Cleared for takeoff — Gottlieb’s Airport is an electromechanical two-player that taxis into an aviation-and-travel theme, and it comes from the celebrated team of designer Ed Krynski and artist Art Stenholm. With reel scoring and a confirmed run of 1,900, it’s a handsome woodrail-era machine that captures the jet-age glamour of air travel in the era when flying still felt like a grand adventure.
The layout is a clean, engaging spread with a distinctive feature: two flippers, four pop bumpers, a pair of slingshots, four standup targets, a free ball return lane, and — the standout touch — two vari-targets, those variable-value targets that reward a player for a full, committed shot. Those vari-targets give the game satisfying depth and shot-making variety, while the four pop bumpers keep the ball lively up top and the four standups offer clear objectives to work through. The free ball return lane provides a welcome chance to extend your turn, rewarding an alert player. It’s a well-balanced, characterful design in the classic Gottlieb mold.
Airport is a fine example of the celebrated Krynski-and-Stenholm partnership, pairing an evergreen travel theme with a satisfying, vari-target-driven playfield. The aviation setting was a natural fit for the era’s fascination with the romance of flight, all glamour and destinations and the thrill of the terminal, and this machine captures that spirit with real charm. For the collector who loves the golden age of EM pinball and its greatest creative teams, it’s a rewarding find. Work those vari-targets, ride the bumpers, and take to the skies. Some machines carry you somewhere, and this one whisks you off on a jet-age adventure. Fasten your seatbelt and enjoy the flight.