Quonset State Airport
Encyclopedia
Quonset State Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located on Quonset Point
, in northeastern North Kingstown
, Rhode Island
, adjacent to Narragansett Bay
. It is a general aviation
airport and there is no scheduled airline service
available.
It was the site of the Naval Air Station Quonset Point
from 1941 until the early 1970s, when the military presence in Rhode Island was drastically scaled down. Despite the Navy's departure, the airport remains the home of Quonset Point Air National Guard Station and the 143d Airlift Wing
(143 AW) of the Rhode Island Air National Guard
, flying the C-130J Hercules. The Rhode Island Army National Guard
also maintains an Army Aviation Support Facility adjacent to the Air National Guard Station for the 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment, flying the UH-60 Blackhawk.
Although most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier
for the FAA
and IATA
, Quonset State Airport is assigned OQU by the FAA but has no designation from the IATA.
Quonset State Airport is one of six active airports operated by the Rhode Island Airports Corporation. The other five airports include T.F. Green State Airport, North Central State Airport
, Westerly State Airport
, Newport State Airport
, and Block Island State Airport
.
paved runway
s: 16/34 measuring 7,504 x 150 ft (2,287 x 46 m) and 5/23 measuring 4,000 x 75 ft (1,219 x 23 m).
The airport lies within Class D airspace and has an operating non-federal air traffic control tower control tower
(closed on Mondays).
For the 12-month period ending July 31, 2007, the airport had 20,750 aircraft operations, an average of 56 per day: 68% general aviation
, 28% military
and 4% air taxi
. At that time there were 48 aircraft based at this airport: 60% single-engine
, 4% multi-engine, 10% helicopter
and 25% military
.
The fixed based operator on field is AV Ports as of (7/1/2011).
Quonset Point
Quonset Point, also known simply as Quonset, is a small peninsula in Narragansett Bay in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It is contained entirely within the town of North Kingstown. "Quonset" is a Native American word likely meaning "small long place".Quonset Point was the location of Naval Air...
, in northeastern North Kingstown
North Kingstown, Rhode Island
North Kingstown is a town in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 26,486 at the 2010 census. The famous American portraitist Gilbert Stuart was born in the village of Saunderstown, located in the southern region of North Kingstown....
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, adjacent to Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay is a bay and estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound. Covering 147 mi2 , the Bay forms New England's largest estuary, which functions as an expansive natural harbor, and includes a small archipelago...
. It is 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...
airport and there is no scheduled airline service
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...
available.
It was the site of the Naval Air Station Quonset Point
Naval Air Station Quonset Point
Naval Air Station Quonset Point was a United States Naval Base in Quonset Point, Rhode Island that was deactivated in 1974. Next to NAS Quonset Point was Camp Endicott at Davisville, home of the Naval Construction Battalions known as the Seabees. Quonset Point also gave its name to the Quonset hut,...
from 1941 until the early 1970s, when the military presence in Rhode Island was drastically scaled down. Despite the Navy's departure, the airport remains the home of Quonset Point Air National Guard Station and the 143d Airlift Wing
143d Airlift Wing
The 143rd Airlift Wing is a United States Air Force unit located at Quonset Point, Rhode Island.-Mission:The 143rd Airlift Wing's purpose is to provide airlift and combat support forces to the United States Armed Forces and to provide resources to protect life, property and public safety for its...
(143 AW) of the Rhode Island 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...
, flying the C-130J Hercules. The Rhode Island Army National Guard
Army National Guard
Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...
also maintains an Army Aviation Support Facility adjacent to the Air National Guard Station for the 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment, flying the UH-60 Blackhawk.
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...
, Quonset State Airport is assigned OQU by the FAA but has no designation from the IATA.
Quonset State Airport is one of six active airports operated by the Rhode Island Airports Corporation. The other five airports include T.F. Green State Airport, North Central State Airport
North Central State Airport
North Central State Airport is a public use airport in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The airport is owned by the State of Rhode Island and opened for service in 1951. It serves the city of Pawtucket and is located three nautical miles east of its central business district.The...
, Westerly State Airport
Westerly State Airport
Westerly State Airport is a public use airport in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. It serves the city of Westerly and is located two nautical miles southeast of its central business district....
, Newport State Airport
Newport State Airport (Rhode Island)
Newport State Airport is a public use airport in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. It serves the city of Newport and is located two nautical miles northeast of its central business district. There is no scheduled airline service available, but it once was served by Air New...
, and Block Island State Airport
Block Island State Airport
Block Island State Airport is a public airport located on Block Island, in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. The airport is owned by the State of Rhode Island. It is primarily a general aviation airport, but there is also scheduled airline service to Westerly State Airport...
.
Facilities and aircraft
Quonset State Airport covers an area of 754 acres (305.1 ha) which contains two 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...
s: 16/34 measuring 7,504 x 150 ft (2,287 x 46 m) and 5/23 measuring 4,000 x 75 ft (1,219 x 23 m).
The airport lies within Class D airspace and has an operating non-federal air traffic control tower control tower
Control tower
A control tower, or more specifically an Air Traffic Control Tower , is the name of the airport building from which the air traffic control unit controls the movement of aircraft on and around the airport. Control towers are also used to control the traffic for other forms of transportation such...
(closed on Mondays).
For the 12-month period ending July 31, 2007, the airport had 20,750 aircraft operations, an average of 56 per day: 68% 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...
, 28% 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 4% 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 48 aircraft based at this airport: 60% 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...
, 4% multi-engine, 10% 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 25% 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:...
.
The fixed based operator on field is AV Ports as of (7/1/2011).
External links
- Quonset State Airport (OQU) page from Rhode Island Airport Corp.
- Photos of Quonset State Airport (OQU) from Civil Air PatrolCivil Air PatrolCivil Air Patrol is a Congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force . CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded membership that includes people from all backgrounds, lifestyles, and...
website - Photographic archive of the former Quonset Naval Air Station.
- Cindtronix Aviation flight school located on field.