Gainesville Regional Airport
Encyclopedia
Gainesville Regional Airport is a public airport
located three miles (5 km) northeast of the central business district
of Gainesville
, a city in Alachua County
, Florida
, United States
. The airport is owned by the City of Gainesville, FL and operated by the Gainesville-Alachua County Regional Airport Authority. It was formerly known as J.R. Alison Airport.
Within recent years, the Airport has undertaken and substantially completed several large-scale projects that include the refurbishment of its primary runway (11/29), piping of an open ditch parallel to that runway, and completion of Phase 1 of the Terminal Renovation project. Three passenger boarding bridges, covered walkways that connect the terminal building to the aircraft, have been installed, and the Authority has commissioned the design of Phase 2 of the Terminal Renovation. Eclipse Aviation
, maker of the Eclipse 500
, operated its first factory service center in Gainesville until the company declared bankruptcy in 2009.
The airport operates a control tower during daylight hours and is in Class D
airspace during that time.
paved runway
s: 11/29 measuring 7,504 x 150 ft (2,287 x 46 m) and 7/25 measuring 4,158 x 100 ft (1,267 x 30 m).
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2006, the airport had 133,881 aircraft operations, an average of 366 per day: 84% general aviation
, 8% air taxi
, 7% military and 1% scheduled commercial. There are 131 aircraft based at this airport: 83% single-engine, 9% multi-engine, 4% jet and 4% helicopter
.
Gainesville Regional Airport is served by one full service FBO
, University Air Center. Previously there were two, Gulf Atlantic Airways and Flight Line. Flight Line's contract with the airport authority expired and Gulf Atlantic became University Air Center. University Air Center provides a pilots lounge with TV, snack machines, aircraft rentals and charters, and fuel.
On 2 March 1942, the Gainesville City Council established the name of the airfield as the John R. Alison Airport. John R. Alison was a local citizen and graduate of the University of Florida who served with valor and distinction in World War II. He was selected to serve as an observer in England and later served in Russia training Russian flyers.
Alachua AAF was assigned to the Air University Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics (AAFSAT) tactical combat simulation school in Central and Northern Florida
.
Headquartered at Orlando Army Air Base, the school's mission was to develop tactics and techniques of aerial warfare and to establish technical and tactical proficiency requirements for combat units to effectively engage and defeat enemy air forces. This was done with a wide variety of aircraft, including heavy strategic bombers; tactical fighters; medium and light bombers; reconnaissance and dive bombers, based at different airfields of the school.
Squadrons assigned by the AAFSAT were:
In mid-1943, Third Air Force
at Drew Field near Tampa
began using Alachua as a group training base, assigning several air commando fighter squadrons to the airfield for training prior to their deployment to the China-Burma-India theater:
At the end of the war, the airfield was declared surplus in September 1945 and turned over to the Army Corps of Engineers on 1 October 1946. The War Assets Administration deeded the facility to the city of Gainesville in 1948 as a civil airport. At that time, the field was known as the John R. Alison Airport and also as the Gainesville Municipal Airport. The city operated, maintained, and improved the airport over the years as the Gainesville Municipal Airport.
In order to recognize the role the airport carries in meeting the regional demands for aviation services, the airport was renamed the Gainesville Regional Airport in October 1977. The airline passenger terminal was dedicated to John R. Alison in 1979.
In 1986, the State Legislature passed a bill that established the Airport as the Gainesville-Alachua County Regional Airport Authority. The Airport Authority, which consists of nine board members, five selected by the City of Gainesville, three by the Governor and one by Alachua County, continues to oversee the Airport to date.
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 Gainesville
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, a city in Alachua County
Alachua County, Florida
Alachua County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county is 227,120. Its county seat is Gainesville, Florida. Alachua County is the home of the University of Florida and is also known for its diverse culture, local music, and artisans...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The airport is owned by the City of Gainesville, FL and operated by the Gainesville-Alachua County Regional Airport Authority. It was formerly known as J.R. Alison Airport.
Within recent years, the Airport has undertaken and substantially completed several large-scale projects that include the refurbishment of its primary runway (11/29), piping of an open ditch parallel to that runway, and completion of Phase 1 of the Terminal Renovation project. Three passenger boarding bridges, covered walkways that connect the terminal building to the aircraft, have been installed, and the Authority has commissioned the design of Phase 2 of the Terminal Renovation. Eclipse Aviation
Eclipse Aviation
Eclipse Aviation Corporation was the Albuquerque, New Mexico-based manufacturer of the Eclipse 500 very light jet and also at one time proposed developing the Eclipse 400 single-engined jet....
, maker of the Eclipse 500
Eclipse 500
The Eclipse 500 is a small six-seat business jet aircraft manufactured by Eclipse Aviation.Eclipse 500 became the first of a new class of Very Light Jet when it was delivered in late 2006...
