Craig Field (Alabama)
Encyclopedia
Craig Field is a public-use airport
located four nautical miles (4.6 mi, 7.4 km) southeast of the central business district
of Selma
, a city in Dallas County
, Alabama
, United States
. The airport is owned by Craig Field Airport & Industrial Authority. It is included in the FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems
for 2011–2015, which categorized
it as a general aviation
facility.
DayJet
provides an on-demand jet air taxi
service from this airport to Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Gainesville, Macon, Savannah, Pensacola, Lakeland/Tampa, Opa-Locka/Miami Dade, Boca Raton, Naples, Sarasota/Bradenton.
of 166 feet (51 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway
designated 15/33 with an asphalt
and concrete
surface measuring 8,002 by 150 feet (2,439 x 46 m). For the 12-month period ending November 2, 2009, the airport had 38,550 aircraft operations, an average of 105 per day: 89% general aviation
, 10% military
, and 1% air taxi
. At that time there were 8 single-engine
aircraft based at this airport.
Although the former USAF air traffic control tower at Craig Field remains standing, as of 2007 it was unmanned and non-operational, with UNICOM
being used as a common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF). Both parallel 8000 feet (2,438.4 m) runways still exist, but only one runway is currently operational while the other remains closed. The Craig VORTAC and the Instrument Landing System
(ILS) for the current Runway 33 remain operational on the field. The airport's military traffic is primarily Navy and USAF aircraft inbound to the L3 Communications/Vertex Aerospace facility.
The former military family housing was sold to individual owners shortly after base closure and has seen significant decay as compared to its previous military occupants.
Multiple civilian government and corporate tenants have taken up residency, to include L3 Communications/Vertex Aerospace (formerly Raytheon Aerospace), which operates an aircraft repair facility at Craig Field primarily focused on supporting Navy T-34
C, T-44
A, TC-12F and Navy and USAF T-6A aircraft. The former on base elementary school continues to operate as the civilian-run Craig Elementary and the former base golf course continues to operate commercially as the Craig Golf Course and Driving Range. The Alabama Highway Patrol
(AHP) also operates both its training academy and its headquarters for AHP's F Troop at Craig.
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 four nautical miles (4.6 mi, 7.4 km) southeast 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 Selma
Selma, Alabama
Selma is a city in and the county seat of Dallas County, Alabama, United States, located on the banks of the Alabama River. The population was 20,512 at the 2000 census....
, a city in Dallas County
Dallas County, Alabama
Dallas County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of United States Secretary of the Treasury Alexander J. Dallas. The county seat is Selma.- History :...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The airport is owned by Craig Field Airport & Industrial Authority. It is included in the FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems
National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems
The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems is an inventory of U.S. aviation infrastructure assets. It is developed and maintained by the Federal Aviation Administration . Its purposes are:* to identify all the airports in the U.S...
for 2011–2015, which categorized
FAA airport categories
The United States Federal Aviation Administration has a system for categorizing public-use airports that is primarily based on the level of commercial passenger traffic through each facility. It is used to determine if an airport is eligible for funding through the federal government's Airport...
it as a 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...
facility.
DayJet
DayJet
DayJet was an American commercial aviation operation that provided on-demand jet travel using Eclipse 500 Very Light Jets. The company began operations in Florida in October 2007 and suspended operations on September 19, 2008....
provides an on-demand jet 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...
service from this airport to Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Gainesville, Macon, Savannah, Pensacola, Lakeland/Tampa, Opa-Locka/Miami Dade, Boca Raton, Naples, Sarasota/Bradenton.
Facilities and aircraft
Craig Field covers an area of 1790 acres (724.4 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 166 feet (51 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 15/33 with an 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...
and 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 8,002 by 150 feet (2,439 x 46 m). For the 12-month period ending November 2, 2009, the airport had 38,550 aircraft operations, an average of 105 per day: 89% 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...
, 10% 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...
, and 1% 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...
. At that time there were 8 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...
aircraft based at this airport.
Although the former USAF air traffic control tower at Craig Field remains standing, as of 2007 it was unmanned and non-operational, with UNICOM
UNICOM
Universal Communications or as known by its abbreviation, UNICOM, is an air-ground communication facility operated by a private agency to provide advisory service at uncontrolled aerodromes and airports.-Description:...
being used as a common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF). Both parallel 8000 feet (2,438.4 m) runways still exist, but only one runway is currently operational while the other remains closed. The Craig VORTAC and the Instrument Landing System
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...
(ILS) for the current Runway 33 remain operational on the field. The airport's military traffic is primarily Navy and USAF aircraft inbound to the L3 Communications/Vertex Aerospace facility.
The former military family housing was sold to individual owners shortly after base closure and has seen significant decay as compared to its previous military occupants.
Multiple civilian government and corporate tenants have taken up residency, to include L3 Communications/Vertex Aerospace (formerly Raytheon Aerospace), which operates an aircraft repair facility at Craig Field primarily focused on supporting Navy T-34
T-34
The T-34 was a Soviet medium tank produced from 1940 to 1958. Although its armour and armament were surpassed by later tanks of the era, it has been often credited as the most effective, efficient and influential design of World War II...
C, T-44
T-44
The T-44 was a medium tank first produced towards the end of the Second World War by the Soviet Union. It was the successor to the famous T-34...
A, TC-12F and Navy and USAF T-6A aircraft. The former on base elementary school continues to operate as the civilian-run Craig Elementary and the former base golf course continues to operate commercially as the Craig Golf Course and Driving Range. The Alabama Highway Patrol
Alabama Highway Patrol
The Alabama Highway Patrol is a division of the Alabama Department of Public Safety and is the highway patrol agency for Alabama, which has jurisdiction anywhere in the state. It was created to protect the lives, property and constitutional rights of people in Alabama.In 1971, the Alabama Highway...
(AHP) also operates both its training academy and its headquarters for AHP's F Troop at Craig.