Sias, later sold the flying school to Albert L. Lodwick (1904–1961), whose aviation career to that point included nine years with the Curtiss-Wright Corporation and the presidency of the Stinson Aircraft Company.

The school headquartered at the airport, and the Lodwick Aviation Military Academy in Avon Park, provided Army Air Corps cadets with primary flight training including time on PT-17 Stearman trainers.

The first class of cadets from England's Royal Air Force (RAF) arrived at Lodwick in 1941 and graduated from the ten-week training course on August 16 of that year.

However, by the early 1950s, the number of military aircraft available for conversion to commercial use dwindled and most of the surplus parts and equipment it contracted to sell were obsolete and had no market.

In 1958, the Tigers' spring training complex was expanded over the remains of the Lodwick Aircraft facility, and in 1960 the airport itself was closed.

The facility is also the regular season home of the Class A Florida State League Lakeland Flying Tigers.