On Dec. 17, 1928, the 25th anniversary of the Wright Brothers’ first flight in North Carolina, VNY was born as Metropolitan Airport through the establishment of a corporation by a small group of citizens.
Located about 20 miles north of today’s LAX, amid 80 acres of trees and farmland, Metropolitan Airport. In its early years, VNY served as the base for many record-breaking flights, including:

A women’s speed record of 196 mph, by Florence “Pancho” Barnes, in 1930. 

A men’s solo endurance record of 37 hours, by Herbert Fahy, in 1929.

A women’s endurance record of 42 hours, by Elinor Smith and Bobbi Trout, in 1929.