Auburn-Opelika Robert G. Pitts Airport
Encyclopedia
Auburn University Regional Airport with the Robert G. Pitts Field (formerly Auburn–Opelika Robert G. Pitts Airport) is a public airport
located two miles (3 km) east of downtown Auburn
, Alabama
, United States
.
The airport covers an area of 423 acres (171.2 ha) which contains two asphalt
paved runway
s. It is mostly used for general aviation
and it offers no commercial service in or out of Auburn. With 55 aircraft based at AUO, including 46 single engine and 9 multi-engine airplanes, the airport averages 179 operations per day. The Auburn University
aviation program likely makes up for most of these operations, training students throughout the year.
The closest airport of significance outside of Auburn is the Columbus Airport (40 miles via US-280) in Columbus, Georgia
which is roughly a 1 hour drive to and from Auburn. The closest commercial airports are the Montgomery Regional Airport
(60 miles via I-85) in Montgomery, Alabama
, the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (115 miles via US-280) in Birmingham, Alabama
, and the Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (100 miles via I-85) in Atlanta, Georgia
. These airports are within a 2 hour driving distance to/from Auburn and offer air service to most of the world's major airports. Daily bus/van shuttle service is available from the Auburn area to the Atlanta airport.
’s Department of Aviation and Supply Chain Management.
When first constructed in 1930, the Auburn–Opelika Airport was a private airfield built to serve the sister cities of Auburn
and Opelika
located in Lee County
, Alabama
. It was also intended to serve the Alabama Polytechnic Institute (API), later renamed Auburn University. Over the next decade, the airport would go from a private airfield, to a stop along the mail route
for the Civil Aeronautics Administration, and eventually become a training ground for the U.S. Military. It was during its time as a Navy/CAA
War
Training School that the Auburn School of Aviation would be developed.
Over the next several decades, many improvements would be made to the airport, making it a standard of excellence in the general aviation
field. A new terminal
and administration building was constructed in 1950 consisting of both enclosed and open flight deck
s, a restaurant
, flight ready rooms, classroom
s, and operations offices with local, state, and federal funds. Also in the 1950s, Medium Intensity Runway Lights were installed, runways were resealed, and an access road to Glenn Avenue was constructed.
The 1960s continued to see major improvements to the airport; pavement
for aircraft parking was completed along with the reconstruction of the 18/36 and 11/29 runways and taxiway
s. During the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s a concentrated effort was made to acquire the land and funding for the 18/36 runway extension. In addition, renovations and several improvements were made to the airport facilities, updating them to modern standards.
In January 2002, the ribbon cutting ceremony was held to open the 1332 feet (406 m) runway extension. The runway was extended from 3933 feet (1,198.8 m) to 5265 feet (1,604.8 m) and was widened from 75 feet (22.9 m) to 100 feet (30.5 m).
As of August 2006, the Federal Aviation Administration
gave clearance for the installation of a glideslope antenna
and approach lighting system
(MALSF) for runway 36. These improvements were completed in late 2007. Plans are being made for extensive crack repair, pavement rehab, and painting of runway 11/29, along with minor crack repair and repainting of runway 18/36.
Site prep work for four hangars, a new ramp area, and a new terminal was started in January 2008. These improvements will help the airport provide better service the large crowds of people who fly in to attend college football
games at Auburn University.
In November 2009, the Auburn University Board of Trustees voted to rename the Auburn-Opelika Robert G. Pitts Airport as the Auburn University Regional Airport with the Robert G. Pitts Field.
at the Auburn University Regional Airport is staffed from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM Central Time (-5, -6z) weekdays, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM weekends. Fuel services are available during this time, as are use of the FBO and airport facilities. Terminal Procedures, IFR Charts, Log Books, and similar pilot supplies can all be purchased inside the terminal building. There are additional charges or "call fees" for after hours assistance for fuel or supplies. Services include WSI weather, courtesy cars, aircraft maintenance, oxygen, nitrogen, GPU availability, vending, cable TV, computer workstations, wired and wireless Internet, and LAV service.
