Sugar Land Regional Airport
Encyclopedia
Sugar Land Regional Airport is a city-owned public-use airport
located in Sugar Land, Texas
(USA
), 17 miles (27.4 km) southwest of the central business district
of Houston
.
It was formerly known as Sugar Land Municipal Airport, or Hull Field. The airport was purchased from a private interest in 1990 by the city of Sugar Land. As of 2009 it is the fourth-largest airport within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown
metropolitan area and handles approximately 250 aircraft operations per day.
The airport today serves the area's general aviation
(GA) aircraft serving corporate, governmental, and private clientele. A new 20000 square feet (1,858.1 m²) Terminal opened in 2006 with a 54 acres (21.9 ha) GA complex that includes 99 T-hangars nested in six buildings.
The airport, the fourth largest airport in Greater Houston as of 2009, receives yearly usage from over 100 Fortune 500
companies. TXP, Inc. released a report identifying the airport as "foremost general reliever airport in the southwest sector" and "a catalyst for corporate commerce in the Greater Houston market including the Westchase District, Uptown
, and Greenway Plaza
." In terms of general aviation the airport serves as a reliever for William P. Hobby Airport
in Houston. As of 2010 Sugar Land Regional is the third busiest airport in Greater Houston by amount of aircraft operations.
The City of Houston maintains Cullinan Park, which occupies 750 acres (303.5 ha) of land directly north and west of the Sugar Land Regional Airport, blocking possibilities for expansion. In addition the airport is surrounded by Sugar Land homes, and there is a highway and rail road track directly south of the airport—all factors that block airport expansion. The former Central Unit
, a Texas Department of Criminal Justice
prison for males, is in land zoned for airport expansion.
. Afterwards, with a loan from a friend, Hull purchased the field. In 1985 the airport saw service to Houston Intercontinental through Metro Airlines, operating as Eastern Airlines Express.
The City of Sugar Land purchased Hull Field on December 18, 1990 and renamed the airport "Sugar Land Municipal Airport." The City of Sugar Land opened an NFCT (non-federal control tower) that it funds and operates. This control tower manages traffic within 4 miles (6 km) of Sugar Land Airport from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily. From the northern hemisphere summer of 1993 to early 1995, Sugar Land Regional Airport handled commercial passenger service during the mid-1990s for a now-defunct Texas carrier known as Conquest Airlines
. Conquest offered commercial flights from the airport to Austin
, Dallas, and San Antonio. The airline closed after financial difficulties occurred. The airport received its current name in October 2002.
paved runway
designated 17/35 which measures 8,000 x 100 ft (2,438 x 30 m). For the 12-month period ending July 28, 2005, the airport had 90,758 aircraft operations, an average of 248 per day: 95% general aviation
, 5% air taxi
and <1% military
. At that time there were 160 aircraft based at this airport: 58% single-engine
, 22% multi-engine, 16% jet
and 4% helicopter
.
The airport includes the former Stanford Aviation
hangar, described by Mimi Swartz of Texas Monthly
as "impeccably landscaped." Flights from the terminal went to Antigua
.
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 in Sugar Land, Texas
Sugar Land, Texas
Sugar Land is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area and Fort Bend County. Sugar Land is one of the most affluent and fastest-growing cities in Texas, having grown more than 158 percent in the last decade. In the time period of 2000–2007, Sugar Land also enjoyed a...
(USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), 17 miles (27.4 km) southwest 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 Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
.
It was formerly known as Sugar Land Municipal Airport, or Hull Field. The airport was purchased from a private interest in 1990 by the city of Sugar Land. As of 2009 it is the fourth-largest airport within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown
Greater Houston
Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown is a 10-county metropolitan area defined by the Office of Management and Budget. It is located along the Gulf Coast region in the U.S. state of Texas...
metropolitan area and handles approximately 250 aircraft operations per day.
The airport today serves the area's 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...
(GA) aircraft serving corporate, governmental, and private clientele. A new 20000 square feet (1,858.1 m²) Terminal opened in 2006 with a 54 acres (21.9 ha) GA complex that includes 99 T-hangars nested in six buildings.
