Northeast Philadelphia Airport
Encyclopedia
Northeast Philadelphia Airport is a public airport located just north of the intersection of Grant Avenue and Ashton Road in the Ashton-Woodenbridge neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia
. It is part of the Philadelphia Airport System along with Philadelphia International Airport
, and is the general aviation
reliever airport for Philadelphia International Airport. Northeast Philadelphia Airport is the sixth busiest airport in Pennsylvania
. Services at the airport provided by two fixed base operator
s include fuel, major aircraft repair, hangar rental, aircraft rental and charter, flight instruction, and aircraft sales.
(U.S. 1
) to the west. The airport does not extend all the way to these boundaries, however. Development within these boundaries also includes the Internal Revenue Service
Philadelphia Service Center, a Pepsi-Cola bottling plant, an industrial park
with aviation-related businesses, and the headquarters of the 8th District of the Philadelphia Police Department
. A TJ Maxx distribution center and an ice skating rink opened in 2001 on land leased from the airport.
When this airport was opened, the surrounding area was largely open farmland. Since that time, much growth has taken place in Northeast Philadelphia, and residential neighborhoods and businesses have developed close to the airport. Because of this development, pilots operating in proximity of the airport must observe noise abatement
procedures.
The United States Army Air Corps
began construction of a 545 acres (220.6 ha) airbase
in Northeast Philadelphia
during World War II, but the project was never completed, and the property was turned over to the city in 1944. After the city finished the work, Philadelphia Northeast Airport opened in June 1945. In 1948, the name of the airport was changed to North Philadelphia Airport.
The airport's infrastructure was expanded in 1960 when Runway 6/24 was extended to its present length. Runway 10/28 was abandoned at this time due to construction on the western end of the runway.
The name of the airport was changed once again in 1980, to the present Northeast Philadelphia Airport.
paved runway
s: 6/24 measuring 7,000 by 150 feet (2,134 x 46 m) and 15/33 measuring 5,000 by 150 feet (1,524 x 46 m).
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2006, the airport had 105,609 aircraft operations, an average of 289 per day: 99% general aviation
and 1% military
. At that time there were 203 aircraft based at this airport: 62% single-engine
, 27% multi-engine, 6% jet
and 5% helicopter
.
Northeast Philadelphia
Northeast Philadelphia, nicknamed Northeast Philly, the Northeast and the Great Northeast, is a section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. According to the 2000 Census, the Northeast has a sizable percentage of the city's 1.547 million people — a population of between 300,000 and 450,000,...
. It is part of the Philadelphia Airport System along with Philadelphia International Airport
Philadelphia International Airport
Philadelphia International Airport is a major airport in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, and is the largest airport in the Delaware Valley region and in Pennsylvania...
, and is the 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...
reliever airport for Philadelphia International Airport. Northeast Philadelphia Airport is the sixth busiest airport in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. Services at the airport provided by two fixed base operator
Fixed 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...
s include fuel, major aircraft repair, hangar rental, aircraft rental and charter, flight instruction, and aircraft sales.
Location
This airport covers 1240 acres (501.8 ha), and is located on a site approximately bounded by Grant Avenue to the south, Academy Road to the east, Comly Road to the north, and the Roosevelt BoulevardRoosevelt Boulevard (Philadelphia)
Roosevelt Boulevard , often referred to simply as "the Boulevard," is a major traffic artery through North and Northeast Philadelphia...
(U.S. 1
U.S. Route 1 in Pennsylvania
U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south U.S. Highway, extending from the Florida Keys in the south to the Canadian border in the north. In the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, US 1 runs for from the Maryland state line near Oxford to the New Jersey state line near Trenton.-Maryland to Interstate...
) to the west. The airport does not extend all the way to these boundaries, however. Development within these boundaries also includes the Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
Philadelphia Service Center, a Pepsi-Cola bottling plant, an industrial park
Industrial park
An industrial park is an area zoned and planned for the purpose of industrial development...
with aviation-related businesses, and the headquarters of the 8th District of the Philadelphia Police Department
Philadelphia Police Department
The Philadelphia Police Department is the police agency responsible for law enforcement and investigations within the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
. A TJ Maxx distribution center and an ice skating rink opened in 2001 on land leased from the airport.
When this airport was opened, the surrounding area was largely open farmland. Since that time, much growth has taken place in Northeast Philadelphia, and residential neighborhoods and businesses have developed close to the airport. Because of this development, pilots operating in proximity of the airport must observe noise abatement
Aircraft noise
Aircraft noise is noise pollution produced by any aircraft or its components, during various phases of a flight: on the ground while parked such as auxiliary power units, while taxiing, on run-up from propeller and jet exhaust, during take off, underneath and lateral to departure and arrival paths,...
procedures.
History
The Northeast Philadelphia Airport had its origin in the 1930s, maybe in the late 20s, as the Northeast Airport, a grass field with no paved runways. It was one of three small airports in the area for private aviation. Just across Roosevelt Boulevard to the west, adjacent to Red Lion Road, was the Boulevard Airport, the most important of the three. Further west was the Somerton Airport, no longer in existence, close enough that pilots had to be careful not to infringe on adjacent traffic patterns. The site of the Boulevard Airport is now a shopping mall and housing. The Northeast Airport was the site for the development of the large airport that exists today.The United States Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
began construction of a 545 acres (220.6 ha) airbase
Airbase
An airbase is a military airfield that provides basing and support of military aircraft....
in Northeast Philadelphia
Northeast Philadelphia
Northeast Philadelphia, nicknamed Northeast Philly, the Northeast and the Great Northeast, is a section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. According to the 2000 Census, the Northeast has a sizable percentage of the city's 1.547 million people — a population of between 300,000 and 450,000,...
during World War II, but the project was never completed, and the property was turned over to the city in 1944. After the city finished the work, Philadelphia Northeast Airport opened in June 1945. In 1948, the name of the airport was changed to North Philadelphia Airport.
The airport's infrastructure was expanded in 1960 when Runway 6/24 was extended to its present length. Runway 10/28 was abandoned at this time due to construction on the western end of the runway.
The name of the airport was changed once again in 1980, to the present Northeast Philadelphia Airport.
Facilities and aircraft
Northeast Philadelphia Airport covers an area of 1150 acres (465.4 ha) at an elevation of 121 feet (37 m) above mean sea level. It has two asphaltAsphalt
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: 6/24 measuring 7,000 by 150 feet (2,134 x 46 m) and 15/33 measuring 5,000 by 150 feet (1,524 x 46 m).
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2006, the airport had 105,609 aircraft operations, an average of 289 per day: 99% 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 1% 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 203 aircraft based at this airport: 62% 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...
, 27% multi-engine, 6% 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 5% 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...
.