T. F. Green Airport
Encyclopedia
T. F. Green Airport , also known as Theodore Francis Green State Airport, is a public airport
located in Warwick
, six miles (10 km) south of Providence
, in Kent County
, Rhode Island
, USA
. Dedicated in 1931, the airport was named for former Rhode Island governor and longtime senator Theodore F. Green
. Completely rebuilt in 1996, the renovated main terminal was named for former Rhode Island governor Bruce Sundlun
. It was the first state-owned airport in the United States.
T.F. Green Airport is considered a regional airport serving the FAA's New England Region within the FAA System Plan. Along with two other regional airports, Worcester Regional Airport and Manchester Regional Airport, T.F. Green is considered a reliever airport to Logan International Airport
in Boston, Massachusetts. The airport is the largest and most active airport among the six operated by the Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC).
was built, located on Airport Road, at the time named Occupatuxet Road. In 1938 the airport was renamed to its current name.
During World War II
, the Army Air Force took control of the airport from 1942 to 1945, using it for flight training for new air force cadets.
In the 1960s
, the airport grew rapidly, as commercial aviation
sought interest in the Providence market. The runways were expanded to accommodate jet airliners and a new terminal opened on Post Road. In the 1970s, most of the legacy carrier
s served T.F. Green. In the 1990s, T.F. Green's terminal was once again rebuilt, expanding to 18 gates and modernizing the infrastructure. In 1997, 4 gates were added, totaling the number of gates to 22. Airlines added service to T.F. Green, including Air Canada
, Southwest
, SATA International
, and Spirit Airlines
.
Following the September 11th attacks, T.F. Green, like most airports in the United States
, faced a decrease in passengers, which resulted in fewer flights and loss of service, specifically from American Airlines
, Spirit, and SATA.
Although T.F. Green's longest runway is only 7166 feet (2,184.2 m), the airport has been visited by several wide-body airplanes. Cheaper landing and transient fees at T.F. Green make it an appealing choice for visiting sports teams and entertainers. There are also plans to extend runway 5/23 to allow for nonstop flights to California and Western Europe.
T.F. Green has been visited by Air Force One
, a Boeing 747
, on October 25, 2010, a Concorde
operated by British Airways
on June 13, 1988, and an Airbus A340
flown by Iberia Airlines
on June 1, 2011, which transported the Mens Spanish National Soccer Team for their match against the U.S. National Team on June 4, 2011, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
While some expansion proponents claim extending the main runway would bring in an estimated $138 million over the course of 13 years, doing so could consume 204 houses, at least ten businesses, and large areas of wetlands. More recent studies indicate substantially decreased enplanements due in-part to soaring fuel costs, and easier access to Logan International Airport since completion of improvements to the Southeast Expressway, Third Harbor Tunnel, bus services between T.F. Green and Logan, as well as the introduction of low cost carriers at Logan such as JetBlue.
The Rhode Island Airport Corporation owns some residential property on the eastern side of the airport near the Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting building. Most homes on Cedar Swamp Road and Pembroke Avenue have since been demolished, likely to make way for future expansion.
Theodore Francis Green State Airport covers an area of 1111 acres (449.6 ha) at an elevation
of 55 feet (17 m) above mean sea level. It has two asphalt
paved runway
s: 5/23 is 7,166 by 150 feet (2,184 x 46 m) and 16/34 is 6,081 by 150 feet (1,853 x 46 m). ILS
is available for runways 5, 23, and 34, with runway 5 being certified for CAT III Instrument Landing operations. The other runways with ILS are certified for CAT I Instrument Landing operations. Taxiway Victor served as Runway 5L/23R until 2003.
The airport's terminal
, named for former Rhode Island governor Bruce Sundlun
, has two concourses, North and South. The South Concourse has eight gates, and the North Concourse has 14 gates. Gate 7A is designed for international arrivals for use by Air Canada
flights; it is directly connected to customs
, which is on the lower level of the concourse. The terminal contains a number of stores and restaurants, and a central food court.
T.F. Green is mostly served by regional aircraft such as CRJ's and ERJ's, as well as smaller mainline aircraft such as Boeing 737
's and MD-88's. Currently the largest scheduled aircraft servicing the airport is an US Airways
Airbus A321
-200 or Boeing 757-200
for one of its five daily flights to Charlotte, North Carolina
, depending on the season. Delta Air Lines
charters a Boeing 767-300
during the football season for the New England Patriots
. Previous other mainline service included American Airlines
servicing Chicago O'Hare and Dallas-Fort Worth Airport until 2008. During 2008, SATA International
operated flights to the Azores using an A310-300.
T.F. Green is also visited daily by a Boeing 727
flown with FedEx
, with fewer than 75 Boeing 727's remaining in the fleet, FedEx is one of the few air carriers still flying this aircraft.
, 24% air taxi
, 23% general aviation
and <1% military
. At that time there were 71 aircraft based at this airport: 77% single-engine
, 5% multi-engine, 17% jet
and 1% helicopter
.
In 2011, T.F. Green handled about 3,852,000 passengers. The mainline
airline with the largest presence at T.F. Green is Southwest, which carried 51.22% of all passengers for the 12-month period ending July 31, 2011, followed by US Airways with 15.11%. T.F. Green also handled over 26000000 pounds (11,793,401.6 kg) of cargo and mail.
As of March 2011, 83% of departures were on-time at T.F. Green, and 80% of arrivals were on-time.
via the T. F. Green Airport Connector Road
, a 1.1 miles (1.8 km) freeway. The airport is served by major car rental companies as well as by local taxi
and limousine services.
The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority
(RIPTA) offers public bus transportation to and from the cities of Providence (Kennedy Plaza
in downtown Providence) and Newport
. In particular:
An intermodal station
, completed in October 2010, includes an elevated walkway to the terminal, a rental car garage, and commuter rail parking. The MBTA commuter rail
service to and from Boston commenced on December 6, 2010. Scheduled are six inbound weekday trains during morning and evening rush hours and five outbound trains. Inbound trips are scheduled to take 90 minutes to Boston's South Station
, with outbound trips taking 75 minutes. Full MBTA commuter rail service - 8 trains every weekday - between Boston, Massachusetts, and Wickford Junction
is expected in 2011. Amtrak
has formally stated they will not stop at the station for the foreseeable future citing lack of being economically feasible.
were arrested at the airport in 1972 after assaulting a photographer, and were brought to the Warwick police station. Their flight could not land in Boston, where the band had a scheduled concert at Boston Garden
, due to fog. They were processed quickly to avoid a riot at the Garden.
occurred involving United Airlines
flight 1448 (a Boeing 757
) and FedEx Express flight 1662 (a Boeing 727
) on Runway 5R/23L. Shortly after landing on Runway 5R, United 1448 was instructed by the air traffic control
tower to taxi to the gate, part of the instructions including crossing Runway 16. Due to the low-visibility conditions that night, the pilots became disoriented and turned down the wrong taxiway, which led them back towards the active runway they had just arrived on. The tower controller, unaware of United's mistake, cleared FedEx 1662 for takeoff on Runway 5R. United 1448 then confirmed with the controller that they should cross the runway in front of them (neither party aware that they were in fact not near Runway 16) and the aircraft continued moving towards Runway 5R/23L.
United 1448 sounding confused then radioed that they were near taxiway Kilo, and as they re-entered Runway 5R/23L, reported that "somebody just took-off" overhead, referring to FedEx 1662 that had indeed just become airborne in very close proximity to the United aircraft. However, the controller appeared not to take this seriously, stating, "you shouldn't be anywhere near Kilo", and advised the United 1448 crew to hold position. United 1448 then informed the tower that they were now on an active runway, which they mistakenly believed to be 23R/5L (inactive at the time). A moment later the pilot corrected himself, stating that they were on 5R/23L. United 1448's crew was told again to stand by, so the aircraft remained idle at the intersection of the active runway, while the controller cleared MetroJet
2998 for takeoff on the same runway. The United 1448 pilot immediately interjected to insist that the plane was on the active runway, to which the controller belligerently denied telling them it was not an active runway. Meanwhile, the MetroJet pilot having heard the exchange realized there was confusion over the whereabouts of United 1448 and refused the takeoff clearance stating, "We're staying clear of all runways until we figure this out".
Despite all this confusion, the controller again cleared MetroJet 2998 for take off on Runway 5R. They again refused to accept the clearance for take-off until the United 1448 was confirmed to have arrived at the gate. Once United 1448 was confirmed to be at the gate, MetroJet 2998 finally departed on Runway 5R.
The US Airways
crew operating Flight 2998 were praised by a US Air spokesperson for their actions of avoiding a near-disaster. An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board
followed and while no fault was assigned to the controller, she was required to undergo retraining before returning to service. The pilots were debriefed by United, received additional training and were returned to service.
Part of the confusion was United 1448's inability to correctly identify the runway they were on. During the radio exchanges, United 1448 refers to 23L/5R as 23R/5L and vice versa.
(US Airways Express) flight 3758, a CRJ-200
arriving from Philadelphia, departed the left side of runway 5 after a hard landing by an unstabilized approach. Although the aircraft sustained substantial damage, none of the 31 passengers and crew aboard were injured.
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 Warwick
Warwick, Rhode Island
Warwick is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. It is the second largest city in the state, with a population of 82,672 at the 2010 census. Its mayor has been Scott Avedisian since 2000...
, six miles (10 km) south of Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, in Kent County
Kent County, Rhode Island
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 167,090 people, 67,320 households, and 44,969 families residing in the county. The population density was 982 people per square mile . There were 70,365 housing units at an average density of 414 per square mile...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Dedicated in 1931, the airport was named for former Rhode Island governor and longtime senator Theodore F. Green
Theodore F. Green
Theodore Francis Green was an American politician from the U.S. state of Rhode Island. A Democrat, Green served as the 57th Governor of Rhode Island and in the United States Senate . He was the grandnephew of Samuel G...
. Completely rebuilt in 1996, the renovated main terminal was named for former Rhode Island governor Bruce Sundlun
Bruce Sundlun
Bruce Sundlun was an American politician and member of the Democratic Party who served as 71st Governor of Rhode Island from 1991 to 1995. He was Rhode Island's second Jewish governor, and the only Jewish governor in the United States during his two terms...
. It was the first state-owned airport in the United States.
T.F. Green Airport is considered a regional airport serving the FAA's New England Region within the FAA System Plan. Along with two other regional airports, Worcester Regional Airport and Manchester Regional Airport, T.F. Green is considered a reliever airport to Logan International Airport
Logan International Airport
General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport is located in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . It covers , has six runways, and employs an estimated 16,000 people. It is the 19th busiest airport in the United States.Boston serves as a focus city for JetBlue Airways...
in Boston, Massachusetts. The airport is the largest and most active airport among the six operated by the Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC).
History
T.F. Green was dedicated on September 27, 1931, as Hillsgrove State Airport, drawing the largest crowd that had attended a public function in the country at the time. In 1933, the historic Rhode Island State Airport TerminalRhode Island State Airport Terminal
The Rhode Island State Airport Terminal is a historic airport terminal located on Airport Road in Warwick, Rhode Island, at what is now known as T. F. Green Airport...
was built, located on Airport Road, at the time named Occupatuxet Road. In 1938 the airport was renamed to its current name.
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 Army Air Force took control of the airport from 1942 to 1945, using it for flight training for new air force cadets.
In the 1960s
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
, the airport grew rapidly, as commercial aviation
Commercial aviation
Commercial aviation is the part of civil aviation that involves operating aircraft for hire to transport passengers or cargo...
sought interest in the Providence market. The runways were expanded to accommodate jet airliners and a new terminal opened on Post Road. In the 1970s, most of the legacy carrier
Legacy carrier
A legacy carrier, in the United States, is an airline that had established interstate routes by the time of the route liberalization which was permitted by the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 and was thus directly affected by that act...
s served T.F. Green. In the 1990s, T.F. Green's terminal was once again rebuilt, expanding to 18 gates and modernizing the infrastructure. In 1997, 4 gates were added, totaling the number of gates to 22. Airlines added service to T.F. Green, including Air Canada
Air Canada
Air Canada is the flag carrier and largest airline of Canada. The airline, founded in 1936, provides scheduled and charter air transport for passengers and cargo to 178 destinations worldwide. It is the world's tenth largest passenger airline by number of destinations, and the airline is a...
, Southwest
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,...
, SATA International
SATA International
SATA International is an airline based in Ponta Delgada, in the Azores, Portugal...
, and Spirit Airlines
Spirit Airlines
Spirit Airlines is a United States ultra low-cost carrier operating scheduled flights throughout the Americas. The airline is headquartered in Miramar, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. Spirit currently maintains a base in Fort Lauderdale, Florida...
.
Following the September 11th attacks, T.F. Green, like most airports in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, faced a decrease in passengers, which resulted in fewer flights and loss of service, specifically from 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...
, Spirit, and SATA.
Although T.F. Green's longest runway is only 7166 feet (2,184.2 m), the airport has been visited by several wide-body airplanes. Cheaper landing and transient fees at T.F. Green make it an appealing choice for visiting sports teams and entertainers. There are also plans to extend runway 5/23 to allow for nonstop flights to California and Western Europe.
T.F. Green has been visited by Air Force One
Air Force One
Air Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...
, a Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
, on October 25, 2010, a Concorde
Concorde
Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde was a turbojet-powered supersonic passenger airliner, a supersonic transport . It was a product of an Anglo-French government treaty, combining the manufacturing efforts of Aérospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation...
operated by British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
on June 13, 1988, and an Airbus A340
Airbus A340
The Airbus A340 is a long-range four-engine wide-body commercial passenger jet airliner. Developed by Airbus Industrie,A consortium of European aerospace companies, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known as Airbus SAS. a consortium of European aerospace companies, which is...
flown by Iberia Airlines
Iberia Airlines
Iberia Líneas Aéreas de España, S.A., commonly known as Iberia, is the flag carrier airline of Spain. Based in Madrid, it operates an international network of services from its main bases of Madrid-Barajas Airport and Barcelona El Prat Airport....
on June 1, 2011, which transported the Mens Spanish National Soccer Team for their match against the U.S. National Team on June 4, 2011, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Terminal renovation
Since the Bruce Sundlun Terminal was opened in 1996, T.F. Green had become more congested due to increased traffic and post-9/11 security changes. As a result, terminal renovations have recently begun. According to the RIAC website, these improvements include:- Expansion of the airline baggage rooms to accommodate the construction of a new In-Line Explosive Detection System (EDS) Baggage Handling System, allowing the removal of the EDS equipment currently residing in the terminal lobby;
- Expansion of the security screening checkpoint by widening the area to accommodate eight lanes and lengthening it to allow for increased passenger screening areas;
- Construction of exit ramps that will allow deplaning passengers to proceed directly to the lower level baggage claim area;
- Increased concessions on both pre- and post-security, including a new seating area in baggage claim on the lower level;
- Expansion of the second and third floor RIAC administration offices to accommodate RIAC staff and support space, TSA screening stations, and increased leasable space; and
- Addition of new ticket counter positions on both the north and south sides of the terminal lobby to accommodate future commercial service enhancements.
Runway expansion
The Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC) writes (in 2001) that the master plan completed in 1997 failed to envision the "tremendous growth" that had been experience in the years hitherto. The report identifies lack of runway length as a hindrance to "range and diversity of service", in particular emphasizing ability to service non-hub locations, the west coast, and international locations. A challenge particular to T.F. Green in this regard is its being surrounded by dense residential and commercial development. Many local residents also oppose expansion for the impact it will have on quality of life in the area. Current plans call for runway 5-23 to be extended to 8700 feet (2,651.8 m) in order to allow T.F. Green to service nonstop flights to California and Western Europe.While some expansion proponents claim extending the main runway would bring in an estimated $138 million over the course of 13 years, doing so could consume 204 houses, at least ten businesses, and large areas of wetlands. More recent studies indicate substantially decreased enplanements due in-part to soaring fuel costs, and easier access to Logan International Airport since completion of improvements to the Southeast Expressway, Third Harbor Tunnel, bus services between T.F. Green and Logan, as well as the introduction of low cost carriers at Logan such as JetBlue.
The Rhode Island Airport Corporation owns some residential property on the eastern side of the airport near the Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting building. Most homes on Cedar Swamp Road and Pembroke Avenue have since been demolished, likely to make way for future expansion.
Facilities and aircraft
Elevation
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 55 feet (17 m) above mean sea level. It has two 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...
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: 5/23 is 7,166 by 150 feet (2,184 x 46 m) and 16/34 is 6,081 by 150 feet (1,853 x 46 m). ILS
Instrument Landing System
An instrument landing system is a ground-based instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway, using a combination of radio signals and, in many cases, high-intensity lighting arrays to enable a safe landing during instrument...
is available for runways 5, 23, and 34, with runway 5 being certified for CAT III Instrument Landing operations. The other runways with ILS are certified for CAT I Instrument Landing operations. Taxiway Victor served as Runway 5L/23R until 2003.
The airport's terminal
Airport terminal
An airport terminal is a building at an airport where passengers transfer between ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board and disembark from aircraft....
, named for former Rhode Island governor Bruce Sundlun
Bruce Sundlun
Bruce Sundlun was an American politician and member of the Democratic Party who served as 71st Governor of Rhode Island from 1991 to 1995. He was Rhode Island's second Jewish governor, and the only Jewish governor in the United States during his two terms...
, has two concourses, North and South. The South Concourse has eight gates, and the North Concourse has 14 gates. Gate 7A is designed for international arrivals for use by Air Canada
Air Canada
Air Canada is the flag carrier and largest airline of Canada. The airline, founded in 1936, provides scheduled and charter air transport for passengers and cargo to 178 destinations worldwide. It is the world's tenth largest passenger airline by number of destinations, and the airline is a...
flights; it is directly connected to customs
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is a federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security charged with regulating and facilitating international trade, collecting import duties, and enforcing U.S. regulations, including trade, customs and immigration. CBP is the...
, which is on the lower level of the concourse. The terminal contains a number of stores and restaurants, and a central food court.
T.F. Green is mostly served by regional aircraft such as CRJ's and ERJ's, as well as smaller mainline aircraft such as Boeing 737
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
's and MD-88's. Currently the largest scheduled aircraft servicing the airport is an US Airways
US Airways
US Airways, Inc. is a major airline based in the U.S. city of Tempe, Arizona. The airline is an operating unit of US Airways Group and is the sixth largest airline by traffic and eighth largest by market value in the country....
Airbus A321
Airbus A320 family
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
-200 or Boeing 757-200
Boeing 757
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
for one of its five daily flights to Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
, depending on the season. Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
charters a Boeing 767-300
Boeing 767
The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
during the football season for the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
. Previous other mainline service included 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...
servicing Chicago O'Hare and Dallas-Fort Worth Airport until 2008. During 2008, SATA International
SATA International
SATA International is an airline based in Ponta Delgada, in the Azores, Portugal...
operated flights to the Azores using an A310-300.
T.F. Green is also visited daily by a Boeing 727
Boeing 727
The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
flown with FedEx
FedEx
FedEx Corporation , originally known as FDX Corporation, is a logistics services company, based in the United States with headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee...
, with fewer than 75 Boeing 727's remaining in the fleet, FedEx is one of the few air carriers still flying this aircraft.
Traffic and statistics
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2009, the airport had 83,016 aircraft operations, an average of 227 per day: 52% scheduled commercialAirline
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...
, 24% 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...
, 23% 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 71 aircraft based at this airport: 77% 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...
, 5% multi-engine, 17% 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...
.
In 2011, T.F. Green handled about 3,852,000 passengers. The mainline
Mainline (flight)
A mainline flight is a flight operated by an airline's main operating unit, rather than by regional alliances, regional code-shares or regional subsidiaries...
airline with the largest presence at T.F. Green is Southwest, which carried 51.22% of all passengers for the 12-month period ending July 31, 2011, followed by US Airways with 15.11%. T.F. Green also handled over 26000000 pounds (11,793,401.6 kg) of cargo and mail.
As of March 2011, 83% of departures were on-time at T.F. Green, and 80% of arrivals were on-time.
| Rank | Airport | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Baltimore, Maryland |
304,000 | Southwest |
| 2 |  Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia 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... |
221,000 | Southwest, US Airways |
| 3 |  Orlando, FloridaOrlando International Airport Orlando International Airport is a major international airport located southeast of the central business district of Orlando. It is the second busiest airport in Florida, after Miami International Airport... |
191,000 | Southwest |
| 4 |  Charlotte, North CarolinaCharlotte/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... |
190,000 | US Airways |
| 5 | .svg.png) Atlanta, Georgia |
120,000 | Delta |
| 6 |  Chicago (Midway), Illinois |
102,000 | Southwest |
| 7 | Tampa, Florida Tampa International Airport Tampa International Airport is a major public airport located six nautical miles west of the central business district of Tampa, in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. This airport is publicly owned by Hillsborough County Aviation Authority... |
96,000 | Southwest |
| 8 |  Washington (National), D.C.Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is a public airport located south of downtown Washington, D.C., in Arlington County, Virginia. It is the commercial airport nearest to Washington, D.C. For many decades, it was called Washington National Airport, but this airport was renamed in 1998 to... |
88,000 | Delta, US Airways |
| 9 |  Detroit, MichiganDetroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport , usually called Detroit Metro Airport, Metro Airport locally, or simply DTW, is a major international airport covering in Romulus, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. It is Michigan's busiest airport.... |
88,000 | Delta |
| 9 | Chicago (O'Hare), Illinois O'Hare International Airport Chicago O'Hare International Airport , also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago Airport, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is a major airport located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States, northwest of the Chicago Loop... |
81,000 | United |
| Passengers | Change from previous year | Aircraft operations | Cargo (pounds) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 5,509,186 | 38,420,118 | ||
| 2005 | 5,730,557 | 4.02% | 118,436 | 38,497,744 |
| 2006 | 5,203,396 | 9.20% | 45,727,608 | |
| 2007 | 5,019,342 | 3.54% | 100,693 | 44,185,658 |
| 2008 | 4,692,974 | 6.50% | 92,045 | 30,444,992 |
| 2009 | 4,328,741 | 7.76% | 83,016 | 21,017,341 |
| 2010 | 3,936,423 | 9.06% | 81,571 | 21,859,591 |
| Source: Rhode Island Airport Corporation | ||||
Passenger service
Cargo airlines
Ground transportation
T.F. Green Airport has direct access to I-95Interstate 95 in Rhode Island
Interstate 95, the main north–south Interstate Highway on the east coast of the United States, runs generally southwest-northeast through the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It runs from the border with Connecticut near Westerly through Warwick and Providence and to the Massachusetts state line...
via the T. F. Green Airport Connector Road
T. F. Green Airport Connector Road
The Airport Connector Road, also known as the T. F. Green Airport Connector Road or simply the T. F. Green Airport Connector, is a short, unnumbered highway in the U.S. state of Rhode Island that connects Interstate 95 with T. F. Green Airport. The route, which is long, is a limited-access freeway...
, a 1.1 miles (1.8 km) freeway. The airport is served by major car rental companies as well as by local taxi
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
and limousine services.
The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority
Rhode Island Public Transit Authority
The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority provides public transportation, primarily buses, in the state of Rhode Island. The main hub of the RIPTA system is Kennedy Plaza, a large bus terminal in downtown Providence, Rhode Island...
(RIPTA) offers public bus transportation to and from the cities of Providence (Kennedy Plaza
Kennedy Plaza
Kennedy Plaza is a transportation hub in downtown Providence, Rhode Island next to the Providence City Hall and Providence Federal Building. It serves as the nexus of the state's conventional-bus and trolley-replica bus public transit services operated by Rhode Island Public Transit Authority , as...
in downtown Providence) and Newport
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
. In particular:
- The #20 bus goes to Kennedy PlazaKennedy PlazaKennedy Plaza is a transportation hub in downtown Providence, Rhode Island next to the Providence City Hall and Providence Federal Building. It serves as the nexus of the state's conventional-bus and trolley-replica bus public transit services operated by Rhode Island Public Transit Authority , as...
by way of Elmwood and Roger Williams Park and Zoo, and takes approximately 40 minutes. - The #14 bus goes directly to and from Kennedy Plaza and takes approximately 15–25 minutes; it also connects to Newport, NarragansettNarragansett, Rhode IslandNarragansett is a town in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 15,868 at the 2010 census, but there is a greater population in the summer. The nickname for the town is "Gansett". The town of Narragansett occupies a narrow strip of land running along the eastern bank...
, and East GreenwichEast Greenwich, Rhode IslandEast Greenwich is a town in and the county seat of Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 13,146 at the 2010 census. East Greenwich is the wealthiest municipality within the state of Rhode Island....
.
An intermodal station
T. F. Green Airport (MBTA station)
T. F. Green Airport is a train station and intermodal facility in Warwick, Rhode Island on the Northeast Corridor, adjacent to T. F. Green Airport...
, completed in October 2010, includes an elevated walkway to the terminal, a rental car garage, and commuter rail parking. The MBTA commuter rail
MBTA Commuter Rail
The MBTA Commuter Rail serves as the regional rail arm of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, in the United States. It is operated under contract by the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company a joint partnership of Veolia Transportation, Bombardier Transportation and Alternate...
service to and from Boston commenced on December 6, 2010. Scheduled are six inbound weekday trains during morning and evening rush hours and five outbound trains. Inbound trips are scheduled to take 90 minutes to Boston's South Station
South Station
South Station, New England's second-largest transportation center , located at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Summer Street in Dewey Square, Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest train station and intercity bus terminal in Greater Boston, a prominent train station in the northeastern...
, with outbound trips taking 75 minutes. Full MBTA commuter rail service - 8 trains every weekday - between Boston, Massachusetts, and Wickford Junction
Wickford Junction (MBTA station)
Wickford Junction is a station under construction in North Kingstown, Rhode Island on the Northeast Corridor, extending the Providence/Stoughton Line of the MBTA Commuter Rail south from Providence. It will serve local commuters to Providence and Boston, Massachusetts. The new station will have a ...
is expected in 2011. Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
has formally stated they will not stop at the station for the foreseeable future citing lack of being economically feasible.
1972 Rolling Stones arrest
British rock band The Rolling StonesThe Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
were arrested at the airport in 1972 after assaulting a photographer, and were brought to the Warwick police station. Their flight could not land in Boston, where the band had a scheduled concert at Boston Garden
Boston Garden
The Boston Garden was an arena in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, who also built the third iteration of New York's Madison Square Garden, it opened on November 17, 1928 as "Boston Madison Square Garden" and outlived its original namesake by some 30 years...
, due to fog. They were processed quickly to avoid a riot at the Garden.
1999 runway incursion
On December 6, 1999 at approximately 8:35pm Eastern Daylight Time, a runway incursionRunway incursion
A runway incursion is an incident where an unauthorized aircraft, vehicle or person is on a runway. This adversely affects runway safety, as it creates the risk that an airplane taking off or landing will collide with the object...
occurred involving United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
flight 1448 (a Boeing 757
Boeing 757
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
) and FedEx Express flight 1662 (a Boeing 727
Boeing 727
The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
) on Runway 5R/23L. Shortly after landing on Runway 5R, United 1448 was instructed by the air traffic control
Air traffic control
Air traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...
tower to taxi to the gate, part of the instructions including crossing Runway 16. Due to the low-visibility conditions that night, the pilots became disoriented and turned down the wrong taxiway, which led them back towards the active runway they had just arrived on. The tower controller, unaware of United's mistake, cleared FedEx 1662 for takeoff on Runway 5R. United 1448 then confirmed with the controller that they should cross the runway in front of them (neither party aware that they were in fact not near Runway 16) and the aircraft continued moving towards Runway 5R/23L.
United 1448 sounding confused then radioed that they were near taxiway Kilo, and as they re-entered Runway 5R/23L, reported that "somebody just took-off" overhead, referring to FedEx 1662 that had indeed just become airborne in very close proximity to the United aircraft. However, the controller appeared not to take this seriously, stating, "you shouldn't be anywhere near Kilo", and advised the United 1448 crew to hold position. United 1448 then informed the tower that they were now on an active runway, which they mistakenly believed to be 23R/5L (inactive at the time). A moment later the pilot corrected himself, stating that they were on 5R/23L. United 1448's crew was told again to stand by, so the aircraft remained idle at the intersection of the active runway, while the controller cleared MetroJet
MetroJet
MetroJet was a no-frills "airline within an airline" brand operated as a division of US Airways from 1998 to 2001.-History:After the conclusion of painstaking labor negotiations in 1997, US Airways sought to head off burgeoning competition from low-cost carriers in its strongest region, the U.S....
2998 for takeoff on the same runway. The United 1448 pilot immediately interjected to insist that the plane was on the active runway, to which the controller belligerently denied telling them it was not an active runway. Meanwhile, the MetroJet pilot having heard the exchange realized there was confusion over the whereabouts of United 1448 and refused the takeoff clearance stating, "We're staying clear of all runways until we figure this out".
Despite all this confusion, the controller again cleared MetroJet 2998 for take off on Runway 5R. They again refused to accept the clearance for take-off until the United 1448 was confirmed to have arrived at the gate. Once United 1448 was confirmed to be at the gate, MetroJet 2998 finally departed on Runway 5R.
The US Airways
US Airways
US Airways, Inc. is a major airline based in the U.S. city of Tempe, Arizona. The airline is an operating unit of US Airways Group and is the sixth largest airline by traffic and eighth largest by market value in the country....
crew operating Flight 2998 were praised by a US Air spokesperson for their actions of avoiding a near-disaster. An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board
National Transportation Safety Board
The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. In this role, the NTSB investigates and reports on aviation accidents and incidents, certain types of highway crashes, ship and marine...
followed and while no fault was assigned to the controller, she was required to undergo retraining before returning to service. The pilots were debriefed by United, received additional training and were returned to service.
Part of the confusion was United 1448's inability to correctly identify the runway they were on. During the radio exchanges, United 1448 refers to 23L/5R as 23R/5L and vice versa.
2007 CRJ accident
On December 16, 2007, Air WisconsinAir Wisconsin
Air Wisconsin Airlines Corporation is an airline based at Outagamie County Regional Airport in the town of Greenville, Wisconsin, United States, near Appleton. Air Wisconsin is the largest privately held regional airline in the United States...
(US Airways Express) flight 3758, a CRJ-200
Bombardier CRJ200
The Bombardier CRJ100 and CRJ200 are a family of regional airliner manufactured by Bombardier, and based on the Canadair Challenger business jet.-Development:...
arriving from Philadelphia, departed the left side of runway 5 after a hard landing by an unstabilized approach. Although the aircraft sustained substantial damage, none of the 31 passengers and crew aboard were injured.
See also
- Rhode Island World War II Army AirfieldsRhode Island World War II Army AirfieldsDuring World War II, the United States Army Air Force established one airfield in Rhode Island for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers....