Nestled in the heart of Kandiyohi County is an airport that serves the Willmar, MN region. Willmar, MN has always been an aviation rich community that has experienced the benefit of aviation in its economy.
Beginning in the late 1920’s, a group of hobby fliers started an airfield west of the city known as "Ramblewood". These hobby fliers raised enough interest in the city that a vision began to create an airfield that could be open to the public.
Work on an airfield started
in 1934 as part of President Roosevelt’s "New Deal" Program,
and served as an emergency landing field for scheduled airline service.
The airline flew a route between the Minneapolis/St. Paul area to
Watertown then on to the Black Hills.
A need for airport management grew as aviation grew in the city. In 1945, John and Mary Jane Rice came to the Willmar Area to develop the airport to what it is today. The legacy of Willmar Air Service began. Their FBO has been in existence for over fifty years.
The airport possessed two runways: one 5,700’ x 100’ asphalt runway, and one 3500’ x 300’ turf runway. The airport serves a bursting industrial park that lies adjacent to airport property. Different companies served by the airport are:
Pioneer Hybrids
Hormel Foods (Jennie-O Foods)
West Central Tribune
West Central Communication
Cash Wise Food Corporation
Burlington Northern Santa
Fe Railway
Willmar Electric Service
Duininck Brothers Construction
Dayton Hudson (Target)
Wal-Mart stores
State of Minnesota
U.S. Army
In 1995, a joint airport-planning group recommended relocating the airport two miles west of the current airport. The decision to construct a new airport came after conducting several studies. The new airport site included a 5,500-foot runway with plans to extend the runway to 6,500 feet in the future. A modern terminal area serves as a front door to the community of Willmar as well as the region.
The new Willmar Municipal Airport - John L. Rice Field officially opened on September 5, 2006. All those who traveled to watch the first aircraft land on the new airfield experienced a piece of history which will be cherished for years to come. The new airport will serve the needs of the aviation community by allowing for improved instrument approaches as well as a large hangar area. Currently, there are 64 based aircraft that range in size and speed. Spring of 2007 saw the region's first F-14 "Tomcat" make its way to Willmar where it will be on display permanently thanks to the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, FL.