ABOUT AVIATION CLE
Our Story
Aviation CLE grew out of Vision CLE that was founded in 2018 by three people who were born in and still live in Northeast Ohio—Brad, Doug, and Paul. We love traveling, airlines, and all things airports, and are the type of people who would rather spend their spare time in airports exploring the facility, rather than hanging out at the gate, airline lounge, restaurant, or bar.
We have great pride in our region, from the hard working people who live here, to the world class orchestra and incredible art museum, to a park system that is second to none, to the sports teams that have had some success lately (to Clevelanders, sports success is all relative).
Unfortunately our pride ends at the entrance to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport—especially when we pick up out of town visitors or overhear conversations from flight crews. We travel all over the country and we can’t think of another airport of similar size that is as dated as our airport. A few airports that "rivaled" CLE in this category, like Indianapolis (IND), NY LaGuardia (LGA) and Kansas City (MCI), recently cut the ribbons on major overhauls. Also, down I-71, Columbus (CMH) just broke ground on a new terminal scheduled to open in 2029. Heck, even our neighbors and friendly rivals in Pittsburgh are about to open a $1.89B new terminal facility even though the current head house is only 25 years old and already far more modern than Hopkins.
The main terminal at CLE was built in the mid-1950s and significantly expanded and remodeled in the 1970s to early 1980s. Mostly cosmetic improvements to the main terminal were completed in 2016, and several sets of restrooms were remodeled, along with an expansion and reconfiguration of the Central security checkpoint in 2025. The concourses were last updated in the early 1980s (Concourses A and B) and early 1990s (Concourse C). The “new” building, Concourse D, is now empty, over 25 years old, and likely obsolete in its current configuration.
Think about how much air travel has changed in that time. Cleveland is no longer a hub like it has been for much of its history. US carriers have undergone consolidation and security has been much stricter since 2001. Ultra low cost carriers such as Frontier and Spirit are now a significant part of the industry. Smaller high performance aircraft make it easier for carriers like Aer Lingus to service Europe nonstop from Cleveland.
We originally formed Vision CLE to make the case to the residents, civic leaders, and politicians of Northeast Ohio that Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is in need of significant modernization, likely to mean a full replacement of the terminal. We want a new Hopkins to be part of the civic dialogue, just as much sports stadium upgrades (and replacements), a new MetroHealth, a new Justice Center, and waterfront developments. As Hopkins embarked on its latest master facility plan, completed in 2021, we urged the airport to think big, and not make incremental improvements to a very old design. Thankfully, it seems like the recently announced CLEvolution campaign has actually done just that, after new airport leadership pivoted from the core recommendations of the master plan that would have essentially continued to use the old terminal as the basis for expansion.
We recognize that Cleveland and Northeast Ohio have many challenges—schools, population loss, the decline of manufacturing, and so forth. Citizens will justifiably feel other issues are much higher priority than building a 21st Century Airport. Part of our job is to educate the public that the airport is required by law to stand on its own financially, without any contributions from taxpayers.
While the original purpose of Vision CLE has waned recently due to changes in our lives, the master planning process, as well as the major changes to the aviation industry wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, I started Aviation CLE to look at commercial aviation more broadly and share my passion for it with a particular focus on its rich, innovative and colorful history in Northeast Ohio.
I invite you to contact me with feedback, corrections, story ideas, photographs, etc., make guest contributions, or post comments on the blog.
Thank you for reading
Paul J. Soprano
Aviation Geek and Amateur Airport Historian