The airport, the fourth largest airport in Greater Houston as of 2009, receives yearly usage from over 100 Fortune 500
Fortune 500
The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 U.S. closely held and public corporations as ranked by their gross revenue after adjustments made by Fortune to exclude the impact of excise taxes companies collect. The list includes publicly and...
companies. TXP, Inc. released a report identifying the airport as "foremost general reliever airport in the southwest sector" and "a catalyst for corporate commerce in the Greater Houston market including the Westchase District, Uptown
Uptown Houston
The Uptown District of Houston is located 6.2 miles west of downtown and is centered along Post Oak Boulevard, Westheimer Road , and the Galleria...
, and Greenway Plaza
Greenway Plaza
Greenway Plaza is a master-planned mixed-use development off U.S. Highway 59 in Houston, Texas, United States, five miles west of Downtown Houston and three miles east of Uptown Houston. Greenway Plaza is Houston's first totally planned business-commercial-residential complex developed by the...
." In terms of general aviation the airport serves as a reliever for William P. Hobby Airport
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...
in Houston. As of 2010 Sugar Land Regional is the third busiest airport in Greater Houston by amount of aircraft operations.
The City of Houston maintains Cullinan Park, which occupies 750 acres (303.5 ha) of land directly north and west of the Sugar Land Regional Airport, blocking possibilities for expansion. In addition the airport is surrounded by Sugar Land homes, and there is a highway and rail road track directly south of the airport—all factors that block airport expansion. The former Central Unit
Central Unit
The Central Unit was a Texas Department of Criminal Justice men's prison in Sugar Land, Texas. The approximately facility is from central Sugar Land on U.S. Highway 90A. The unit first opened in April 1909. The unit had 950 beds for men...
, a Texas Department of Criminal Justice
Texas Department of Criminal Justice
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is a department of the government of the state of Texas. The TDCJ is responsible for statewide criminal justice for adult offenders, including managing offenders in state prisons, state jails and private correctional facilities, funding and certain...
prison for males, is in land zoned for airport expansion.
History
Donald Hull, an oral surgeon that established a dental program for the Texas Department of Corrections in the early 1950s. Hull, who commuted across Southeast Texas to provide dental care to prisoners, originally operated aircraft to South Houston Airport and Sam Houston Airport. The City of Houston forced those airports to close. Hull decided to develop an airport that would not be closed. In 1952 Hull landed his biplane in a field near Sugar LandSugar Land, Texas
Sugar Land is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area and Fort Bend County. Sugar Land is one of the most affluent and fastest-growing cities in Texas, having grown more than 158 percent in the last decade. In the time period of 2000–2007, Sugar Land also enjoyed a...
. Afterwards, with a loan from a friend, Hull purchased the field. In 1985 the airport saw service to Houston Intercontinental through Metro Airlines, operating as Eastern Airlines Express.
The City of Sugar Land purchased Hull Field on December 18, 1990 and renamed the airport "Sugar Land Municipal Airport." The City of Sugar Land opened an NFCT (non-federal control tower) that it funds and operates. This control tower manages traffic within 4 miles (6 km) of Sugar Land Airport from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily. From the northern hemisphere summer of 1993 to early 1995, Sugar Land Regional Airport handled commercial passenger service during the mid-1990s for a now-defunct Texas carrier known as Conquest Airlines
Conquest Airlines
Conquest Airlines was an American regional airline initially headquartered in Jefferson County, Texas, and later headquartered in Austin, Texas...
. Conquest offered commercial flights from the airport to Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, Dallas, and San Antonio. The airline closed after financial difficulties occurred. The airport received its current name in October 2002.
Facilities and aircraft
Sugar Land Regional Airport covers an area of 426 acres (172.4 ha) and contains one 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...
designated 17/35 which measures 8,000 x 100 ft (2,438 x 30 m). For the 12-month period ending July 28, 2005, the airport had 90,758 aircraft operations, an average of 248 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...
, 5% 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 <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 160 aircraft based at this airport: 58% 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...
, 22% multi-engine, 16% 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 4% 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...
.
The airport includes the former Stanford Aviation
Stanford Financial Group
The Stanford Financial Group was a privately held international group of financial services companies controlled by Allen Stanford, until it was seized by United States authorities in early 2009....
hangar, described by Mimi Swartz of Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly is a monthly American magazine headquartered in Austin, Texas. Texas Monthly is published by Emmis Publishing, L.P. and was founded in 1973 by Michael R. Levy, Texas Monthly chronicles life in contemporary Texas, writing on politics, the environment, industry, and education...
as "impeccably landscaped." Flights from the terminal went to Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
.