Nielson Field

Nielson Field
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Name	Nielson Field
Type	Defunct
City served	Metro Manila
Location	Makati
Opened	1937
Closed	1948

Nielson Field Nielson Field was an early civil aviation airport in Makati that served Manila and the Philippines before and after World War II, playing roles in regional Aviation history and urban development tied to Ayala Corporation and colonial-era infrastructure projects. The airfield witnessed operations involving carriers such as Philippine Aerial Taxi Company, interactions with United States Army Air Forces units during World War II, and later conversion efforts connected to Ayala Land, Makati Central Business District, and postwar reconstruction initiatives.

History

Nielson Field opened in 1937 amid expansion initiatives by William Cameron Forbes-era planners and investors including Narciso Isidro-linked enterprises and the Ayala family under Ayala y Compañía, reflecting patterns seen in Manila International Airport precursors and contemporaneous sites like Keechelus Lake Airport and Singapore Seletar Airport. During World War II the field was seized and utilized by Imperial Japanese Army Air Service and later retaken by United States Army Air Forces and Philippine Commonwealth Army forces during campaigns related to the Battle of Manila and liberation operations involving units tied to Douglas MacArthur. Postwar governance involved interactions among the Commonwealth of the Philippines, the United States military, and private stakeholders including Ayala Corporation and international carriers like Pan American World Airways, precipitating debates comparable to those around Hong Kong Kai Tak Airport and Kai Tak redevelopment. In 1948 the facility ceased aviation operations as municipal planning prioritized commercial redevelopment; subsequent planning invoked models from London Docklands, Battery Park City, and Shinjuku Station-centric projects.

Facilities and Layout

The field originally featured a grass runway complex, hangars, and a terminal building influenced by American Colonial architecture and design elements parallel to Heathrow Airport precursors and regional installations like Don Mueang International Airport; the layout accommodated light transports used by Philippine Aerial Taxi Company and military liaison aircraft similar to types flown by Royal Australian Air Force squadrons and USAAF Ninth Air Force elements. Support facilities included maintenance workshops inspired by standards from Pan American World Airways engineering divisions, fuel depots akin to those at Clark Air Base, and administrative structures tied to Ayala Corporation estate offices and to planners from Metropolitan Manila Development Authority antecedents. The terminal incorporated passenger amenities and customs features comparable to early facilities at Kai Tak Airport and Gatwick Airport, while ground access connected to arterial roads that evolved into modern Makati Avenue and corridors associated with Epifanio de los Santos Avenue development.

Operations and Airlines

Commercial services at the field were provided by operators such as the Philippine Aerial Taxi Company, early incarnations of Philippine Airlines, and visiting aircraft from carriers like Pan American World Airways and regional services comparable to Imperial Airways routes; routing connected to points including Cebu, Iloilo, Clark Field, and international stops analogous to pre-1998 Hong Kong services. During wartime, operations shifted to military logistics involving United States Army Air Forces, Imperial Japanese Army Air Service, and Royal Australian Air Force units, with aircraft types and squadrons paralleling those engaged in Pacific War theater activities and supply chains similar to Henderson Field and Guadalcanal logistics. Postwar civil aviation resumed temporarily under carriers rebuilding fleets and networks influenced by policies from the Civil Aeronautics Board (United States) and by bilateral agreements like those negotiated between the United States and the Philippines.

Accidents and Incidents

The airfield's operational history included accidents and security events echoing incidents at contemporaneous aerodromes such as Croydon Airport and Berlin Tempelhof Airport; reported crashes involved light transports and liaison aircraft similar to types used by Philippine Air Lines predecessors and military transports operated by USAAF units. Incidents during World War II included damage from bombing campaigns associated with operations by United States Army Air Forces and air strikes executed in coordination with Allied amphibious operations, producing wreckage and ordnance clearance challenges comparable to those at Clark Air Base and Iba Airfield. Postwar safety reviews referenced international standards emerging from bodies like the International Civil Aviation Organization and influenced later airport design improvements seen at Manila International Airport.

Legacy and Redevelopment

Following closure, the former airfield site became central to redevelopment led by Ayala Corporation and urban planners influenced by models like Canary Wharf and Midtown Manhattan; the area evolved into the Makati Central Business District with landmark projects including Ayala Center, Greenbelt, and commercial towers reflecting investment patterns similar to Shoreditch regeneration and Roppongi Hills. Surviving structures, such as the reconstructed terminal repurposed for retail or cultural uses, drew comparisons to adaptive reuse projects at Templehof Airport and Stapleton International Airport sites, while commemorative efforts involved local institutions including the National Historical Commission of the Philippines and museums akin to Ayala Museum. The site's transition influenced real estate trends across Metro Manila, contributing to debates involving transit integration with systems like the Light Rail Transit Authority and urban design dialogues referencing Lloyd's Building-era modernization.

Category:Airports in Metro Manila