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74-474: The White Knight is notable as an example of a mother ship which carried a parasite aircraft into flight, releasing the latter which would then execute a high-altitude flight, or a sub-orbital spaceflight. This flight profile is shared with The High and Mighty One and Balls 8 , two modified B-52s which carried the North American X-15 into flight. It is also shared with White Knight Two ,

148-433: A ferry flight . Notable examples include: Some large long-range aircraft have been modified as motherships in order to carry parasite aircraft which support the mothership by extending its role, for example for reconnaissance, or acting in a support role such as fighter defence. The first experiments with rigid airships to launch and recover fighters were carried out during World War I. The British experimented with

222-459: A curated display case with aviation memorabilia that represent the history of Paine Field, Alaska Airlines, and United Airlines; additional public artwork is installed in the parking lot and outside the building, including a statue of Topliff Olin Paine . The terminal also has valet parking , curbside drop-off areas, and a ride-hail/taxi stand. The terminal was named the best regional airport in

296-461: A day will be operated to its hubs in Denver and San Francisco. Southwest Airlines announced on January 25, 2018, their intention to serve the airport with five daily flights, three to Oakland and two to Las Vegas . However, on November 15, 2018, Southwest reversed that decision and transferred its slots to Alaska Airlines. Between Alaska and United, the initial commercial flight schedule for

370-736: A descendant which carries SpaceShipTwo into flight as part of the Virgin Galactic fleet. Following the SpaceShipOne flights, the White Knight was contracted for drop tests of the Boeing X-37 spaceplane, from June 2005 until April 2006. The White Knight was retired from service in 2014, and is in the inventory of the Flying Heritage Collection . The Scaled Composites model number for White Knight

444-516: A gallery that highlights the newest developments in aviation, including both parts and components of airplanes, manufactured by Airbus and Boeing . The facility was opened to a private audience on December 16, 2005, and the following day the facility was open to the public. The Museum of Flight also has a restoration center at the airport's main gate; located further south is the Me 262 Project . Paul Allen 's Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum has

518-737: A general aviation and aerospace manufacturing airport, while discouraging other types of activities including supplemental/charter air passenger service. In 2005, Snohomish County commissioned a panel to review the MRD. That panel recommended that the MRD "should not be ratified or revised, but should be retired as a policy document". In June 2008, the Snohomish County Council rejected the findings of its panel, and as in 1989, 1992, and 2001, restated its opposition to commercial air passenger services operating from Paine Field with this resolution: Reaffirm our county's commitment to preserving

592-945: A large, refurbished hangar at the south end of the field, which opened as a museum in June 2008. The Historic Flight Foundation also housed and maintained early military aircraft. However, the Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum closed in May 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and in April 2022 it was reported that the collection was sold and the museum would not re-open. The Historic Flight Foundation closed their museum at Paine Field in 2020 as well, with their museum at Felts Field in Spokane, Washington now being their only location. The use of Paine Field for commercial air service

666-540: A lease-option agreement that gave Propeller Airports three years to carry out preliminary design work, environmental studies and to obtain permits needed to construct a proposed two-gate passenger terminal. In turn, Snohomish County would receive about $ 429,000 per year in rent plus a share of flight and parking revenues. On March 4, 2016, a federal court denied an appeal by the City of Mukilteo and other citizens groups to prevent commercial flights at Paine Field. The ground

740-637: A mix of mainline and regional jets . In January 2018, Alaska announced that instead all flights from Everett would be operated by its regional subsidiary, Horizon Air using the Embraer 175 regional jet, but that it would be offering 13 flights each day. In November 2018, the number of daily departures was again increased to 18. Alaska plans daily flights to several west coast destinations: Las Vegas , Los Angeles , Orange County , Phoenix , Portland , San Diego , San Francisco , and San Jose . United Airlines announced on August 10, 2017, that six flights

