Special to ABCNEWS.com
     White Plains, N.Y. ------ Westchester County Airport in White
 Plains, N.Y., lies about 25 miles from Manhattan, near the Connect-
 icut border.  Once known as Rye Lake Airport, it was originally a
 military base, built during World War II as a bulwark against German
 invasion.
     After the war, the government gave the base to the county, and
 a 10,000-square-foot war-surplus Quonset hut was brought in to serve
 as a "temporary" commercial terminal.
     Temporary turned out to be 40 years. Although the airport was
 serving more than a million passengers a year by 1995, the Quonset
 hut was still in service till then.
     "Now, thank goodness," says airport manager Joel  Russell,
 "there's a brand new multi-level terminal building with seating for
 more than 120 people, a covered parking garage and a real baggage
 carousel."
     Russell's delight is understandable. The Quonset hut had only 18
 seats and a garage door through which baggage appeared.  Often,
 people waiting to check in or pick up baggage had to stand in line
 outside. Parking was a problem, too.
     "Sometimes," Russell admits, "we'd take your parking money, but
 not give you any place to park."
                            Art and Culture
     No fine artwork here: Most of Westchester's new-construction
 funds were spent on a fine brick building with a copper roof and
 slate tiles in the corridors. There are, however, five vintage model
 airplanes hanging from the ceiling in the boarding area and the main
 terminal, especially fun for kids.
     Children, and certainly some adults, may enjoy pushing the but-
 tons that light up the noise abatement display on the terminal's
 first floor. They may not understand, however, that it demonstrates
 decreasing and increasing levels of noise around the airport.
                            Need a Souvenir?
     There are no real souvenir shops at the airport, but there's a
 kiosk where you can buy newspapers, snacks and magazines. The stand
 also offers fax service and cellular phone rentals, and you can pick
 up a cool postcard showing before and after views of the airport.
                                Hungry?
     The airport has a coffee shop, with espresso, a bar and the
 appropriately named Skytop Restaurant. The Skytop serves up a fine
 brunch and seems to be frequented more by locals than by travelers.
 Oh, and they'll even validate your parking ticket.
                             Feeling Grubby?
     Restrooms here are kept shiny and clean. Those upstairs just
 past the administrative offices are less crowded than the ones in
 the main terminal.
                              What's Outside?
     Almost all airports used to have observation decks where you'd
 take the kids, or a date, to watch take-offs and landings. West-
 chester still has one, on its top level. The deck will soon sport
 picnic tables and signs describing the different types of private
 and commercial airplanes you can see coming in and out of the
 airport.
                                Need a Nap?
     You're at least 10 miles from any hotels or shopping areas, so
 your best bet is to grab a seat in the third-floor atrium. "It's
 very comfortable surroundings," says airport manager Joel Russell,
 "and a spectacular view," of the Hudson River Valley area.
     But Russell's favorite viewpoint is outside the building, a
 little patch of ground out near the parking lot.
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