Tri-cities Regional

Tri-Cities Regional Airport TN/VA was under construction in 1935 and completed in 1937. The airport took two years to build and was named McKeller field after Senator Kenneth McKellar of Tennessee. The cost was just over one million to build(cheap by todays standards). When the airport was completed it consisted of two small runways and a small terminal. Just after completion expansion began, a second floor to the terminal was added, a traffic control tower, both runways were lengthened and a small third was added. This work enabled the new larger DC'3 airplanes to be able to land. the airport started making a name for it's self.� In 1940 the Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP) was introduced to the airport. Tri-Cities became a War Training Service during World War II, mant aviation cadets were trained here. Since the war there have been many remodels with a new� terminal, electronic navigation and longer runways to land all present day jumbo jets. TrCities did what it set out to do, be a dependale airport with quality service.