Dallas Bay Skypark

Dallas Bay Skypark
IATA: none ICAO: none FAA LID: 1AA0
Summary
Airport type	Private
Owner	Aviation Integrated Resource Inc.
Serves	Lakesite, Tennessee
Location	Middle Valley, Tennessee
Elevation AMSL	690 ft / 210 m
Coordinates	35°11′15″N 085°10′40″W / 35.18750°N 85.17778°W / 35.18750; -85.17778
Map
1AA0 Location of airport in Tennessee
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 5/23 3,025 922 Asphalt
Statistics (1998)
Aircraft operations 10,108
Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1]

Dallas Bay Skypark (FAA LID: 1AA0) is a private-use airport located 11 miles (18 km) north of the central business district of Chattanooga and 4 miles SW of the central business district of Lakesite (both cities in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States). It is located in the community of Middle Valley with a Hixson, Tennessee mailing address.^[1]

History

Dallas Bay Skypark ^[2] began as the Optimist Club Drag Strip back in the late 50s, and survived until the early 60s. The dragstrip was moved to East Ridge. John Flewellen and his family bought the old dragstrip and turned it into a private runway.^[3] In the early 1970s the airstrip became an FAA-certified public airport with the designation 1A0.^{[citation needed][4]}

In 2002, a group of investors with a passion for flying, bought Dallas Bay Skypark and ran it until its closure in 2021. The airport was a full-service public airport with a flight school on premises.

In April 2021, the airport owners notified tenants that the airport would close before the end of the year.^[5][6]

Facilities and aircraft

Dallas Bay Skypark covers an area of 60 acres (24 ha) which contains one asphalt paved runway (5/23) measuring 3,025 x 50 ft (922 x 15 m).

For the 12-month period ending May 4, 1998, the airport had 10,108 aircraft operations, 100% of which were general aviation.^[1]

Dallas Bay Skypark ceased public operations at the end of 2021—ending commercial activities and public-access landings/takeoffs. After closure, legal disputes began over land rights and access easements. The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) did not renew the public license for Dallas Bay Skypark, citing safety hazards, such as obstacles (notably tall trees at the runway approach), and financial infeasibility for runway repairs.^[7]

As of 2023, the site is set for redevelopment into a private "fly-in" community project, featuring residential units with aircraft hangars, a renovated runway, cottages, green spaces, and supporting amenities. Construction is planned to begin in 2025, aiming for the first residences to open in 2026. The airport remains private-use, restricted to small aircraft operations; larger jets are not expected. According to local observation, renovation and construction activities are ongoing.^{[8] [9]}

References

1. FAA Airport Form 5010 for 1A0 PDF, effective 2007-10-25
2. "AirNav: 1AA0 - Dallas Bay Sky Park Airport". www.airnav.com. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
3. Jolley, Harmon (March 28, 2010). "River City Racing - the Brainerd Optimist Drag Strip of Middle Valley". Chattanoogan.com. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
4. "METAR US-1AA0 - Dallas Bay Sky Park Airport". Metar-Taf.com. Retrieved 2025-09-17.
5. "Dallas Bay airport in Hixson plans to close after nearly 60 years". 28 April 2021.
6. "Dallas Bay airport in Hixson plans to close after nearly 60 years". 27 April 2021.
7. Press, Mike PareSource Chattanooga Times Free; Tenn. (2021-05-03). "Lawsuits Filed in Connection to Closure of Dallas Bay Skypark". Aviation Pros. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
8. "AOPA Airports". www.aopa.org. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
9. Peña, Sam (2023-09-12). "Dunlap project blueprint for new, private fly-in community in Hixson". WTVCFOX. Retrieved 2025-08-24.

External links

• Dallas Bay Skypark Archived 2013-07-13 at the Wayback Machine page at Tennessee DOT Airport Directory
• Resources for this airport:
  • FAA airport information for 1A0
  • AirNav airport information for 1A0
  • FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
  • SkyVector aeronautical chart for 1A0