Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport
Encyclopedia
Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport is an airport located just north of Lubbock
, Texas
. Originally known as Lubbock International Airport, it was renamed in 2004 to honor former Texas
governor Preston E. Smith, an alumnus of Texas Tech University
. The airport has three runways.
The airport is the 8th busiest airport in Texas, with more than 90,000 more enplaned people than the 9th busiest (Midland International Airport
). Lubbock International is first among the smaller Texas cities (behind only Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, and El Paso). It just finished completion on its major re-construction and re-configuration of its parking facilities. Wait times at this airport are extremely minimal usually taking about ten minutes from entering the airport, to ticket-counters, to gate. Lubbock Preston Smith international Airport is one of only 42 airports around the world with CNN Airport Network
. Lubbock Preston Airport plays host as a major hub to Fedex's feeder planes that serve cities around Lubbock.
indicated a need for the airport as a training airfield. After its requisition by the Air Force, it was assigned to the World War II
Army Air Forces Flying Training Command
, Gulf Coast Training Center (later Central Flying Training Command). The airport was renmed South Plains Army Airfield and a rapid period of construction was begun to convert the civil airport into a military training airfield.
Construction involved improving runways and airplane hangars, with three concrete runways, several taxiways and a large parking apron and a control tower. Several large hangars were also constructed. Buildings were ultimately utilitarian and quickly assembled. Most base buildings, not meant for long-term use, were constructed of temporary or semi-permanent materials. Although some hangars had steel frames and the occasional brick or tile brick building could be seen, most support buildings sat on concrete foundations but were of frame construction clad in little more than plywood and tarpaper.
The base was activated on 11 September 1942 as the South Plains Flying School. The mission was ground and flying training of glider pilots. Glider training was performed by the 848th School Squadron (Special), with overall training being under the 64th Two-Engine Flying Training Group. Aircraft assigned were Douglas C-47 Skytrain
s and Waco CG-4A gliders. The CG-4A was the USAAF's primary glider, consisting of little more than a wooden and fabric shell, equipped with radio, wheels, and brakes. Glider pilots trained at South Plains flew these craft in combat during the Normandy Invasion
, Operation Market-Garden, and also Operation Varsity
, the airborne invasion of Germany.
By late 1944 Flying Training Command ended all glider instruction, and control of South Plains AAF was transferred to Air Service Command
at Tinker Field
, Oklahoma
. Under Air Service Command, South Plains became a maintenance and supply depot for excess aircraft that could not be accommodated at Tinker. After the war ended, in 1946 and 1947, South Plains was used as a storage facility for excess aircraft prior to their reclamation.
The military use of South Plains ended on December 1, 1947 and the facility was returned to the local government for civil use.
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. Originally known as Lubbock International Airport, it was renamed in 2004 to honor former Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
governor Preston E. Smith, an alumnus of Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...
. The airport has three runways.
Information
Midland International Airport
-Top Destinations:-See also:* Texas World War II Army Airfields-References:* Shaw, Frederick J. , Locating Air Force Base Sites History’s Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC, 2004....
). Lubbock International is first among the smaller Texas cities (behind only Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, and El Paso). It just finished completion on its major re-construction and re-configuration of its parking facilities. Wait times at this airport are extremely minimal usually taking about ten minutes from entering the airport, to ticket-counters, to gate. Lubbock Preston Smith international Airport is one of only 42 airports around the world with CNN Airport Network
CNN Airport Network
CNN Airport Network is a satellite television network broadcasting general news, weather, stock market updates and features to airports across North America. It is run by Turner Private Networks, a division of Time Warner's Turner Broadcasting System. The founding management was led by Jon...
. Lubbock Preston Airport plays host as a major hub to Fedex's feeder planes that serve cities around Lubbock.
History
The airport was opened in November 1937 as South Plains Airport. In 1942, the United States Army Air ForcesUnited States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
indicated a need for the airport as a training airfield. After its requisition by the Air Force, it was assigned to the 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...
Army Air Forces Flying Training Command
Air Training Command
Air Training Command is a former major command of the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force. ATC came into being as a redesignation of the Army Air Forces Training Command on July 1, 1946...
, Gulf Coast Training Center (later Central Flying Training Command). The airport was renmed South Plains Army Airfield and a rapid period of construction was begun to convert the civil airport into a military training airfield.
Construction involved improving runways and airplane hangars, with three concrete runways, several taxiways and a large parking apron and a control tower. Several large hangars were also constructed. Buildings were ultimately utilitarian and quickly assembled. Most base buildings, not meant for long-term use, were constructed of temporary or semi-permanent materials. Although some hangars had steel frames and the occasional brick or tile brick building could be seen, most support buildings sat on concrete foundations but were of frame construction clad in little more than plywood and tarpaper.