Maintenance is available during normal working hours, from 7 AM to 4 PM local time. AUO's four mechanics, three of whom have their Inspection Authorization License (IA), can service most all single engine, twin engine, and turbo-prop aircraft, but provide only minor powerplant and airframe service. After hours and weekend service is available on demand at a rate of time and a half.
Navaids
Airport Communications
General Airport Services
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located two miles (3 km) east of downtown Auburn
Auburn, Alabama
Auburn is a city in Lee County, Alabama, United States. It is the largest city in eastern Alabama with a 2010 population of 53,380. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The airport covers an area of 423 acres (171.2 ha) which contains two asphalt
Asphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
paved runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
s. It is mostly used for general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
and it offers no commercial service in or out of Auburn. With 55 aircraft based at AUO, including 46 single engine and 9 multi-engine airplanes, the airport averages 179 operations per day. The Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
aviation program likely makes up for most of these operations, training students throughout the year.
The closest airport of significance outside of Auburn is the Columbus Airport (40 miles via US-280) in Columbus, Georgia
Columbus, Georgia
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Muscogee County, Georgia, United States, with which it is consolidated. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 189,885. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area, which, in 2009, had an estimated population of 292,795...
which is roughly a 1 hour drive to and from Auburn. The closest commercial airports are the Montgomery Regional Airport
Montgomery Regional Airport
Montgomery Regional Airport , also known as Dannelly Field, is a joint civil-military public airport located six miles southwest of the central business district of Montgomery, a city in Montgomery County and the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama...
(60 miles via I-85) in Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
, the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (115 miles via US-280) in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, and the Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (100 miles via I-85) in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. These airports are within a 2 hour driving distance to/from Auburn and offer air service to most of the world's major airports. Daily bus/van shuttle service is available from the Auburn area to the Atlanta airport.
History
In its earliest days, the airport was nothing more than a grass field. The home to one airplane, the airport was very different from its current status. Today, the airport is home to some 55 aircraft and Auburn UniversityAuburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
’s Department of Aviation and Supply Chain Management.
When first constructed in 1930, the Auburn–Opelika Airport was a private airfield built to serve the sister cities of Auburn
Auburn, Alabama
Auburn is a city in Lee County, Alabama, United States. It is the largest city in eastern Alabama with a 2010 population of 53,380. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area...
and Opelika
Opelika, Alabama
Opelika is a city in and the county seat of Lee County in the east central part of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area. According to 2010 Census, the population of Opelika was 26,477...
located in Lee County
Lee County, Alabama
Lee County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is named in honor of Robert E. Lee, commanding general of the Confederate Army. As of 2010 the population was 140,247. It is part of the Auburn, Alabama Metropolitan Area. The county seat is Opelika, and the largest city is Auburn...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. It was also intended to serve the Alabama Polytechnic Institute (API), later renamed Auburn University. Over the next decade, the airport would go from a private airfield, to a stop along the mail route
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
for the Civil Aeronautics Administration, and eventually become a training ground for the U.S. Military. It was during its time as a Navy/CAA
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
War
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
Training School that the Auburn School of Aviation would be developed.
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
field. A new terminal
Airport terminal
An airport terminal is a building at an airport where passengers transfer between ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board and disembark from aircraft....
and administration building was constructed in 1950 consisting of both enclosed and open flight deck
Flight deck
The flight deck of an aircraft carrier is the surface from which its aircraft take off and land, essentially a miniature airfield at sea. On smaller naval ships which do not have aviation as a primary mission, the landing area for helicopters and other VTOL aircraft is also referred to as the...
s, a restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
, flight ready rooms, classroom
Classroom
A classroom is a room in which teaching or learning activities can take place. Classrooms are found in educational institutions of all kinds, including public and private schools, corporations, and religious and humanitarian organizations...
s, and operations offices with local, state, and federal funds. Also in the 1950s, Medium Intensity Runway Lights were installed, runways were resealed, and an access road to Glenn Avenue was constructed.