814-436: A non-hub primary commercial service facility. Paine Field has two runways: 16R/34L and 16L/34R. 16R/34L, at 9,010 feet (2,750 m) in length, is suited for the majority of aircraft and sees occasional heavy traffic. The first 1,000 feet of runway 16R is concrete, while the remainder is asphalt. It is in very good condition. Runway 16L/34R is 3,004 feet (916 m) in length, and suitable only for small aircraft. Its pavement

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888-652: A single daily round-trip operated by Alaska Airlines in May 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic . The airport announced that it would close for 71 days to complete repairs to the gate ramps and other maintenance while traffic and demand were reduced. The terminal reopened on August 1 with three daily flights: Las Vegas and Phoenix on Alaska Airlines; and Denver on United Airlines. In July 2021, United announced that they would be ending service to Paine Field in October of that year, opting instead to consolidate their resources at Sea-Tac . In August 2021, FedEx Express took over

962-544: A single unit and later separate. The British Short S.21 Maia experimental flying boat served as the mother ship component of the Short Mayo Composite two-plane maritime trans-Atlantic project design in the 1930s. The mother ship concept was used in Moon landings performed in the 1960s. Both the 1962 American Ranger and the 1966 Soviet Luna uncrewed landers were spherical capsules designed to be ejected at

1036-521: Is 318 . White Knight is registered with the Federal Aviation Administration as N318SL. The White Knight carrier airplane was designed around the twin afterburning General Electric J85 engines, which were selected for their availability and low cost. The aircraft was a completely new independent design. White Knight and SpaceShipOne shared the same forward fuselage outer mold line (OML) to reduce development costs and with

1110-599: Is a commercial and general aviation airport serving the Seattle metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Washington . It is located in unincorporated Snohomish County, Washington , between the cities of Mukilteo and Everett , about 25 miles (40 km) north of Seattle . PAE covers 1,315 acres (2.05 sq mi; 5.32 km ) of land. The airport was built in 1936 by the Works Progress Administration and began commercial service in 1939. It

1184-578: Is a large vehicle that leads, serves, or carries other smaller vehicles. A mother ship may be a maritime ship , aircraft , or spacecraft . Examples include bombers converted to carry experimental aircraft to altitudes where they can conduct their research (such as the B-52 carrying the X-15 ), or ships that carry small submarines to an area of ocean to be explored (such as the Atlantis II carrying

1258-404: Is highly controversial. Several local governments have adopted resolutions against the use of Paine Field for commercial flights including Snohomish County (the airport's operator), the neighboring cities of Brier , Edmonds , Lynnwood , Mountlake Terrace , Mukilteo , and Woodway . Additionally, a local citizens group called "Save Our Communities" has worked to oppose any commercial flights at

1332-408: Is home to four flight schools – Chinook Flight Simulations, Regal Air, Northway Aviation, and Everett Helicopters  – making it a popular destination for flight training. There are also a number of flying clubs on the field. Paine Field leases commercial space to aviation-related and other small businesses on its property at the "IAC Building" located between the runways at the south end of

1406-426: Is in fair condition, with a noticeable rise in elevation mid-field, when compared with the ends. Runway 11-29 was decommissioned on September 10, 2020, and Boeing is leasing some of the former runway space to park partially completed aircraft. The Paine (PAE) VOR/DME is located on the field. It is unusually mounted on top of a Boeing hangar. The airport has 456 general aviation hangars, of which 326 are leased by

1480-399: Is located on the east side of the airport, near the intersection of Airport Road and 100th Street Southwest. Adjacent to the control tower , it has two gates and an additional hardstand space. The terminal includes a check-in area, a single TSA security checkpoint, a lobby with 300 seats, a coffee shop , a bar, and a food stand operated by Beecher's Handmade Cheese . The lobby also has

1554-615: The Alvin ). A mother ship may also be used to recover smaller craft, or go its own way after releasing them. A smaller vessel serving or caring for larger craft is usually called a tender . During World War II, the German Type XIV submarine or Milchkuh (Milk cow) was a type of large submarine used to resupply the U-boats . Mother ships can carry small submersibles and submarines to an area of ocean to be explored (such as

