Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport
Encyclopedia
Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport is a public airport
located six miles (10 km) east of the central business district
of Amarillo
, a city in Potter and Randall Counties, Texas
, United States
. The airport was renamed in 2003 after fallen NASA
astronaut and Amarillo native Richard Douglas Husband
, who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster
in February of that year.
(the forerunner to TWA) inaugurated the first commercial airline service through Amarillo. Regularly scheduled services to Lubbock and Dallas were provided by Braniff International, Continental Airlines
and Trans-Texas Airways (which was later rebranded as Texas International). Additionally, Trans World Airlines provided regularly scheduled service to such cities as Wichita, Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago, Albuquerque, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles (nonstop) from this facility. Lockheed Jet-Prop Electra service was provided to Denver and Oklahoma City on Braniff International. Frontier Airlines provided regional service (Oklahoma/Kansas) utilizing Convair prop aircraft. Convenient connecting service at Dallas Love Field with American, Delta, Braniff International and Eastern Air Lines linked Amarillo with South, Southeast, Midwest, West Coast and East Coast destinations.
In 1952, the name changed to Amarillo Air Terminal. After the adjacent Amarillo Air Force Base
was deactivated in 1968, a portion of it was converted to civilian use and became part of Amarillo Air Terminal. The primary instrument runway, while originally constructed as part of the former USAF Strategic Air Command base, at 13,502 feet (4,115 m) remains among the longest commercial runways in the United States, and it is still used by military pilots today. In 1976, the airport changed its name to Amarillo International Airport upon the opening of a U.S. Customs facility.
Southwest Airlines
initiated service to Amarillo in 1978 with non-stop service to Dallas-Love Field. Southwest would eventually add non-stop service to Albuquerque, Las Vegas, and Denver.
The original English Field terminal building was converted in 1997 to a museum maintained by the Texas Aviation Historical Society. The name of the original airfield is memorialized in the English Fieldhouse, a local restaurant located adjacent to the general aviation terminal.
In 2003, the airport terminal building was rededicated to NASA
astronaut Rick Husband, the commander of mission STS-107
of the Space Shuttle Columbia
and an Amarillo native. Husband and his crew were all killed when the Columbia disintegrated upon re-entry on February 1, 2003.
made a stop at the airport while being piggybacked
from Edwards Air Force Base
to Florida—one of the few visits by the shuttle to a commercial airport. After a brief stay it was flown on to Offutt Air Force Base
.
In 2009, the airport was again used as a refuelling stop by the SCA
. On September 20, the Space Shuttle Discovery
was transported from Edwards Air Force Base
to the Kennedy Space Center
in Florida with intermediate stops in Amarillo, Carswell AFB in Ft.Worth, and Barksdale AFB in Louisiana.
paved runway
s: 4/22 measuring 13,502 x 200 ft (4,115 x 61 m) and 13/31 measuring 7,901 x 150 ft (2,408 x 46 m). For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2007, the airport had 98,058 aircraft operations, an average of 268 per day: 48% military
, 29% general aviation
, 14% air taxi
and 9% scheduled commercial
. At that time there were 40 aircraft based at this airport: 52% single-engine
, 18% multi-engine, 28% jet
and 3% helicopter
.
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 six miles (10 km) east 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 Amarillo
Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
, a city in Potter and Randall Counties, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The airport was renamed in 2003 after fallen NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
astronaut and Amarillo native Richard Douglas Husband
Richard Douglas Husband
Rick Douglas Husband was a United States Air Force Colonel, an astronaut, and the space shuttle commander of STS-107 who was killed when the craft disintegrated after reentry into the Earth's atmosphere. Husband is a recipient of the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.-Background:Husband was born...
, who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster
Space Shuttle Columbia disaster
The Space Shuttle Columbia disaster occurred on February 1, 2003, when shortly before it was scheduled to conclude its 28th mission, STS-107, the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated over Texas and Louisiana during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, resulting in the death of all seven crew members...
in February of that year.
History
Harold English opened this airport as English Field in 1929. Also in 1929, Transcontinental & Western AirTrans World Airlines
Trans World Airlines was an American airline that existed from 1925 until it was bought out by and merged with American Airlines in 2001. It was a major domestic airline in the United States and the main U.S.-based competitor of Pan American World Airways on intercontinental routes from 1946...
(the forerunner to TWA) inaugurated the first commercial airline service through Amarillo. Regularly scheduled services to Lubbock and Dallas were provided by Braniff International, Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
and Trans-Texas Airways (which was later rebranded as Texas International). Additionally, Trans World Airlines provided regularly scheduled service to such cities as Wichita, Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago, Albuquerque, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles (nonstop) from this facility. Lockheed Jet-Prop Electra service was provided to Denver and Oklahoma City on Braniff International. Frontier Airlines provided regional service (Oklahoma/Kansas) utilizing Convair prop aircraft. Convenient connecting service at Dallas Love Field with American, Delta, Braniff International and Eastern Air Lines linked Amarillo with South, Southeast, Midwest, West Coast and East Coast destinations.
In 1952, the name changed to Amarillo Air Terminal. After the adjacent Amarillo Air Force Base
Amarillo Air Force Base
Amarillo Air Force Base, originally Amarillo Army Air Field is a former United States Air Force base located in Potter County, Texas, approximately 6 miles East of downtown Amarillo within the easternmost city limits...
was deactivated in 1968, a portion of it was converted to civilian use and became part of Amarillo Air Terminal. The primary instrument runway, while originally constructed as part of the former USAF Strategic Air Command base, at 13,502 feet (4,115 m) remains among the longest commercial runways in the United States, and it is still used by military pilots today. In 1976, the airport changed its name to Amarillo International Airport upon the opening of a U.S. Customs facility.
