The name "Salzburg Airport" was used for the very first time in its history when the US Army took it over.
The Americans dismantled the Me 262 jets which were not at all or only slightly damaged and later sent them in parts back to the USA. The Americans brought twin engine DC3-airplanes in addition to the small single engine Stinson L5, airplanes for connection flights, and used the 1200 metres long and 60 metres wide runway, which had been 10/28 concreted by the Germans in 1944.
Salzburg Airport was the first Austrian airport which managed to become a part of European scheduled traffic again. It was to Salzburg’s advantage that the central headquarters of the American occupation authorities was based there. Through this a good overseas connection was promised by the passengers.
On 26th May 1951, a Swissair aircraft landed for the first time to take up the Zurich-Innsbruck-Salzburg route. From this point in time Salzburg was used increasingly by charter machines and sport aircraft.
In 1954, Salzburg became the cradle for the reconstruction of Austrian aviation. A year before the recovery of Austrian air sovereignty, the Americans agreed for Ing. Hubert Pölz to begin the training of pilots for the future national and civil Austrian aviation. Using Swiss sports aircrafts with Swiss registrations, Austrian pilots were finally allowed again to fly powered aircrafts in Austria.
The 19th October 1955 stands for the beginning of a modern airport. The new managing director Dr. Hans Deutsch took over Salzburg Airport on 25th October 1955. Hans Meßner was employed as the airport operations director. In December of the same year the plans for a new runway under or around the road Innsbrucker Bundesstrasse were released. The old concrete runway was renovated. This was not a solution however for the deficiencies of the runway.
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