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1628-569: The 23-class airships from that time. Then in the 1920s, as part of the "Airship Development Programme", they used the R33 for experiments. A de Havilland Humming Bird light aeroplane with a hook fitted was slung beneath it. In October 1925 Squadron Leader Rollo Haig, was released from the R33, and then reattached. Later that year, the attempt was repeated and the Humming Bird remained attached until

1702-517: The Atlantis II carrying the DSV Alvin ). Somali pirates use mother ships to extend their reach in the Indian Ocean. In aviation , motherships have been used in the airborne aircraft carrier , air launch and captive carry roles. Some large long-range aircraft act as motherships to parasite aircraft . A mothership may also form the larger component of a composite aircraft . During

1776-553: The Boeing 747 program. By the 1970s, the airport had grown into a hub for light aviation and manufacturing, lacking commercial service. The county government sought to begin commercial service at Paine Field as early as the 1980s but was halted by opposition from neighboring cities. In March 2019, Paine Field resumed commercial service at a newly constructed terminal. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2023–2027 categorized it as

1850-468: The Space Shuttle program was commenced. In a captive carry arrangement the payload craft, such as a rocket , missile , aeroplane or spaceplane , does not separate from the carrier aircraft. Captive carry is typically used to conduct initial testing on a new airframe or system, before it is ready for free flight Captive carry is sometimes also used to transport an aircraft or spacecraft on

1924-679: The Washington Air National Guard , formerly situated at Paine Field, was inactivated in 2013. Paine AFB / Paine Field had also been under consideration in the 1960s by Army Air Defense Command as one of several sites for the Sentinel Anti-Ballistic Missile System due to its central location to several other major military bases and defense industries in the Puget Sound Region. Sentinel was eventually dropped in favor of

1998-463: The 3,656 complaints filed in December 2019. San Juan Airlines announced plans in April 2019 to begin scheduled service from the separate Castle and Cooke Aviation building at Paine Field, in addition to its current charter offerings. Two daily flights to Friday Harbor Airport on San Juan Island began on May 1, using small Cessna airplanes. The number of flights at Paine Field was reduced to

2072-552: The 86th Air Base Squadron) was activated on the new Air Force base on February 1, 1952, as a placeholder unit. Although inactive for only six years, significant military construction (MILCON) was necessary to bring the World War II training base up to postwar USAF standards. In 1951, additional land surrounding the Paine AFB site was appropriated for military facilities and extended runways. A 9,000-foot jet runway (Rwy 16/34)

2146-543: The County, and 130 are "condominium" hangars. Wait time for a hangar currently ranges between 6 months and 5 years, depending on type. Paine Field is home to the Boeing Everett Factory , the world's largest building by volume , and the primary assembly location for Boeing's wide-body 767 and 777 , although the facility also produced the 747 and the 787 , with the former ending production in 2022 and

2220-492: The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) requested industry proposals for a system in which small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) would be launched and recovered by their existing conventional large aircraft, including the B-52 Stratofortress and B-1 Lancer bombers and C-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster III transports. In a composite aircraft, two or more component aircraft take off as

2294-569: The U.S. during the summer of 1947. A woman in Palmdale, California , was quoted by contemporary press as describing a "mother saucer (with a) bunch of little saucers playing around it". The term mothership was also popularized in UFO lore by contactee George Adamski , who claimed in the 1950s to sometimes see large cigar-shaped Venusian motherships, out of which flew smaller-sized flying saucer scout ships. Adamski claimed to have met and befriended

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2368-567: The US, NASA has used converted bombers as launch platforms for experimental aircraft . Notable among these was the use during the 1960s of a modified Boeing B-52 Stratofortress for the repeated launching of the North American X-15 . Experiments on air launching the Shuttle were carried out with the test frame Enterprise , but none of the Space Shuttle fleet was launched in this way once