Pavement (material)
Road surface or pavement is the durable surface material laid down on an area intended to sustain vehicular or foot traffic, such as a road or walkway. In the past cobblestones and granite setts were extensively used, but these surfaces have mostly been replaced by asphalt or concrete. Such...
for aircraft parking was completed along with the reconstruction of the 18/36 and 11/29 runways and taxiway
Taxiway
A taxiway is a path on an airport connecting runways with ramps, hangars, terminals and other facilities. They mostly have hard surface such as asphalt or concrete, although smaller airports sometimes use gravel or grass....
s. During the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s a concentrated effort was made to acquire the land and funding for the 18/36 runway extension. In addition, renovations and several improvements were made to the airport facilities, updating them to modern standards.
In January 2002, the ribbon cutting ceremony was held to open the 1332 feet (406 m) runway extension. The runway was extended from 3933 feet (1,198.8 m) to 5265 feet (1,604.8 m) and was widened from 75 feet (22.9 m) to 100 feet (30.5 m).
As of August 2006, the Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
gave clearance for the installation of a glideslope antenna
Instrument Landing System
An instrument landing system is a ground-based instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway, using a combination of radio signals and, in many cases, high-intensity lighting arrays to enable a safe landing during instrument...
and approach lighting system
Approach Lighting System
An approach lighting system, or ALS, is a lighting system installed on the approach end of an airport runway and consisting of a series of lightbars, strobe lights, or a combination of the two that extends outward from the runway end...
(MALSF) for runway 36. These improvements were completed in late 2007. Plans are being made for extensive crack repair, pavement rehab, and painting of runway 11/29, along with minor crack repair and repainting of runway 18/36.
Site prep work for four hangars, a new ramp area, and a new terminal was started in January 2008. These improvements will help the airport provide better service the large crowds of people who fly in to attend college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
games at Auburn University.
In November 2009, the Auburn University Board of Trustees voted to rename the Auburn-Opelika Robert G. Pitts Airport as the Auburn University Regional Airport with the Robert G. Pitts Field.
Facilities
The FBOFixed base operator
A Fixed-base operator or commonly abbreviated FBO is a term developed in the United States after the passage of the Air Commerce Act of 1926...
at the Auburn University Regional Airport is staffed from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM Central Time (-5, -6z) weekdays, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM weekends. Fuel services are available during this time, as are use of the FBO and airport facilities. Terminal Procedures, IFR Charts, Log Books, and similar pilot supplies can all be purchased inside the terminal building. There are additional charges or "call fees" for after hours assistance for fuel or supplies. Services include WSI weather, courtesy cars, aircraft maintenance, oxygen, nitrogen, GPU availability, vending, cable TV, computer workstations, wired and wireless Internet, and LAV service.
Maintenance is available during normal working hours, from 7 AM to 4 PM local time. AUO's four mechanics, three of whom have their Inspection Authorization License (IA), can service most all single engine, twin engine, and turbo-prop aircraft, but provide only minor powerplant and airframe service. After hours and weekend service is available on demand at a rate of time and a half.
Pilot information
Runways:- Runway 18/36: 5,265 x 100 ft (1,605 x 30 m), Surface: Asphalt
- Runway 11/29: 4,002 x 75 ft (1,220 x 23 m with 300' Displaced Threshold), Surface: Asphalt
Navaids
- TGE 117.3 055 14.4 nm to field
- CSG 117.1 269 20.6 nm to field
- LOC IAUO 110.1
Airport Communications
- CTAF/UNICOM: 123.0
- WX AWOS-3: 132.575 (334-821-4932)
- ATLANTA APPROACH: 126.55 (7000 & Above)
- ATLANTA DEPARTURE: 126.55 (7000 & Above)
- APP/P DEP/P: 125.5 (6999 & Below)
- CLEARANCE DELIVERY: 118.7
General Airport Services
- Available Fuel:
- 100LL
- Jet-A
- Parking Includes Hangars & Tiedowns
- MINOR Service
- Airframe
- Powerplant
External links
- Auburn University Regional Airport, official site
- Airfield photos for AUO from Civil Air PatrolCivil Air PatrolCivil Air Patrol is a Congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force . CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded membership that includes people from all backgrounds, lifestyles, and...