The first aviation in Volda took place in 1935 when Gidsken Jakobsen demonstrated flights. The first airport in Sunnmøre and Møre og Romsdal was Ålesund Airport, Vigra, which opened on 7 June 1958. For the southern parts of Sunnmøre, the airport incurred a travel time of two to three hours, including two ferries. Møre og Romsdal Fylkesbåtar introduced a hovercraft service from Ørsta via Hareid to Ålesund and Vigra in April 1965. Travel time from Ørsta to the airport was 50 minutes. By the time of the fall storms the authorities withdrew the operating certificate due to safety concerns. Following a 1962 government commission investigating the construction of new airports, Widerøe launched an alternative proposal and suggested that a network of smaller airports be built instead. These could be served using short take-off and landing aircraft, which were being developed at the time. Smaller airports could be built and operated at lower cost than larger airports, but both airports and airlines would need subsidies to operate. Håkon Kyllingmark was appointed Minister of Transport and Communications in 1965 and was a proponent of the STOLport proposal. The political rationale was that, despite that the total operating costs would rise, it would provide better services to rural areas and thus keep up their population. The regional airports only received a simple terminal and an 800-metre (2,600 ft) runway. The first such airports were opened in Helgeland in 1968. Planning in Ørsta and Volda commenced in February 1968, with the appointment of an inter-municipal commission. It concluded that a side on the shore of Hovdentjønna, a small lake, was a suitable site. It was estimated to cost NOK 1.5 million. The plans were approved by Parliament on 12 June 1969. In addition to Ørsta–Volda, these consisted of Førde Airport, Øyrane; Florø Airport and Sogndal Airport, Haukåsen. The time until completion was set to two years and the responsibility was placed with the municipalities. The municipal councils approved the plans in early 1970 and an operating concession was granted by the government on 3 July. Construction was placed under the auspice of a committee with three representatives from each municipality and a representative from Møre og Romsdal County Municipality. The airport originally consisted of an 800-by-30-metre (2,625 by 98 ft) runway and an apron measuring 70 by 35 metres (230 by 115 ft). Navigation was provided by two radio beacons. Of the investment of NOK 5.3 million, the Ministry of Transport and Communications granted 2.97 million, the county 0.5 million and the remaining 1.8 million was loan. Operating costs were covered by the two municipalities in the ratio of their population, initially nine sixteenth for Ørsta and seven sixteenths for Volda. The airport was run by an inter-municipal board and subordinate to the municipal engineer in Ørsta. The four airports opened on 1 July 1971. Ørsta–Volda Airport was one of three airports in Møre og Romsdal to open within two years. Kristiansund Airport, Kvernberget opened on 30 June 1970 and Molde Airport, Årø opened on 5 April 1972. This led to a dramatic reduction in services out of Vigra. The original service from Hovden was a feeder service to Vigra operated by Widerøe with their 19-seat Twin Otters. In the first full year of operation the airport handled 8,835 passengers. During the first years the airport had notoriously poor regularity, and in the last quarter of 1972 half the flights were canceled. A contribution was the high 610 meters (2,000 ft) runway visual range. There were discussions of closing Hovden and Sandane Airport, Anda and replacing them with an airport at Markane in Stryn Municipality, although this was never carried out. Widerøe introduced the 50-passenger de Havilland Canada Dash 7 on some routes between 1985 and 1988. There were 18,138 passengers in 1985 and 24,150 two years later.