2442-469: The age of the great airships , the United States built two rigid airships , USS  Akron  (ZRS-4) and USS  Macon  (ZRS-5) , with onboard hangars able to house a number of Curtiss F9C Sparrowhawk biplane fighters. These airborne aircraft carriers operated successfully for several years. These airships utilized an internal hangar bay using a "trapeze" to hold the aircraft. In

2516-560: The air launch role, a large carrier aircraft or mother ship carries a smaller payload aircraft to a launch point before releasing it. During World War II the Japanese Mitsubishi G4M bomber was used to carry the rocket-powered Yokosuka MXY7 Ohka aircraft, used for kamikaze attacks, within range of a target ship. Germany also planned a jet-carrying bomber, called the Daimler-Benz Project C . In

2590-560: The airline found insufficient demand. Within a year of opening, the commercial terminal served more than one million passengers. Long-term plans for the terminal include free luggage carts , a cellphone lot , and a consolidated rental car center. The airport's operators have also stated their desire to see larger planes, including Boeing 737s , serve the terminal and routes to destinations like Hawaii . The commencement of commercial service brought new noise complaints from nearby residents, including 10 households who submitted 62 percent of

2664-437: The airport authority in June 2008 to reiterate that as a recipient of federal FAA grants, the County may not prohibit commercial aeronautical activities offering services to the public. If the County blocked commercial flights, it would risk an enforcement action under Federal Aviation Regulation 16 . The airport completed a draft environmental assessment of the effects of commercial aviation at Paine Field in December 2009, and

2738-536: The airport included 24 daily departures, which was 50 percent higher than airport managers had initially planned for. In June 2018, the FAA announced an additional review of environmental impacts of passenger airline service, delaying the start of service between November 2018 and November 2019. The environmental review was completed in September 2018, and no significant additional environmental impacts were found, clearing

2812-548: The airport itself. Both the local government and the FAA concurred with the development. Work on the massive building began in August 1966 and the first employees arrived in early 1967. The 747 made its first flight at Paine Field on February 9, 1969. In 1984, the Snohomish County Council considered legislation to rename Paine Field for Senator Henry M. Jackson , who had died a few months earlier. The proposal

2886-553: The airport, supplementing the existing E-175 service from regional operator Horizon Air . The county government renamed the airport to Seattle Paine Field International Airport on July 18, 2023. The new name is meant to advertise the airport's proximity to Seattle. The Washington Air National Guard plans to transfer 14 acres (5.7 ha) at Paine Field to the Snohomish County government for industrial use and to expand an existing access road. The new passenger terminal

2960-485: The airport. Notably, the city of Everett, the largest in the county and the county seat, has adopted a resolution in favor of the use of Paine Field for commercial air service. The use and expansion of the airport is currently governed by an agreement that was forged during 1978–1979 negotiations, called the Mediated Role Determination (MRD). The MRD recommends the role of Paine Field to be as

3034-443: The airport. The FAA-operated control tower maintains limited hours, operating only between 7 AM and 9 PM local time. During times that the tower is operational, both runways are active, but after hours, only runway 16R-34L is open. The airport has several natural reserves and sanctuaries around its perimeter, including ponds that were certified in 2019 as Salmon-Safe . The Salmon-Safe area is bounded generally by Mukilteo Speedway on

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3108-686: The airship landed. In 1926, it carried two Gloster Grebe fighters releasing them at the Pulham and Cardington airship stations. In the U.S., USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) , used for prototype testing for the Akron and Macon airborne aircraft carriers. During World War II the Soviet Tupolev-Vakhmistrov Zveno project developed converted Tupolev TB-1 and TB-3 aircraft to carry and launch up to five smaller craft, typically in roles such as fighter escort or fighter-bomber. During

3182-673: The breakout of the Cold War with the Soviet Union . When the Pacific Northwest defense installations were reviewed House Representative Henry M. Jackson recommended more military presence in the area and Paine Field was reactivated as a military airbase. Paine Field was returned to USAF control in 1951, renamed Paine Air Force Base, and placed under the jurisdiction of the Air Defense Command (ADC). While