The base was activated on 11 September 1942 as the South Plains Flying School. The mission was ground and flying training of glider pilots. Glider training was performed by the 848th School Squadron (Special), with overall training being under the 64th Two-Engine Flying Training Group. Aircraft assigned were Douglas C-47 Skytrain
C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
s and Waco CG-4A gliders. The CG-4A was the USAAF's primary glider, consisting of little more than a wooden and fabric shell, equipped with radio, wheels, and brakes. Glider pilots trained at South Plains flew these craft in combat during the Normandy Invasion
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
, Operation Market-Garden, and also Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity was a successful joint American–British airborne operation that took place toward the end of World War II...
, the airborne invasion of Germany.
By late 1944 Flying Training Command ended all glider instruction, and control of South Plains AAF was transferred to Air Service Command
Air Force Logistics Command
Air Force Logistics Command was a United States Air Force command. Its headquarters was located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio...
at Tinker Field
Tinker Field
Tinker Field is a stadium in Orlando, Florida. It is primarily used for baseball, and was the home field of the Orlando Rays minor league baseball team before they moved to Cracker Jack Stadium in 2000...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. Under Air Service Command, South Plains became a maintenance and supply depot for excess aircraft that could not be accommodated at Tinker. After the war ended, in 1946 and 1947, South Plains was used as a storage facility for excess aircraft prior to their reclamation.
The military use of South Plains ended on December 1, 1947 and the facility was returned to the local government for civil use.
Airlines and destinations
Top Destinations
| Rank | City | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Dallas-Love, TX |
156,000 | Southwest |
| 2 | Dallas-Fort Worth, TX |
113,000 | American |
| 3 | Houston-Intercontinental, TX George Bush Intercontinental Airport George Bush Intercontinental Airport, is a Class B international airport in Houston, Texas, serving the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Located north of Downtown Houston between Interstate 45 and U.S. Highway 59... |
51,000 | Continental |
| 4 | Austin, TX Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is a mixed-use commercial airport located southeast of the central business district of Austin, Texas, United States. It covers and has two runways and three helipads.The airport began passenger service on May 23, 1999... |
47,000 | Southwest |
| 5 |  Memphis, TNMemphis International Airport Memphis International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Memphis, a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States.... |
35,000 | Delta |
| 6 |  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... |
30,000 | Southwest |
| 7 |  Albuquerque, NMAlbuquerque International Sunport Albuquerque International Sunport is a public airport located 3 miles southeast of the central business district of Albuquerque, a city in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States. It is the largest commercial airport in the state, handling 5,888,811 passengers in 2009... |
22,000 | Southwest |
| 8 | Houston-Hobby, TX William P. Hobby Airport William P. Hobby Airport is a public airport in Houston, Texas, located from Downtown Houston. The airport covers and has four runways. Hobby Airport is Houston's oldest commercial airport and was the city's primary air terminal until the opening of Houston Intercontinental Airport in 1969... |
20,000 | - |
| 9 |  Phoenix, AZPhoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located southeast of the central business district of the city of Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States... |
8,000 | - |
| 10 |  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... |
7,000 | United |
Cargo carriers
Accidents and incidents
- On July 8, 1962, Vickers ViscountVickers ViscountThe Vickers Viscount was a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs, making it the first such aircraft to enter service in the world...
N243V of Continental AirlinesContinental AirlinesContinental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
was damaged beyond economic repair when the propellers struck the runway shortly after take-off. A wheels-up landing was made in a wheat field.
- On 27 January 2009, an Empire AirlinesEmpire AirlinesEmpire Airlines is a charter and cargo airline based in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, USA. It operates over 120 scheduled and charter cargo flights a day in 18 US states and Canada. Its main base is Coeur d'Alene Airport with a hub at Spokane International Airport....
ATR-42 cargo plane under contract from FedEx Express crashed on landing at Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport at 04:37 CT. The plane, which had been traveling from Fort Worth Alliance AirportFort Worth Alliance AirportFort Worth Alliance Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located north of the central business district of Fort Worth, city in Tarrant County, Texas, United States....
, landed short of the touchdown zone and skidded off the runway amid light freezing rain. There was a small fire on the plane and two crew members were taken to hospital with minor injuries.
See also
- Texas World War II Army AirfieldsTexas World War II Army AirfieldsIn today's United States Air Force, many personnel have spent some of their military service being trained in Texas during World War II. Be it basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, technical training, officer training, or flight training at other facilities across the state...
