Greater Peoria Regional Airport
Encyclopedia
General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport is a joint civil-military public use airport
located four nautical miles (7 km) west of the central business district
of Peoria
, a city in Peoria County
, Illinois
, United States
. The airport is on the northwest edge of Bartonville
, near Bellevue
. It was formerly known as the Greater Peoria Regional Airport. It is often referred to simply as Peoria International Airport by the airport authority.
) and Chicago and Southern Airlines brought in airmail and passenger service on 4 shale-surfaced runways. The land was purchased by 261 Peoria businessmen who formed the Peoria Airport, Inc. It was turned over to the Peoria Park District in 1937, and then to newly-formed The Metropolitan Airport Authority of Peoria in 1950.
On April 25, 2007 the Greater Peoria Airport Authority announced that a new 9 gate terminal will be built and the older terminal would be demolished. On October 10, 2008, the airport was renamed "General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport" during a groundbreaking
ceremony attended by Ross Perot
, friend of the late Wayne A. Downing
.
, which is home to the 182d Airlift Wing
, Illinois Air National Guard
. This Air National Guard
unit is operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command
(AMC) and consists of Lockheed C-130H Hercules
aircraft. The airport is also home to the Illinois Army National Guard
's Army Aviation Support Facility #3 and 1st Battalion, 106th Aviation Regiment, currently operating the Boeing CH-47 "Chinook"
helicopter.
of 660 feet (201 m) above mean sea level
. It has two runway
s: 13/31 is 10,104 by 150 feet (3,080 x 46 m) with a concrete
surface; 4/22 is 8,003 by 150 feet (2,439 x 46 m) with an asphalt
pavement.
For the 12-month period ending July 31, 2008, the airport had 53,305 aircraft operations, an average of 146 per day: 43% general aviation
, 31% air taxi
, 19% military
and 8% scheduled commercial
. At that time there were 87 aircraft based at this airport: 48% single-engine
, 21% multi-engine, 18% military
, 8% jet
, and 5% helicopter
.
is the only airline to offer larger jets. Delta Air Lines
, United Airlines
and American Eagle
offer flights in smaller regional jets. As of July 2010, all civilian passenger service is domestic, though at various times there has been talk of adding international service.
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 (7 km) west 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 Peoria
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
, a city in Peoria County
Peoria County, Illinois
Peoria County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 186,494, which is an increase of 1.7% from 183,433 in 2000. Its county seat is Peoria....
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The airport is on the northwest edge of Bartonville
Bartonville, Illinois
Bartonville is a village in Peoria County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,310 at the 2000 census. Bartonville is a suburb of Peoria and is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, near Bellevue
Bellevue, Illinois
Bellevue is a village in Peoria County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,887 at the 2000 census. Bellevue is a suburb of Peoria and is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
. It was formerly known as the Greater Peoria Regional Airport. It is often referred to simply as Peoria International Airport by the airport authority.
History
On May 19, 1932 the citizens of Peoria voted to have an airport. On 195 acres (0.8 km²), American Airways (now American AirlinesAmerican 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...
) and Chicago and Southern Airlines brought in airmail and passenger service on 4 shale-surfaced runways. The land was purchased by 261 Peoria businessmen who formed the Peoria Airport, Inc. It was turned over to the Peoria Park District in 1937, and then to newly-formed The Metropolitan Airport Authority of Peoria in 1950.
On April 25, 2007 the Greater Peoria Airport Authority announced that a new 9 gate terminal will be built and the older terminal would be demolished. On October 10, 2008, the airport was renamed "General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport" during a groundbreaking
Groundbreaking
Groundbreaking, also known as cutting, sod-cutting, turning the first sod or a sod-turning ceremony, is a traditional ceremony in many cultures that celebrates the first day of construction for a building or other project. Such ceremonies are often attended by dignitaries such as politicians and...
ceremony attended by Ross Perot
Ross Perot
Henry Ross Perot is a U.S. businessman best known for running for President of the United States in 1992 and 1996. Perot founded Electronic Data Systems in 1962, sold the company to General Motors in 1984, and founded Perot Systems in 1988...
, friend of the late Wayne A. Downing
Wayne A. Downing
Wayne Allan Downing was a retired four-star United States Army general born in Peoria, Illinois. He graduated from the United States Military Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1962 and holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Tulane University.-Military career:*Sep 62 - Feb...
.
National Guard
The airport is co-located with the Peoria Air National Guard BasePeoria Air National Guard Base
Peoria Air National Guard Base is the home base of the Illinois Air National Guard 182d Airlift Wing.-Overview:The 182d Airlift Wing of the Illinois Air National Guard occupies of leased land, separated into two parcels of 334 and respectively. All utility systems on the parcel are already...
, which is home to the 182d Airlift Wing
182d Airlift Wing
The 182d Airlift Wing is an Air National Guard unit, part of the United States Air Force. It is located at General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport in Illinois.-History:...
, Illinois Air National Guard
Illinois Air National Guard
The Illinois Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Illinois. It is, along with the Illinois Army National Guard, an element of the Illinois National Guard...
. This Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
unit is operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
(AMC) and consists of Lockheed C-130H Hercules
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
aircraft. The airport is also home to the Illinois Army National Guard
Illinois Army National Guard
The Illinois Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army 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...
's Army Aviation Support Facility #3 and 1st Battalion, 106th Aviation Regiment, currently operating the Boeing CH-47 "Chinook"
CH-47 Chinook
The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. Its top speed of 170 knots is faster than contemporary utility and attack helicopters of the 1960s...
helicopter.
Facilities and aircraft
Peoria International Airport covers an area of 3800 acres (1,537.8 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 660 feet (201 m) above mean sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
. It has two 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: 13/31 is 10,104 by 150 feet (3,080 x 46 m) 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; 4/22 is 8,003 by 150 feet (2,439 x 46 m) 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...
pavement.
For the 12-month period ending July 31, 2008, the airport had 53,305 aircraft operations, an average of 146 per day: 43% 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...
, 31% 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...
, 19% 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 8% 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 87 aircraft based at this airport: 48% 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...
, 21% multi-engine, 18% military
Military aircraft
A military aircraft is any fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft that is operated by a legal or insurrectionary armed service of any type. Military aircraft can be either combat or non-combat:...
, 8% 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 5% 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
, Peoria International Airport is served by 5 airlines. Allegiant AirAllegiant Air
Allegiant Air is an American low-cost airline owned by Allegiant Travel Co. that operates scheduled and charter flights. Allegiant Travel Company is a publicly traded company with 1,300 employees and one billion USD market capitalization...
is the only airline to offer larger jets. 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...
, 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...
and American Eagle
American Eagle Airlines
American Eagle Airlines is a brand name used by American Eagle Airlines, Inc. , based in Fort Worth, Texas, and Executive Airlines based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in the operation of passenger air service as regional affiliates of American Airlines. All three airlines are wholly owned subsidiaries...
offer flights in smaller regional jets. As of July 2010, all civilian passenger service is domestic, though at various times there has been talk of adding international service.
Top Destinations
| Rank | City | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Chicago-O’Hare, IL |
83,000 | American, United |
| 2 |  Dallas-Fort Worth, TX |
34,000 | American |
| 3 |  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... |
27,000 | Allegiant |
| 4 |  Detroit, MIDetroit 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.... |
23,000 | Delta |
| 5 |  Minneapolis, MNMinneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in the five-state upper Midwest region of Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.-Overview:... |
22,000 | Delta |
| 6 |  St. Petersburg, FLSt. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport is a joint civil-military airport located in unincorporated Pinellas County, Florida, north of St. Petersburg, serving St... |
21,000 | Allegiant |
| 7 |  Phoenix-Mesa, AZPhoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport , formerly Williams Gateway Airport and Williams Air Force Base , is a commercial airport located in the southeastern area of the city of Mesa, Arizona, and southeast of Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. The airport is owned and operated by the... |
19,000 | Allegiant |
| 8 |  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... |
14,000 | United |
External links
- General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport — official site
- Peoria Air Guard — official site
- Aerial photo as of 17 April 1998 from USGSUnited States Geological SurveyThe United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...
The National Map