John Wayne Airport (JWA)

The Original Aviators

A flock of 21 bird-like sculptures perpetually soar over the baggage carousels of Terminal C at John Wayne Airport (JWA) in Santa Ana, CA. The large-scale, multi-piece sculpture is suspended on an S-shaped square steel tubing structure that stretches 100 feet long. The birds’ wings, which were created from aluminum and a high-grade polycarbonate Plexiglas, display enlarged portions of aeronautical charts. 

Artist Beth Nybeck titled the sculpture Flight of Ideas because she was inspired by the minds of innovators and deep thinkers. “People who are willing to try new things, experiment, explore, learn and grow are the same people who have formed our world and will continue to do so in the future,” says Nybeck. 

Birds emerged as her form of choice as a reference to the first engineers who watched the flight of birds to determine what was needed for balance and structure. 

“The graceful ability for birds to soar, dive and ride the wind have been the subject of daydreams for men and child alike,” she says. 

What a pleasant daydream for passengers to share as they wait to collect their checked baggage.