FEDERAL
HEIGHTS AIRPORT
100th & Federal
Location & Description
The Federal Heights Airport, also known as Ruston
Airport, located at 100th & Federal, was formed in
1944, by Mr. Harry H. Ruston. His idea for the
airport was that some of the World War II pilots would
like to keep flying.
Ruston Airport was the first private airport in
Colorado. It consisted of one hanger, one hundred
four feet long, ninety-seven feet wide, and twenty-five
feet high. It was used for major engine
repairs. A second building, thirty-one feet wide
and seventy feet long, was used for two classrooms, one
with plane simulators and one which became a cafe, the
"Pilots Perch."
There were four runways constructed which could be
extended to eight thousand feet if needed. The
runways were: N-S 3900 feet long; N-W 2600 feet long; N-W
and S-E 2800 feet long.
The airport was a training center for Regis College and
Denver University. There were only two accidents
during its life, one related to the schools: a student
took a plane in the mountains and was caught in a down
draft resulting in the loss of the plane, with not a
scratch on the pilot. The second incident was when
a pilot hit some power lines. Luck prevailed again;
the plane was lost, but the pilot was not injured.
The elevation of the property is 5,550 feet; latitude is
39 degrees 52 minutes 30 seconds; and longitude 105
degrees 01 minute 15 seconds. It is located about
four and one-half miles north of Denver City limits on
North Federal Boulevard in Adams County.
The Postal address was 1100 North Federal Boulevard,
Denver 11, Colorado; the nature of the land was gently
sloped with drainage running to the North & Northeast
and South & Southwest. The far South portion
had rolling hills.
Closing of the Airport came about because of housing
developments. The two largest were Broomfield
Heights, about four miles Northwest, and Thornton, a very
successful community two miles East. A home
building project Deza Estates, were built by Art
Swanson. They were constructing contemporary homes
in the price range of $20,000 to $35,000.
Final Use Of Property
Between the years 1957 and 1960, the Jefferson County
Airport took all the business from Ruston Airport.
Mr. Ruston closed his airport in 1961. It took him
three years to get out of debt.
After the closing of the airport, Mr. Ruston was
appointed Attorney General of the State of Colorado, and
was also the Inheritance Tax Collector for the State.
The buildings are now occupied by two different
businesses: one is the "Flight Deck
Restaurant;" the other is a carpet store.
Acknowledgements
Kenneth J. Hardison, Federal Aviation Administration
Harry H. Ruston