La Junta Municipal Airport
Encyclopedia
La Junta Municipal Airport is a public use airport
located three nautical miles (6 km) north of the central business district
of La Junta
, in Otero County
, Colorado
, United States
. It is owned and operated by the City of La Junta.
Although most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier
for the FAA
and IATA
, La Junta Municipal Airport is assigned LHX by the FAA but has no designation from the IATA.
of 4,229 feet (1,289 m) above mean sea level. It has two runway
s: 8/26 with a 6,849 x 75 ft (2,088 x 23 m) asphalt
surface and 12/30 with a 5,803 x 60 ft (1,769 x 18 m) asphalt/concrete
surface. It also has one helipad
designated H1 and measuring 145 x 145 ft (44 x 44 m). For the 12-month period ending April 21, 2006, the airport had 6,900 aircraft operations, an average of 18 per day: 95% general aviation
and 5% military
.
pilots in 4-engine aircraft.
In 1942, the airport was taken over by the United States Army Air Force and assigned to the Western Flying Training Command (WFTC) and the airfield was expanded to accommodate a large number of aircraft and training flights. Three asphalt runways were constructed in a triangle layout, 8000x150(NE/SW), 8000x150(E/W), 8000x150(NW/SE) along with a large aircraft parking apron, taxiways, landing aids and several large aircraft hangars. In addition, four auxillary airfields were constructed to accommodate training flights and emergency landings:
La Junta Army Airfield and activated on 2 November 1942. It was designated as an advanced twin-engine flying school, under the jurisdiction of the 83d Flying Training Wing (Advanced, Twin-Engine), Douglas Army Airfield, Arizona. It operated B-25 Mitchell
two engine bombers; Cessna AT-17
, Curtiss AT-9
twin-engine, and BT-15 Valiant, BT-13 Valiant
single-engined trainers.
In March 1944, the Advanced Twin Engine School was re-designated as the 402d Army Air Force Base Unit. In March 1945, the unit was re-designated as the 249th Army Air Forces Base Unit (Army Air Forces Pilot School, Specialized Four Engine) and jurisdiction was transferred to Second Air Force
in June. The mission of La Junta AAF now became the training of replacement heavy bomber pilots flying AT-17 Flying Fortress trainers.
The 50th and 358th Fighter groups were assigned to La Junta in late 1945 (August - November) for inactivation.
La Junta AAF received notice from Second Air Force it would be inactivated on 28 February 1946. It was returned to the local government for civil use.
More airport, city, and county history can obtained from the Otero Museum and the Otero County Historical Society.
Historic links
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 three nautical miles (6 km) north of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of La Junta
La Junta, Colorado
The City of La Junta is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Otero County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 7,568 at the U.S. Census 2000. La Junta is located on the Arkansas River in southeastern Colorado east of Pueblo.-History:During...
, in Otero County
Otero County, Colorado
Otero County is one of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county was named for Miguel Antonio Otero, one of the founders of the town of La Junta and a member of a prominent Hispanic family. The county population was 20,311 at U.S. Census 2000...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is owned and operated by the City of La Junta.
Although most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier
Location identifier
A location identifier is a symbolic representation for the name and the location of an airport, navigation aid, or weather station, and is used for manned air traffic control facilities in air traffic control, telecommunications, computer programming, weather reports, and related services.-ICAO...
for the FAA
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...
and IATA
International Air Transport Association
The International Air Transport Association is an international industry trade group of airlines headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the International Civil Aviation Organization is also headquartered. The executive offices are at the Geneva Airport in SwitzerlandIATA's mission is to...
, La Junta Municipal Airport is assigned LHX by the FAA but has no designation from the IATA.
Facilities and aircraft
La Junta Municipal Airport covers an area of 4200 acres (1,699.7 ha) at an elevationElevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
of 4,229 feet (1,289 m) above mean sea level. It has two 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: 8/26 with a 6,849 x 75 ft (2,088 x 23 m) 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...
surface and 12/30 with a 5,803 x 60 ft (1,769 x 18 m) asphalt/concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
surface. It also has one helipad
Helipad
Helipad is a common abbreviation for helicopter landing pad, a landing area for helicopters. While helicopters are able to operate on a variety of relatively flat surfaces, a fabricated helipad provides a clearly marked hard surface away from obstacles where a helicopter can safely...
designated H1 and measuring 145 x 145 ft (44 x 44 m). For the 12-month period ending April 21, 2006, the airport had 6,900 aircraft operations, an average of 18 per day: 95% 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 5% military
Military aviation
Military aviation is the use of aircraft and other flying machines for the purposes of conducting or enabling warfare, including national airlift capacity to provide logistical supply to forces stationed in a theater or along a front. Air power includes the national means of conducting such...
.
History
The history of La Junta Municipal Airport begins in 1935 with initial development by the Civil Aeronautics Authority. In 1940, the War Department leased the facility for civilian pilot training of British RAF and Royal Canadian Air ForceRoyal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
pilots in 4-engine aircraft.
In 1942, the airport was taken over by the United States Army Air Force and assigned to the Western Flying Training Command (WFTC) and the airfield was expanded to accommodate a large number of aircraft and training flights. Three asphalt runways were constructed in a triangle layout, 8000x150(NE/SW), 8000x150(E/W), 8000x150(NW/SE) along with a large aircraft parking apron, taxiways, landing aids and several large aircraft hangars. In addition, four auxillary airfields were constructed to accommodate training flights and emergency landings:
- Rocky Ford Aux #1 38°08′05"N 103°41′16"W
- Las Animas Aux #2 38°08′51"N 103°16′03"W
- La Junta Aux #3 37°58′55"N 103°34′03"W
- Arlington Aux #4 38°20′06"N 103°16′36"W
La Junta Army Airfield and activated on 2 November 1942. It was designated as an advanced twin-engine flying school, under the jurisdiction of the 83d Flying Training Wing (Advanced, Twin-Engine), Douglas Army Airfield, Arizona. It operated B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
two engine bombers; Cessna AT-17
Cessna AT-17
-References:NotesBibliography* Mondey, David. American Aircraft of World War II . London: Bounty Books, 2006. ISBN 978-0-7537-1461-4....
, Curtiss AT-9
Curtiss AT-9
-Related content:Related development:Comparable aircraft:Beech C-45 Expeditor-Bibliography:* Bowers, Peter M. Curtiss Aircraft, 1907-1947. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-370-10029-8....
twin-engine, and BT-15 Valiant, BT-13 Valiant
BT-13 Valiant
The Vultee BT-13 Valiant was an American World War II-era basic trainer aircraft built by Vultee Aircraft for the United States Army Air Corps, and later US Army Air Forces...
single-engined trainers.
In March 1944, the Advanced Twin Engine School was re-designated as the 402d Army Air Force Base Unit. In March 1945, the unit was re-designated as the 249th Army Air Forces Base Unit (Army Air Forces Pilot School, Specialized Four Engine) and jurisdiction was transferred to Second Air Force
Second Air Force
The Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
in June. The mission of La Junta AAF now became the training of replacement heavy bomber pilots flying AT-17 Flying Fortress trainers.
The 50th and 358th Fighter groups were assigned to La Junta in late 1945 (August - November) for inactivation.
La Junta AAF received notice from Second Air Force it would be inactivated on 28 February 1946. It was returned to the local government for civil use.
More airport, city, and county history can obtained from the Otero Museum and the Otero County Historical Society.
External links
- La Junta Airport at City of La Junta web site
- La Junta Municipal (LHX) at Colorado DOT Airport Directory
Historic links