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,...
initiated service to Amarillo in 1978 with non-stop service to Dallas-Love Field. Southwest would eventually add non-stop service to Albuquerque, Las Vegas, and Denver.
The original English Field terminal building was converted in 1997 to a museum maintained by the Texas Aviation Historical Society. The name of the original airfield is memorialized in the English Fieldhouse, a local restaurant located adjacent to the general aviation terminal.
In 2003, the airport terminal building was rededicated to NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
astronaut Rick Husband, the commander of mission STS-107
STS-107
-Mission parameters:*Mass:**Orbiter Liftoff: **Orbiter Landing: **Payload: *Perigee: *Apogee: *Inclination: 39.0°*Period: 90.1 min- Insignia :...
of the Space Shuttle Columbia
Space Shuttle Columbia
Space Shuttle Columbia was the first spaceworthy Space Shuttle in NASA's orbital fleet. First launched on the STS-1 mission, the first of the Space Shuttle program, it completed 27 missions before being destroyed during re-entry on February 1, 2003 near the end of its 28th, STS-107. All seven crew...
and an Amarillo native. Husband and his crew were all killed when the Columbia disintegrated upon re-entry on February 1, 2003.
Visits by NASA Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA)
On July 1, 2007, the Space Shuttle AtlantisSpace Shuttle Atlantis
The Space Shuttle Atlantis is a retired Space Shuttle orbiter in the Space Shuttle fleet belonging to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration , the spaceflight and space exploration agency of the United States...
made a stop at the airport while being piggybacked
Shuttle Carrier Aircraft
The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft are two extensively modified Boeing 747 airliners that NASA uses to transport Space Shuttle orbiters...
from Edwards Air Force Base
Edwards Air Force Base
Edwards Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located on the border of Kern County, Los Angeles County, and San Bernardino County, California, in the Antelope Valley. It is southwest of the central business district of North Edwards, California and due east of Rosamond.It is named in...
to Florida—one of the few visits by the shuttle to a commercial airport. After a brief stay it was flown on to Offutt Air Force Base
Offutt Air Force Base
Offutt Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force installation near Omaha, and lies adjacent to Bellevue in Sarpy County, Nebraska. It is the headquarters of the U.S...
.
In 2009, the airport was again used as a refuelling stop by the SCA
Shuttle Carrier Aircraft
The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft are two extensively modified Boeing 747 airliners that NASA uses to transport Space Shuttle orbiters...
. On September 20, the Space Shuttle Discovery
Space Shuttle Discovery
Space Shuttle Discovery is one of the retired orbiters of the Space Shuttle program of NASA, the space agency of the United States, and was operational from its maiden flight, STS-41-D on August 30, 1984, until its final landing during STS-133 on March 9, 2011...
was transported from Edwards Air Force Base
Edwards Air Force Base
Edwards Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located on the border of Kern County, Los Angeles County, and San Bernardino County, California, in the Antelope Valley. It is southwest of the central business district of North Edwards, California and due east of Rosamond.It is named in...
to the Kennedy Space Center
Kennedy Space Center
The John F. Kennedy Space Center is the NASA installation that has been the launch site for every United States human space flight since 1968. Although such flights are currently on hiatus, KSC continues to manage and operate unmanned rocket launch facilities for America's civilian space program...
in Florida with intermediate stops in Amarillo, Carswell AFB in Ft.Worth, and Barksdale AFB in Louisiana.
Facilities and aircraft
Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport covers an area of 3547 acres (1,435.4 ha) which contains two concreteConcrete
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...
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: 4/22 measuring 13,502 x 200 ft (4,115 x 61 m) and 13/31 measuring 7,901 x 150 ft (2,408 x 46 m). For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2007, the airport had 98,058 aircraft operations, an average of 268 per day: 48% 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...
, 29% 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...
, 14% 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...
and 9% 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...
. At that time there were 40 aircraft based at this airport: 52% 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...
, 18% multi-engine, 28% 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 3% 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...
.
Airlines and destinations
Top Destinations
| Rank | City | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Dallas-Love, TX |
138,000 | Southwest |
| 2 | Dallas-Fort Worth, TX |
92,000 | American |
| 3 |  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... |
53,000 | Southwest, United |
| 4 | 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... |
45,000 | Continental |
| 5 |  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... |
30,000 | Southwest |
| 6 |  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.... |
17,000 | - |
| 7 | Houston-Hobby, TX William P. Hobby Airport William P. Hobby Airport is a public airport in Houston, Texas, located from Downtown Houston. The airport covers and has four runways. Hobby Airport is Houston's oldest commercial airport and was the city's primary air terminal until the opening of Houston Intercontinental Airport in 1969... |
14,000 | - |
| 8 | Austin, TX Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is a mixed-use commercial airport located southeast of the central business district of Austin, Texas, United States. It covers and has two runways and three helipads.The airport began passenger service on May 23, 1999... |
4,000 | - |
| 9 | San Antonio, TX San Antonio International Airport San Antonio International Airport is a commercial airport in San Antonio, Texas, USA. The airport has three runways and covers . Its elevation is above sea level. SAT is a Class C airport.- Overview :... |
2,000 | - |
| 10 |  Bullhead City, AZ |
1,000 | - |