3256-524: The county relinquished most of its commercial facilities to house USAF personnel, units, and assets, the site did not have an exclusive military presence. The airfield remained a joint civil-military airport with the Air Force operating the control tower and other air traffic control facilities, while the county, in a shared-use agreement, rented commercial leasehold areas to businesses such as Alaska Airlines . The 4753rd Air Base Squadron (later re-designated

3330-475: The early days of the jet age, fighter aircraft could not fly long distances and still match point defence fighters or interceptors in dogfighting. The solution was long-range bombers that would carry or tow their escort fighters. B-29 Superfortress and B-36 Peacemaker bombers were tested as carriers for the RF-84K Thunderflash ( FICON project ) and XF-85 Goblin fighters. In November 2014,

3404-458: The existing general aviation role of Paine Field, and [to] pursue any and all lawful and appropriate means to discourage any action that would facilitate, directly or indirectly, use of Paine Field for scheduled air passenger service or air cargo service, which may include an interlocal agreement. Further reflecting its opposition to commercial air service, Snohomish County has adopted a policy of not spending funds to subsidize airlines or to pay for

3478-459: The first flight, the mechanical over-center torque was insufficient to maintain the spoilers in the closed position. The spoilers deployed into the free stream and began a limit cycle forcing the pilot ( Mike Melvill ) to abort. The spoilers were subsequently disabled completely and the desire for a steep glide slope matching SpaceShipOne was abandoned. White Knight next flew on August 5, 2002, and this time performed well. Development proceeded over

3552-483: The flights originated from Mojave, but following the landing incident, the program was moved to Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California , and at least five subsequent flights were made there. In late 2006, White Knight flew a seven-flight test program of the adaptive compliant wing developed by FlexSys Inc. with funding by the Air Force Research Laboratory . A laminar flow test article

3626-469: The infrastructure needed to support commercial air service. In 2008, two airlines, Allegiant Air and Horizon Air , expressed interest in establishing passenger flights to Paine Field to the airport authority. In May 2008, in response to these requests, the Chairman of the Snohomish County Council sent Allegiant Air a letter stating their opposition to the request to start air service. The FAA wrote to

3700-535: The intended flight, then two letters are appended, the first giving the intended mission and the second the mission actually performed. White Knight was contracted to perform both captive carry and drop test flights of the DARPA/Boeing X-37. First captive carry flight was on June 21, 2005, and first drop was on April 7, 2006 (the X-37 was subsequently damaged on landing at Edwards Air Force Base ). Initially,

3774-830: The large craft in Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Battlestar Galactica . In many Asian languages , such as Chinese , Japanese , Korean and Indonesian , the word mothership ( Chinese : 母舰 , Japanese : 母艦 , Korean : 모함 , Indonesian : Kapal induk , literally "mother" + "(war)ship") typically refers to an aircraft carrier , which is translated as "aircraft/aviation mothership" ( Chinese : 航空母舰 , Japanese : 航空母艦 , Korean : 항공모함 , Malay : Kapal induk pesawat udara ). Paine Field Seattle Paine Field International Airport ( IATA : PAE , ICAO : KPAE , FAA LID : PAE ) — also known as Paine Field and Snohomish County Airport —

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3848-779: The last moment from mother ships that carried them to the Moon, and crashed onto its surface. In the crewed Apollo program , astronauts in the Lunar Module left the Command/Service Module mother ship in lunar orbit, descended to the surface, and returned to dock in a lunar orbit rendezvous with the mother ship once more for the return to Earth. The Scaled Composites White Knight series of aircraft are designed to launch spacecraft which they carry underneath them. There have been numerous sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) claimed to be mother ships, many in

3922-565: The latter being moved to Boeing South Carolina in March 2021. Paine Field is also home to Aviation Technical Services (ATS), one of the nation's largest aviation maintenance facilities. ATS operates a 950,000-square-foot (88,000 m ) facility, formerly operated by Goodrich (formerly known as Tramco), and sold to ATS in the fall of 2007. ATS does 'heavy' checks for a number of airlines and cargo companies. According to their web page, they average 443 aircraft redeliveries each year. Paine Field

3996-422: The lease of the former Boeing Dreamlifter Operations Center, and announced their intention to begin cargo service to Paine Field from Memphis , using Boeing 757 aircraft. Alaska gradually added service from Paine Field throughout 2021, and in April 2022, announced they would resume their full pre-pandemic schedule of 18 peak daily departures. They also announced the beginning of mainline Boeing 737 service to

4070-434: The limited Safeguard system. On July 25, 1966, Boeing announced that it would build the Boeing 747 , a jet airliner capable of carrying nearly twice as many passengers as previous models. To build the giant aircraft, Boeing had to construct a facility large enough to handle the world's largest commercial jetliner. The land just north of Paine Field was chosen to construct the new facilities, including some development on

4144-559: The mid-1960s. In 1966, USAF identified Paine AFB for closure due to budgetary constraints caused by the cost of the Vietnam War . The by then-host unit, the 57th Fighter Group phased down operations with the departure of the interceptors and was inactivated in place on September 30, 1968. Paine AFB has inactivated on the same date and the facility was returned to full civilian control as Paine Field / Snohomish County Airport . The 215th Engineering Installation Squadron (215 EIS) of

4218-519: The newly established U.S. Air Force , with the facility renamed Paine Field . Transfer of the property to the Snohomish County government was completed in 1948, however, the Air Force continued to maintain various Air Defense Command units at the airport as military tenants. Before Snohomish County could start planning for the continued development of a "super airport", the United States was again involved in an armed conflict—this time in Korea and also

4292-520: The next few months. With White Knight developed and evaluated, on April 18, 2003, White Knight and SpaceShipOne were presented to the media. Subsequently, White Knight flew as part of the Tier One program that won the Ansari X Prize on October 4, 2004. Afterwards, White Knight was used to carry and launch DARPA 's experimental X-37 spaceplane for its approach and landing tests in 2005 and 2006. It

4366-434: The original intent to allow for White Knight to act as a flying simulator for training SpaceShipOne pilots. White Knight first flew on August 1, 2002. The flight was aborted shortly after takeoff due to a problem with the outboard wing spoilers. These trailing edge spoilers were designed to greatly increase the glide slope so that the White Knight vehicle could act as a flying simulator for training of SpaceShipOne pilots. During

4440-416: The pilots of these scout ships, including a Venusian named Orthon. The concept of a mother ship also occurs in science fiction , extending the idea to spaceships that serve as the equivalent of flagships among a fleet. In this context, mother ship is often spelled as one word: mothership . A mothership may be large enough that its body contains a station for the rest of the fleet. Examples include

4514-423: The public comment period ended on February 5, 2010. Opposition to Paine Field hosting commercial air service was overwhelming in meetings held for comments on the draft environmental assessment. The neighboring city of Mukilteo hired an aviation attorney to represent the interests of the city during the environmental assessment process and promised to "make it time consuming, expensive and stretch it out. We'll fight

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4588-585: The results of the Environmental Assessment. On July 15, 2013, Allegiant Air refused the county's terms to operate a terminal at Paine. In June 2014, New York-based Propeller Investments asked Snohomish County to start discussions leading to their construction of a terminal and parking facility at Paine Field. Propeller Investments would shoulder the risk — leasing land from the airport, financing terminal construction, and finding tenant airlines. On March 2, 2015, Snohomish County approved

4662-535: The terminal legally." On December 4, 2012, the FAA concluded that commercial airplanes could fly out of Paine Field without significantly adding to local noise and traffic. The findings cleared the way for commercial operations along with the construction of a terminal building. On February 5, 2013, the cities of Edmonds and Mukilteo, along with two individuals, filed notice with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco that they intend to challenge

4736-507: The way for commercial service to start in early 2019. Alaska previously announced that it planned to inaugurate service on February 11 with a ceremonial flight to Las Vegas , before ramping up to a full schedule of 18 departures on March 12, 2019. Alaska added that the gradual ramp-up would allow the airline and its employees to ensure operations at the new airport terminal were running smoothly. Alaska later announced in January 2019 that it

