Before the bustling terminals of Abu Dhabi International Airport were erected, this lone building and a stretch of flattened sand was all there was.
The location was on Airport Road, near where the Sheikh Khalifa Medical City is located. The airport consisted of a single building and a red jeep, and small propellor-driven aircraft were the only traffic to land at the facility. It operating into the 1960s, and was eventually replaced by a new airport with a runway capable of handling long-haul jets.
The smooth sand on which the small aircraft landed served another purpose: hosting cricket matches for the city's Indian and British communities. At the sound of an approaching aircraft, stumps were drawn. Play was resumed after the passengers disembarked, with another break for take-off.
* The National
Time Frame is a series that opens a window into the nation's past. Each week it features an image from the archives of both prominent institutions and private collections. Readers are invited to make contributions to yourpics@thenational.ae
