old Miami and Old South Florida Photo Galleries - largest non-Facebook collection on the internet >> Miami and Florida AVIATION Historical Photos Gallery - Airports, Airlines, Aircraft - All Years - click on image to view >> Pan American Field - 36th Street Airport - MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (MIA) - Historical Photos Gallery > 1976 - short final approach to runway 9-left at Miami International Airport
previous | next
APR-1976 Don Boyd

1976 - short final approach to runway 9-left at Miami International Airport

Miami International Airport


On short final approach in a chartered Aero Commander (owned/piloted by Steve Lapointe) while a Braniff DC-8 is towed midfield across the runway. Note the old style turnoff taxiways from runway 9L and the diagonal "Route 4" taxiway leading from the terminal to the 9L/12 runup pad. Other notes:

1. The old Perimeter Road with adjacent canal is there, closer to the end of runway 9-left and a great makeout place in the mid-60's.
2. There is no interior service road around the west end of the airport or in other parts of the airfield.
3. Old runway 12 is visible - this runway was moved 100+ feet to the southwest in the early 80's.
4. Runway 9R-27L has not been lengthened from 9300+ feet to 13,002 feet yet.
5. The E-Satellite was under construction and would not open for another year.


other sizes: small medium original auto
comment | share
Don Boyd24-Feb-2011 02:07

MJones, great memories and thank you for posting. I have an old buddy named Rob Greene who used to lie down on the south runway (9R) with his buddies, all bundled up in heavy jackets and helmets, and let the takeoff thrust of DC-8's and B707's blow them like tumbleweeds into the grass off the end of the runway in the early 70's.

You're right about the weird sounds created by the wingtip vortices, especially late at night. I used to take time exposure photos in the grass not far off the ends of the runways when I was a ramp agent on duty and sometimes the noises would last for 30 seconds or more after the aircraft passed over.

No on the river rapid photos, at least not yet. If someone ever sends me some I'll be sure to post them.

Thanks again for posting here and under other photos!

Don
.
mjones24-Feb-2011 00:31
I remember we used to hang out at the fence to the runway. Finally got the courage (liquid courage) to jump the fence and lie down at the very end of the runway as a plane landed. It was awesome. Never got caught and it beat doing drugs.Also figured out how to climb the tower that had the yellow blinking landing lights and hear what we later learned was the wing tip vortex after the plane went by. Sounded like little tornadoes.
The next best make out spot was on the south side of Perimeter rd. in front of the railroad tracks.
Great memories Don, and love your site. I'm going to pass it on to relatives who grew up here. Both my parents were born in Miami in '32 and the stories they told included the rapids on the Miami River around what is now 22 ave. Have you ever run across any pictures of those?