Pryor Field Regional Airport
Encyclopedia
Pryor Field Regional Airport is a public airport
located three miles (5 km) northeast of the central business district
of Decatur
and south of Athens
, in Limestone County
, Alabama
, United States
. It is owned by Decatur/Athens Airport Authority.
Situated next to Calhoun Community College
, the airport serves the western portion of the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area
and most of the Decatur Metropolitan Area
. Pryor Field is currently the busiest regional airport in Alabama.
paved runway
(18/36) measuring 6,107 x 100 ft (1,861 x 30 m).
For the 12-month period ending May 3, 2006, the airport had 167,701 aircraft operations, an average of 459 per day: 91% general aviation
, 7% military and 2% air taxi
. There are 144 aircraft based at this airport: 79% single engine, 14% multi-engine, 3% jet aircraft, 3% helicopter
s and 1% gliders
.
flying cadets under contract to Southern Airways, Inc. & Southern Aviation Training School, Inc. Assigned to Gulf Coast Training Center (later Central FLying Training Command) as a primary (level 1) pilot training airfield. had five local auxiliary airfields for emergency and overflow landings. Flying training was performed with Fairchild PT-19
s as the primary trainer. Also had several PT-17 Stearmans and a few P-40 Warhawks assigned.
Inactivated on December 28, 1944, with the drawdown of AAFTC's pilot training program. Declared surplus and turned over to the Army Corps of Engineers on September 30, 1945. Eventually discharged to the War Assets Administration
(WAA) and became a civil airport.
In January 2010, the pilot training site was designated a historic landmark and added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage.
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 miles (5 km) northeast 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 Decatur
Decatur, Alabama
Decatur is a city in Limestone and Morgan Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. The city, affectionately known as "The River City", is located in Northern Alabama on the banks of Wheeler Lake, along the Tennessee River. It is the largest city and county seat of Morgan County...
and south of Athens
Athens, Alabama
Athens is a city in Limestone County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 18,967. According to the 2009 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 24,234...
, in Limestone County
Limestone County, Alabama
Limestone County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is included in the Huntsville Metropolitan Area.It is also included in the merged Huntsville-Decatur Metro Area. Its name comes from Limestone Creek, a local stream. In 2000, the population was 65,676. As of 2010 the county's...
, 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...
. It is owned by Decatur/Athens Airport Authority.
Situated next to Calhoun Community College
Calhoun Community College
Calhoun Community College is a two-year institution of higher learning, located in Decatur, Alabama, United States.The largest of the 27 two-year institutions comprising the Alabama Community College System, Calhoun is an open-admission, coeducational, comprehensive community college dedicated to...
, the airport serves the western portion of the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area
Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area
The Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area is the most populated sub-region of North Alabama, and is the second fastest growing region in the State of Alabama, with 510,088 living within the CSA...
and most of the Decatur Metropolitan Area
Decatur Metropolitan Area
The Decatur Metropolitan Area is a moderately urban region of North-Central Alabama. The 2008 estimate population is 150,125, one third of which resides within the boundaries of its core city, Decatur, Alabama....
. Pryor Field is currently the busiest regional airport in Alabama.
Facilities and aircraft
Pryor Field Regional Airport covers an area of 200 acres (80.9 ha) which contains one asphaltAsphalt
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...
(18/36) measuring 6,107 x 100 ft (1,861 x 30 m).
For the 12-month period ending May 3, 2006, the airport had 167,701 aircraft operations, an average of 459 per day: 91% 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...
, 7% military and 2% 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...
. There are 144 aircraft based at this airport: 79% single engine, 14% multi-engine, 3% jet aircraft, 3% 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...
s and 1% gliders
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...
.
History
Opened in October 1941 with 4,600' x 4600' square all-direction turf runway. Began training United States Army Air CorpsUnited States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
flying cadets under contract to Southern Airways, Inc. & Southern Aviation Training School, Inc. Assigned to Gulf Coast Training Center (later Central FLying Training Command) as a primary (level 1) pilot training airfield. had five local auxiliary airfields for emergency and overflow landings. Flying training was performed with Fairchild PT-19
Fairchild PT-19
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Mondey, David. American Aircraft of World War II . London: Bounty Books, 2006. ISBN 978-0-7537-1461-4....
s as the primary trainer. Also had several PT-17 Stearmans and a few P-40 Warhawks assigned.
Inactivated on December 28, 1944, with the drawdown of AAFTC's pilot training program. Declared surplus and turned over to the Army Corps of Engineers on September 30, 1945. Eventually discharged to the War Assets Administration
War Assets Administration
The War Assets Administration was established in the Office for Emergency Management, effective March 25, 1946, by EO 9689, January 31, 1946. American factorieshad produced massive amounts of weaponry during the World War II...
(WAA) and became a civil airport.
In January 2010, the pilot training site was designated a historic landmark and added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage.
See also
- Alabama World War II Army AirfieldsAlabama World War II Army AirfieldsDuring World War II, the United States Army Air Force established numerous airfields in Alabama for antisubmarine defense in the Gulf of Mexico and for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers....