Little Rock National Airport
Encyclopedia
Little Rock National Airport , officially Little Rock National Airport/Adams Field, is located 2 miles (3 km) east of the central business district
of Little Rock
, a city in Pulaski County, Arkansas
, United States
. It is Arkansas' largest commercial service airport, serving more than 2.1 million passengers in the year measured from March 2009 through February 2010. The airport attracts passengers from a large part of Arkansas as well as a number of surrounding states.
Although the airport does not have direct international passenger flights, there are more than 150 flight arrivals and departures at Little Rock each day, with non-stop jet service to 18 national/international gateway cities.
The regional jet made its first appearance at Little Rock National in 1997, with three daily flights by Delta Connection
carrier, Comair
, to Cincinnati. Comair has now been joined by other Delta Connection carriers as well as American Eagle
, Continental Express
, United Express
, and US Airways Express
in operating the regional jet at Little Rock.
, who was killed in the line of duty on September 4, 1937.
American Airlines
was the first airline to serve Little Rock when it first landed at Adams Field in June 1931.
During World War II
the airfield was used by the United States Army Air Force Third Air Force
for antisubmarine patrols and training.
In 1972, the airport unveiled its current 12-gate terminal.
On June 1, 1999, American Airlines Flight 1420
crashed upon landing at Little Rock National Airport on a flight from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, killing the pilot and 10 passengers.
In August 2008 the airport announced that it had approved a plan to renovate the terminal over a 15-year period. The central component of the plan would be to expand the terminal from 12 to 16 gates.
Adams Field covers an area of 2000 acres (809.4 ha) which contains three runway
s and one helipad
.
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2005, the airport had 167,880 aircraft operations, an average of 459 per day: 42% general aviation
, 23% air taxi
, 15% scheduled commercial
and 20% military
. At that time there were 152 aircraft based at this airport: 45% single-engine
, 32% multi-engine, 22% jet
and 1% helicopter
.
The airport has a single, elongated terminal building with 12 gates. Six gates are located along the length of the terminal (three on either side) and a circular area at the end has six more gates.
The terminal handles more passenger traffic than it was originally designed for. Nineteen planes are berthed every night, and the circular area - where Southwest Airlines
, the airport's largest carrier, controls three gates - is especially vulnerable to crowds and long lines.
Public transportation to and from the airport is provided by Central Arkansas Transit Authority (CATA) bus #12.http://www.cat.org/bus/routes/12_east_sixth.html
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 Little Rock
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
, a city in Pulaski County, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is Arkansas' largest commercial service airport, serving more than 2.1 million passengers in the year measured from March 2009 through February 2010. The airport attracts passengers from a large part of Arkansas as well as a number of surrounding states.
Although the airport does not have direct international passenger flights, there are more than 150 flight arrivals and departures at Little Rock each day, with non-stop jet service to 18 national/international gateway cities.
The regional jet made its first appearance at Little Rock National in 1997, with three daily flights by Delta Connection
Delta Connection
Delta Connection is the name under which a number of individually owned regional airlines and one wholly owned regional carrier operate short and medium haul routes in association with Delta Air Lines Inc...
carrier, Comair
Comair
Comair is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines headquartered on the grounds of Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport in unincorporated Boone County, Kentucky, United States, west of Erlanger, and south of Cincinnati, Ohio...
, to Cincinnati. Comair has now been joined by other Delta Connection carriers as well as American Eagle
American Eagle Airlines
American Eagle Airlines is a brand name used by American Eagle Airlines, Inc. , based in Fort Worth, Texas, and Executive Airlines based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in the operation of passenger air service as regional affiliates of American Airlines. All three airlines are wholly owned subsidiaries...
, Continental Express
Continental Express
Continental Express is the operating brand name used by a number of independently owned regional airlines providing regional jet feeder service under agreement with Continental Airlines...
, United Express
United Express
United Express is a brand name under which eight regional airlines operate feeder flights for United Airlines. They primarily connect smaller cities with United's domestic hub airports and “focus cities,” although they offer some point-to-point service such as Sacramento to Eureka.As of Sept...
, and US Airways Express
US Airways Express
US Airways Express is an airline brand name, rather than a fully certified airline, and as such, the US Airways Express name is used by several individually owned airlines or airline holding companies which provide regional airline and commuter service for US Airways.Operations are conducted from...
in operating the regional jet at Little Rock.
History
Adams Field is named after Captain George Geyer Adams, 154th Observation Squadron, Arkansas National GuardArkansas National Guard
The Arkansas National Guard comprises both Army and Air components. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. In fact, the National Guard is the only United States military force empowered to function in a state status...
, who was killed in the line of duty on September 4, 1937.
American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
was the first airline to serve Little Rock when it first landed at Adams Field in June 1931.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the airfield was used by the United States Army Air Force Third Air Force
Third Air Force
The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
for antisubmarine patrols and training.
In 1972, the airport unveiled its current 12-gate terminal.
On June 1, 1999, American Airlines Flight 1420
American Airlines Flight 1420
American Airlines Flight 1420 was a flight from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport to Little Rock National Airport in USA. On June 1, 1999, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82 overran the runway upon landing in Little Rock and crashed...
crashed upon landing at Little Rock National Airport on a flight from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, killing the pilot and 10 passengers.
In August 2008 the airport announced that it had approved a plan to renovate the terminal over a 15-year period. The central component of the plan would be to expand the terminal from 12 to 16 gates.
Facilities and aircraft
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 and 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...
.
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2005, the airport had 167,880 aircraft operations, an average of 459 per day: 42% 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...
, 23% air taxi
Air taxi
An air taxi is an air charter passenger or cargo aircraft which operates on an on-demand basis.-Regulation:In the United States, air taxi and air charter operations are governed by Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations , unlike the larger scheduled air carriers which are governed by more...
, 15% scheduled commercial
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
and 20% 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...
. At that time there were 152 aircraft based at this airport: 45% single-engine
Aircraft engine
An aircraft engine is the component of the propulsion system for an aircraft that generates mechanical power. Aircraft engines are almost always either lightweight piston engines or gas turbines...
, 32% multi-engine, 22% jet
Jet aircraft
A jet aircraft is an aircraft propelled by jet engines. Jet aircraft generally fly much faster than propeller-powered aircraft and at higher altitudes – as high as . At these altitudes, jet engines achieve maximum efficiency over long distances. The engines in propeller-powered aircraft...
and 1% helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
.
Terminal
The terminal handles more passenger traffic than it was originally designed for. Nineteen planes are berthed every night, and the circular area - where Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
, the airport's largest carrier, controls three gates - is especially vulnerable to crowds and long lines.
Public transportation to and from the airport is provided by Central Arkansas Transit Authority (CATA) bus #12.http://www.cat.org/bus/routes/12_east_sixth.html
Passenger airlines and destinations
Top Destinations
| Rank | City | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Atlanta, GAHartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, and Hartsfield–Jackson, is located seven miles south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States... |
162,000 | Delta |
| 2 |  Dallas-Fort Worth, TX |
155,000 | American |
| 3 | Dallas-Love, TX |
135,000 | Southwest |
| 4 |  Chicago-O’Hare, IL |
99,000 | American, United |
| 5 | Houston-Intercontinental, TX George Bush Intercontinental Airport George Bush Intercontinental Airport, is a Class B international airport in Houston, Texas, serving the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Located north of Downtown Houston between Interstate 45 and U.S. Highway 59... |
82,000 | Continental |
| 6 |  Charlotte, NCCharlotte/Douglas International Airport Charlotte Douglas International Airport is a joint civil-military public international airport located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Established in 1935 as Charlotte Municipal Airport, in 1954 the airport was renamed Douglas Municipal Airport after former Charlotte mayor Ben Elbert Douglas, Sr... |
66,000 | US Airways |
| 7 |  Memphis, TNMemphis International Airport Memphis International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Memphis, a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States.... |
58,000 | Delta |
| 8 |  St. Louis, MOLambert-St. Louis International Airport Lambert-St. Louis International Airport is a Class B international airport serving Greater St. Louis. It is located approximately northwest of downtown St. Louis in unincorporated St. Louis County between Berkeley and Bridgeton. It is the largest and busiest airport in the state with 250 daily... |
51,000 | Southwest |
| 9 |  Denver, CODenver International Airport Denver International Airport , often referred to as DIA, is an airport in Denver, Colorado. By land size, at , it is the largest international airport in the United States, and the third largest international airport in the world after King Fahd International Airport and Montréal-Mirabel... |
38,000 | Frontier, United |
| 10 |  Las Vegas, NVMcCarran International Airport McCarran International Airport is the principal commercial airport serving Las Vegas and Clark County, Nevada, United States. The airport is located five miles south of the central business district of Las Vegas, in the unincorporated area of Paradise in Clark County. It covers an area of and... |
37,000 | Southwest |
See also
- Arkansas World War II Army AirfieldsArkansas World War II Army AirfieldsDuring World War II, the United States Army Air Force established numerous airfields in Arkansas for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers....