Arkansas International Airport
Encyclopedia
Arkansas International Airport is a public use airport
located three nautical miles (6 km) northwest of the central business district
of Blytheville
, a city in Mississippi County, Arkansas
, United States
. It is owned by the Gosnell Regional Airport Authority.
on 15 December 1992.
In 2008, Aviation Repair Technologies (ART) established its headquarters at the facility and opened repair facilities for aircraft heavy maintenance, short-term aircraft storage, and aircraft engine disassembly.
The facility secured a lease with USA Floral, a major floral distributor based near Washington, D.C.
, that needed a southern locale for its regular flights to South America to import flowers. USA Floral was expected to create hundreds of jobs in Blytheville.
The Arkansas Archaeological Society hosted a training program at the former air base from 2004-2006. Archaeologists have been studying the Mississippian culture that lived in the region, focusing on the years 900-1600.
of 254 feet (77 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway
designated 18/36 with a concrete
surface measuring 11,602 by 150 feet (3,536 x 46 m).
For the 12-month period ending August 31, 2009, the airport had 33,000 aircraft operations, an average of 90 per day: 58% general aviation
and 42% military
. At that time there were 15 aircraft based at this airport: 87% single-engine
and 13% multi-engine.
The facility has 1500000 square feet (139,354.6 m²) of available space, which makes it the second largest industrial complex in Arkansas. The complex consists of commercial, community, recreation, educational, garage, industrial, office, residential, and warehousing facilities, which makes it very open for many uses.
Because it was an Air Force base, it has room and facilities that are not available in many other complexes. Some of these extra functions include five million square feet of ramp space and 6 full size hangars. These full size hangars are large enough to accommodate a DC-10 or a Boeing 767. Facilities also include a full airplane maintenance and test hangar, with enough space to maintain the planes listed above. These buildings add up to approximately 300000 square feet (27,870.9 m²).
The airport has the second longest runway in the state of Arkansas at approximately 11600 feet (3,535.7 m) in length. The airport also has very reasonable seasonal climate conditions, which makes it convenient for year-round travel. The airport can accommodate up to 50 aircraft, and has large hangar and storage areas for maintenance and repair needs.
The airport also accommodates deployment and pick-up of National Guard troops, as well as training grounds for military flight training maneuvers, primarily USAF C-130 training operations from Little Rock Air Force Base
, Arkansas Air National Guard
A-10 training operations from Fort Smith Air National Guard Station
and Arkansas Army National Guard
helicopter training opertaions from Camp Robinson.
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 three nautical miles (6 km) northwest 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 Blytheville
Blytheville, Arkansas
Blytheville is the largest city in and one of the two county seats of Mississippi County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 15,620 at the 2010 census....
, a city in Mississippi County, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is owned by the Gosnell Regional Airport Authority.
History
Arkansas International Airport was developed from the closed Eaker Air Force Base (aka Blytheville Air Force Base), after its closure by the United States Air ForceUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
on 15 December 1992.
In 2008, Aviation Repair Technologies (ART) established its headquarters at the facility and opened repair facilities for aircraft heavy maintenance, short-term aircraft storage, and aircraft engine disassembly.
- The company's heavy maintenance activities are focused on regional turboprop and jet aircraft, including the ATR 72, ATR 42, CRJ 200, CRJ 700, CRJ 900, Embraer 120, ERJ 135, ERJ 145, ERJ 170, and ERJ 190 aircraft.
- Its aircraft engine disassembly operation, named Turbine Support International (TSI), is a joint venture between ART and Air France-KLM. TSI is focused on disassembly of CFM56, CF6-80, and CF6-50 engine types.
- Also located at the airport is an aircraft jet engine test cell that was constructed in 1991 by the US Air Force and is capable of testing engines that produce up to 56,000 lbs of thrust, including CFM56, CF34, and other popular engine types. Aviation Repair Technologies holds an exclusive lease on the test cell through 2019.
- From its headquarters at the facility, ART also manages a network of thirteen line maintenance facilities located at major airports around the United States.
The facility secured a lease with USA Floral, a major floral distributor based near Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, that needed a southern locale for its regular flights to South America to import flowers. USA Floral was expected to create hundreds of jobs in Blytheville.
The Arkansas Archaeological Society hosted a training program at the former air base from 2004-2006. Archaeologists have been studying the Mississippian culture that lived in the region, focusing on the years 900-1600.
Facilities and aircraft
Arkansas International Airport covers an area of 1100 acres (445.2 ha) at an elevationElevation
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 254 feet (77 m) above mean sea level. It has one 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 18/36 with a concrete
Concrete
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...
surface measuring 11,602 by 150 feet (3,536 x 46 m).
For the 12-month period ending August 31, 2009, the airport had 33,000 aircraft operations, an average of 90 per day: 58% 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 42% 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 15 aircraft based at this airport: 87% 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...
and 13% multi-engine.
The facility has 1500000 square feet (139,354.6 m²) of available space, which makes it the second largest industrial complex in Arkansas. The complex consists of commercial, community, recreation, educational, garage, industrial, office, residential, and warehousing facilities, which makes it very open for many uses.
Because it was an Air Force base, it has room and facilities that are not available in many other complexes. Some of these extra functions include five million square feet of ramp space and 6 full size hangars. These full size hangars are large enough to accommodate a DC-10 or a Boeing 767. Facilities also include a full airplane maintenance and test hangar, with enough space to maintain the planes listed above. These buildings add up to approximately 300000 square feet (27,870.9 m²).
The airport has the second longest runway in the state of Arkansas at approximately 11600 feet (3,535.7 m) in length. The airport also has very reasonable seasonal climate conditions, which makes it convenient for year-round travel. The airport can accommodate up to 50 aircraft, and has large hangar and storage areas for maintenance and repair needs.
The airport also accommodates deployment and pick-up of National Guard troops, as well as training grounds for military flight training maneuvers, primarily USAF C-130 training operations from Little Rock Air Force Base
Little Rock Air Force Base
Little Rock Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately northeast of Little Rock, Arkansas.-Overview:...
, Arkansas Air National Guard
Arkansas Air National Guard
The Arkansas Air National Guard is the air force militia of the US state of Arkansas. It is, along with the Arkansas Army National Guard, an element of the Arkansas National Guard.-Units:* 188th Fighter Wing: The 188th Fighter Wing is located in Ft...
A-10 training operations from Fort Smith Air National Guard Station
Fort Smith Air National Guard Station
Fort Smith Air National Guard Station is the home base of the Arkansas Air National Guard 188th Fighter Wing.-Overview:The 188th Fighter Wing of the Arkansas Air National Guard occupies 110 acres of leased land on the Fort Smith Regional Airport, located approximately 2 miles southeast of Fort...
and Arkansas Army National Guard
Arkansas Army National Guard
The Arkansas Army National Guard is a component of the Arkansas National Guard and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization...
helicopter training opertaions from Camp Robinson.
External links
- Arkansas Aeroplex: The Arkansas International Airport
- Aerial photo as of 26 March 2001 from USGS The National Map