Knoxville Downtown Island Airport
Encyclopedia
Knoxville Downtown Island Airport or Knoxville Downtown Island Home Airport , often referred to as Island Home Airport, is a general aviation
airport located approximately one-half mile east of downtown Knoxville
, in Knox County
, Tennessee
, United States
.
Although most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier
for the FAA
and IATA
, this airport is assigned DKX by the FAA but has no designation from the IATA.
The airport has one 3,500-ft runway running east and west and on average has 312 aircraft operations per day. DKX operates as an uncontrolled field. Up until 2007, a tower existed at the field. The tower was in service during World War II
but due to asbestos
in the cab it was permanently quarantined and it is never to be used again. The airport authorities demolished the tower and may consider building a new one.
Regular airline service to Knoxville did not occur until January 15, 1936, after many temporary setbacks and start-ups. This event was celebrated by City Manager, Knoxville officials, and residents of the area marking the beginning of many aviation endeavors in Knoxville’s future.
Airport ownership changed hands several times in the 1940’s. Ferris Thomas bought the hangar in the spring of 1941, when the airport was privately owned. Ownership changed again in 1942 when operations were sold to Elmer Wood. Again in 1943, H.F. Wattenbarger purchased the Island Airport property and wanted to use it primarily as a farm. During the 1930’s and 1940’s both farming and flying existed at Island Airport. In 1943, Wattenbarger began leasing the airport for the training of three hundred Army Air Cadets in a War Training Service program. When training was completed, Wattenbarger resumed full operation as a private airport and farm. During the late 1940’s, Robert Campbell, owner and operator of Campbell’s Aero Service at Island Airport, became the primary operator and FBO for almost 20 years.
Evelyn "Mama Bird" Bryant Johnson, Evelyn Johnson
who in 2010 is 100 years old and the holder of the Guinness Book of Records "most hours logged by a woman pilot" started flying at Knoxville Island Home Airport. She says "She first flew in a barnstormers biplane in 1929, but got serious about flying after seeing a three inch square ad in the Sunday paper while waiting for church. It said “Learn to fly!” so the next Sunday “I took the train, rode a bus, walked a mile and rowed a boat across a river to get to Knoxville Island Home Airport for my first lesson on October 1, 1944 and after eight hours I soloed on November 8, 1944 in a J-3
(Piper Cub} aircraft." (from phone interview, March, 2010)
of 833 feet (254 m) above mean sea level. It has one asphalt
paved runway
designated 8/26 which measures 3,499 by 74 feet (1,066 x 23 m).
For the 12-month period ending December 22, 2008, the airport had 82,456 aircraft operations, an average of 225 per day: 99% general aviation
, <1% air taxi
and <1% military
. At that time there were 137 aircraft based at this airport: 78% single-engine
, 15% multi-engine, 5% helicopter
and 2% glider
.
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...
airport located approximately one-half mile east of downtown Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
, in Knox County
Knox County, Tennessee
Knox County is a county in the U.S. state of Tennessee. Its 2007 population was estimated at 423,874 by the United States Census Bureau. Its county seat is Knoxville, as it has been since the creation of the county. The county is at the geographical center of the Great Valley of East Tennessee...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Although most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier
Location identifier
A location identifier is a symbolic representation for the name and the location of an airport, navigation aid, or weather station, and is used for manned air traffic control facilities in air traffic control, telecommunications, computer programming, weather reports, and related services.-ICAO...
for the FAA
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
and IATA
International Air Transport Association
The International Air Transport Association is an international industry trade group of airlines headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the International Civil Aviation Organization is also headquartered. The executive offices are at the Geneva Airport in SwitzerlandIATA's mission is to...
, this airport is assigned DKX by the FAA but has no designation from the IATA.
The airport has one 3,500-ft runway running east and west and on average has 312 aircraft operations per day. DKX operates as an uncontrolled field. Up until 2007, a tower existed at the field. The tower was in service 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...
but due to asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
in the cab it was permanently quarantined and it is never to be used again. The airport authorities demolished the tower and may consider building a new one.
History
Downtown Island Airport has a rich history rooted in Knoxville aviation that dates back to the early 1930’s. The Island Airport was opened in 1930 by one of Knoxville’s earliest aviators, Tom Kesterson. The makeshift airport, located on Dickinson’s Island had a 4,000-foot runway and was intended to be the first home of commercial air service in Knoxville. Shortly after its introduction, airline service came to Knoxville in July 1934 when American began flying a mail route through Island Airport and on to Washington D.C. and New York. Two daily flights were also offered between Knoxville and Washington D.C. with up to eight passengers on each flight. At this time, Gus Gremiliam was the only employee at the airport.Regular airline service to Knoxville did not occur until January 15, 1936, after many temporary setbacks and start-ups. This event was celebrated by City Manager, Knoxville officials, and residents of the area marking the beginning of many aviation endeavors in Knoxville’s future.
Airport ownership changed hands several times in the 1940’s. Ferris Thomas bought the hangar in the spring of 1941, when the airport was privately owned. Ownership changed again in 1942 when operations were sold to Elmer Wood. Again in 1943, H.F. Wattenbarger purchased the Island Airport property and wanted to use it primarily as a farm. During the 1930’s and 1940’s both farming and flying existed at Island Airport. In 1943, Wattenbarger began leasing the airport for the training of three hundred Army Air Cadets in a War Training Service program. When training was completed, Wattenbarger resumed full operation as a private airport and farm. During the late 1940’s, Robert Campbell, owner and operator of Campbell’s Aero Service at Island Airport, became the primary operator and FBO for almost 20 years.
Evelyn "Mama Bird" Bryant Johnson, Evelyn Johnson
Evelyn Johnson
Evelyn Bryan Johnson , nicknamed “Mama Bird”, was born in Corbin, Kentucky, United States. She is the female pilot with the most number of flying hours in the world...
who in 2010 is 100 years old and the holder of the Guinness Book of Records "most hours logged by a woman pilot" started flying at Knoxville Island Home Airport. She says "She first flew in a barnstormers biplane in 1929, but got serious about flying after seeing a three inch square ad in the Sunday paper while waiting for church. It said “Learn to fly!” so the next Sunday “I took the train, rode a bus, walked a mile and rowed a boat across a river to get to Knoxville Island Home Airport for my first lesson on October 1, 1944 and after eight hours I soloed on November 8, 1944 in a J-3
Piper J-3
The Piper J-3 Cub is a small, simple, light aircraft that was built between 1937 and 1947 by Piper Aircraft. With tandem seating, it was intended for flight training but became one of the most popular and best-known light aircraft of all time...
(Piper Cub} aircraft." (from phone interview, March, 2010)
Facilities and aircraft
Knoxville Downtown Island Airport covers an area of 200 acres (80.9 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 833 feet (254 m) above mean sea level. It has one 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...
designated 8/26 which measures 3,499 by 74 feet (1,066 x 23 m).
For the 12-month period ending December 22, 2008, the airport had 82,456 aircraft operations, an average of 225 per day: 99% 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...
, <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...
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 137 aircraft based at this airport: 78% 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...
, 15% multi-engine, 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...
and 2% glider
Glider aircraft
Glider aircraft are heavier-than-air craft that are supported in flight by the dynamic reaction of the air against their lifting surfaces, and whose free flight does not depend on an engine. Mostly these types of aircraft are intended for routine operation without engines, though engine failure can...
.