The ROC: Journey thru the 20th Century

by Rick Iekel

The story of Rochester's 100 year old airport

It was a ride down Scottsville Road that made Rick Iekel, 28 year veteran of the Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport, realize it was time to write. A long-operated trailer park that hid the face of the original airport had been removed. Two nearly ancient hangars marking the airport's beginning were now in full view from the road. Join the author for an easy ride through the years since the City of Rochester purchased 110 acres of land known as Britton Field in 1921.

The ROC: A Journey thru the 20th Century is an informative read for anyone interested in the history of the airport in Rochester, NY. Mr. Iekel puts a human face on an institution we might just take for granted.

An interesting history of air travel in Western New York by one who helped manage it for more than two decades.

An interesting read of the original and continual development of our beautiful airport.

206 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2022

About the author

Rick Iekel - husband, father of four, grandfather of ten, is retired and writing. During a 28-year career in aviation, writing was a pastime for quiet Sunday afternoons and peaceful summer vacations. Now a love of history and an interest in the ways and lives of the everyday person have drawn our author to write mostly in the genre of historical fiction. Raised on a farm in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains, he now resides with his wife in Rochester, New York.

LIFE LINES: A Selection of Poetry Written by Helen Corrigan Iekel. His first effort, Rick honors the poetic efforts of his mother.

The Candles of My Life: In this biography, Rick tells the story of a brave and gentle wife and mother.

House with a Heart: Rick offers the story of the pioneer family that built the house where he grew up in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains in Western New York State.

The ROC: Journey thru the 20th Century: During a 28 year career in aviation at Rochester New York's Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport, the author was employed by United Airlines as a Customer Service Agent and by the County of Monroe as Assistant Airport Manager, Airport Manager and Director of Aviation. In retirement his research has produced a readable story of the development of Rochester's airport since it inception in 1921. The book content combines factual history with personal antidotes that explain the growth of this airport and methods of operation of any commercial airport. It is an interesting and readable story for anyone involved in aviation.

Reviews

[John Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rick Iekel does what others only attempt to do when writing about local history. In his book, The ROC: Journey thru the 20th Century, aka the story of Rochester, New York’s 100 year old airport, Rick brings a most complete history of our airport.
I have lived here, in Rochester, all of my life, yet Rick has made me aware of things that I knew little about. From the earliest beginnings of trying to get mail service started, there was resistance from local politicians that didn’t want to make investments to first buy and later improve the grassy Brighton Field. It is amazing that we have the airport that we have today with their lack of vision back then.
The book is filled with tidbits of history that are either unknown or have been long forgotten by many. How many of us knew that Charles Lindbergh ever landed here in 1927, let alone stayed long enough to address a gathered crowd for more than an hour and a half. Some people might be able to remember that the Concorde landed here in 1986, but few know the work that went into extending and improving the runway to allow it to land here.
Rick has a way of making you feel as though you are taking this journey through time along with him. He gives insights into running the airport, solving problems and helped growing the airport to what it is today. He is a good author and he was the airport’s Manager and later Director of Aviation covering the period from 1989 to 1993.
Anybody interested in local history, aviation, airport operations, and the struggle of early flyers and airlines, should read this book. I rarely read history, but found his book most interesting.

[Nicole Galbraith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rick Iekel worked at the Rochester, NY airport for 28 years, eventually serving as the director. So, he is the perfect person to tell its story. While it is very well researched and gives lots of information about the history of the airport and aviation in general, what sets it apart from other local history books is Iekel's personal connection to the content. The story is told in a conversational voice that mixes factual information with behind-the-scenes stories. While the book is of most interest to people with a connection to Rochester, NY, it would appeal to anyone interesting in aviation history.

[BarbaraHelene Smith]

This well-written and easy reading book integrates facts with anecdotes about the 100- year-old history of the Rochester airport. You get the inside scoop about the development of the airport from conception to present written by a man who experienced it firsthand throughout his career from baggage handler to the Airport Manager. It includes interesting facts and stories about people and operations little known to the average passenger, such as snow removal and crash-fire-rescue. Even if aviation is not your field, the story about this Rochester landmark is fascinating and a worthwhile read.

BarbaraHelene Smith
Author

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A deep, well-researched, and thorough history of Rochester’s airport, written by an author who clearly has both done his homework and has a history with and passion for the topic. This is well-organized to be broadly chronological, but each chapter takes on a different aspect of aviation or ROC history. It has a great balance of content knowledge (it’s educational without being overly technical) and having anecdotes that invite the reader into the real-life people who filled the offices, hangars, and waiting areas of the Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport. Any reader who flies or likes travel would learn something new by reading this book.

[Joseph M · Rating 5 out of 5]

With humor and an insider's insights, Rick Iekel shows the reader what it takes to establish an airport in the nascent days of aviation, and shepherd it through the twentieth century. The author's love of aviation shines through. There's a lot of information in this book, divulged with wit and a story-teller's flair. Only 206 pages from cover to cover, It's a little gem of a book. I'm planning to read it again.

[George Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This readable book, by an author who worked in numerous roles including operations management at this airport over some two decades, is an entertaining read and an important contribution to the history of American airports. Anyone who has traveled through regional airports, and particularly this one, will find the story of Rochester's airport and the author's historical behind-the-scenes look at its operations and funding interesting and engaging.

[Dee Carey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dang good book

Rick iekel has written another amazing book. It is well researched without being dull.The author brings back many memories for this reviewer. The facts are presented clearly with a touch of humor. This a great read for information or just a plain old fashioned great book. Keep them coming Rick.

[Sue LeDoux · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hats off to Rick Iekel! So much of our local history, the very history that drives our nation, would be lost if not for writers like Rick Iekel. Considering all that is entailed in the running of an airport the size of the Frederick Douglas Greater Rochester International Airport just boggles my mind. Assigned Assistant Airport Manager in 1973, and then Airport Manager from 1989 to 1973, makes Iekel a reliable narrator with accurate facts and history, as well as down home tales only one who has been there can tell.
Full disclosure. I am a native Rochesterian and savored reading a chapter or two while awaiting my flight in the lounge at the Frederick Douglas Greater Rochester International Airport. What a special moment!