4810-464: The west, State Route 526 ("Boeing Freeway") on the north, Airport Road (east) and Beverly Park Road on the south. Paine Field was originally constructed in 1936 as a Works Progress Administration project. At the time of development, it was envisioned that the Airport would create jobs and economic growth in the region by becoming one of the ten new "super airports" around the country. Paine Field

4884-558: The world by Monocle magazine and one of the best small airports in the United States by USA Today . At the time of its full launch in May 2019, Paine Field had 26 daily arrivals and departures on Alaska Airlines through their regional subsidiaries, as well as San Juan Airlines . The earliest departure was scheduled at 6 a.m. and the latest departure was 9:05 p.m. As of June 2022, Paine Field has 18 daily departures to 9 destinations. Most Alaska Airlines flights are operated by Horizon Air, though Alaska Airlines also operates

4958-503: Was broken for the passenger terminal on June 5, 2017. The 30,000 square foot building will have two gates and will be capable of handling about 16 flights per day. The operator, Propeller Airports, has agreed to limit early-morning and late-night commercial flights to reduce noise impacts on Mukilteo and nearby residential areas. Alaska Airlines was the first to announce in May 2017 that it would operate from Paine Field. The airline initially announced that it would fly nine daily flights with

5032-524: Was constructed along with accompanying taxiways, permanent concrete buildings, and other support facilities to replace the temporary wartime wooden structures that were viewed as substandard for a permanent USAF base. The 529th Air Defense Group was activated on February 16, 1953, and became the permanent host unit at Paine AFB until redesigned as the 326th Fighter Group in 1955. Various regular Air Force fighter-interceptor units and Air Force Reserve troop carrier units operated at Paine AFB from 1951 until

5106-473: Was followed up by the White Knight Two , which has a similar but larger design. Flights of White Knight are numbered, starting with flight 1 on August 1, 2002. Flights where SpaceShipOne was carried also get one or two appended letters. An appended "C" indicates that the flight was a captive carry, and "L" indicates that SpaceShipOne was launched. If the flight actually flown differs in category from

5180-528: Was mounted vertically under White Knight's centerline pylon for the 20-flight-hour research program that tested the flexible wing's aerodynamic characteristics. In July 2014 White Knight made its final planned flight, arriving at Paine Field in Everett, Washington, to become part of the Flying Heritage Collection . Data from Scaled Composites General characteristics Performance Mother ship A mother ship , mothership or mother-ship

5254-598: Was named for Topliff Olin Paine in 1941, shortly before the Army Air Corps began the occupation of Paine Field for military use. The airport briefly returned to civilian use from 1946 through 1950 with service by West Coast Airlines before conversion into an air force base during the Korean War . In 1966, the Boeing Company selected Paine Field for the site of its Everett assembly plant as part of

5328-655: Was put on hold after the Port of Seattle renamed Seattle–Tacoma International Airport for Jackson, which sparked public outcry and force them to revert to the original name. In late 2005, construction of the Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour building was completed. The project, formerly known as the National Flight Interpretive Center, includes the Boeing factory tour as well as

5402-415: Was taken over by the U.S. Army Air Corps prior to entry into World War II as a patrol, air defense, and fighter training base and was later controlled by the U.S. Army Air Forces . With the end of the war, the airfield began to be returned to the civilian control of Snohomish County . In 1947, as transition activities were still underway, military control of the then-Paine Army Airfield was transferred to

5476-527: Was tentatively postponing the start of operations from February 11 to March 4, 2019, due to the 2018–19 United States federal government shutdown further delaying governmental approval to begin service. The first Alaska Airlines flight from Paine Field, carrying invited guests to Portland, departed at 10 a.m. on March 4, 2019; it was then followed by public flights to Las Vegas and Phoenix. United began service to Denver and San Francisco on March 31, 2019. The San Francisco flights ceased in March 2020, after

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