Stanton Airfield (SYN)

Stanton Airfield is a privately owned, public-use general aviation airport serving Stanton, Goodhue County, and the southern Minneapolis–Saint Paul region. Opened in 1942 as Carleton Airport, it was developed by Carleton College to train military pilots during World War II and has remained in continuous aviation use since then.

Located about one mile east of downtown Stanton on Highway 19, the airfield sits roughly 35 miles south of the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area between Northfield and Cannon Falls. It operates two turf runways and has no control tower, runway lighting, or published instrument procedures, reflecting its role as a recreational and training field.

The airfield is owned by Stanton Sport Aviation, Inc., which has maintained the historic buildings and grass runways since 1990. It is home to the Minnesota Soaring Club, Twin City Barnstormers, and the Stanton Squadron of Civil Air Patrol, and it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.

Travelers and pilots typically reach Stanton Airfield by private vehicle along Highway 19. The field offers flight training, glider rides, aircraft maintenance, fuel, hangars, and a history exhibit, while private transfers, rental cars, and chauffeur services provide onward connections to nearby towns and the Twin Cities.