, operated its first factory service center in Gainesville until the company declared bankruptcy in 2009.
The airport operates a control tower during daylight hours and is in Class D
Airspace class
The world's navigable airspace is divided into three-dimensional segments, each of which is assigned to a specific class. Most nations adhere to the classification specified by the International Civil Aviation Organization and described below...
airspace during that time.
Facilities and aircraft
Gainesville Regional Airport covers an area of 1650 acres (667.7 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: 11/29 measuring 7,504 x 150 ft (2,287 x 46 m) and 7/25 measuring 4,158 x 100 ft (1,267 x 30 m).
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2006, the airport had 133,881 aircraft operations, an average of 366 per day: 84% 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...
, 8% 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...
, 7% military and 1% scheduled commercial. There are 131 aircraft based at this airport: 83% single-engine, 9% multi-engine, 4% jet and 4% 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...
.
Gainesville Regional Airport is served by one full service FBO
Fixed base operator
A Fixed-base operator or commonly abbreviated FBO is a term developed in the United States after the passage of the Air Commerce Act of 1926...
, University Air Center. Previously there were two, Gulf Atlantic Airways and Flight Line. Flight Line's contract with the airport authority expired and Gulf Atlantic became University Air Center. University Air Center provides a pilots lounge with TV, snack machines, aircraft rentals and charters, and fuel.
Airlines and destinations
History
Construction of the airport began in April 1940 as a Works Project Administration project. In 1941 initial construction was completed. Upon conclusion of the construction by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the facility was known as the Alachua Army Airfield and was used by the Army Air Corps and the Army Air Forces.On 2 March 1942, the Gainesville City Council established the name of the airfield as the John R. Alison Airport. John R. Alison was a local citizen and graduate of the University of Florida who served with valor and distinction in World War II. He was selected to serve as an observer in England and later served in Russia training Russian flyers.
Alachua AAF was assigned to the Air University Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics (AAFSAT) tactical combat simulation school in Central and Northern Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
Headquartered at Orlando Army Air Base, the school's mission was to develop tactics and techniques of aerial warfare and to establish technical and tactical proficiency requirements for combat units to effectively engage and defeat enemy air forces. This was done with a wide variety of aircraft, including heavy strategic bombers; tactical fighters; medium and light bombers; reconnaissance and dive bombers, based at different airfields of the school.
Squadrons assigned by the AAFSAT were:
- 465th Bombardment Squadron465th Bombardment SquadronThe 465th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 415th Bombardment Group, stationed at Dalhart Army Airfield, Texas. It was inactivated on 5 April 1944.-History:...
, 24 January-19 November 1943, (DB-7 (A-20) Havoc) - 667th Bombardment Squadron (Dive)/521st Fighter Squadron, 15 February 1943-2 March 1944 (A-24 Dauntless), (P-39 Aircobra), (A-36 Apache)
In mid-1943, Third Air Force
Third Air Force
The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
at Drew Field near Tampa
Tâmpa
Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...
began using Alachua as a group training base, assigning several air commando fighter squadrons to the airfield for training prior to their deployment to the China-Burma-India theater:
- 1st Fighter (Commando) Squadron, 21 June-17 August 1944 (P-51 MustangP-51 MustangThe North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
) - 2d Fighter (Commando) Squadron, 21 June-17 August 1944 (P-51 MustangP-51 MustangThe North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
) - 3d Fighter (Commando) Squadron3d Fighter (Commando) SquadronThe 3d Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 3d Air Commando Group, based at Chitose, Japan...
, 6–24 October 1944 (P-51 MustangP-51 MustangThe North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
) - 4th Fighter (Commando) Squadron4th Fighter (Commando) SquadronThe 4th Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 3d Air Commando Group, based at Chitose, Japan...
, 21 August-6 October October 1944 (P-51 MustangP-51 MustangThe North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
) - 317th Troop Carrier (Commando) Squadron317th Airlift SquadronThe 317th Airlift Squadron is part of the 315th Airlift Wing at Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina. It operates C-17 Globemaster III aircraft supporting the United States Air Force global reach mission world wide.-Mission:...
, 7–21 June 1944 (C-47 SkytrainC-47 SkytrainThe 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...
)
At the end of the war, the airfield was declared surplus in September 1945 and turned over to the Army Corps of Engineers on 1 October 1946. The War Assets Administration deeded the facility to the city of Gainesville in 1948 as a civil airport. At that time, the field was known as the John R. Alison Airport and also as the Gainesville Municipal Airport. The city operated, maintained, and improved the airport over the years as the Gainesville Municipal Airport.
In order to recognize the role the airport carries in meeting the regional demands for aviation services, the airport was renamed the Gainesville Regional Airport in October 1977. The airline passenger terminal was dedicated to John R. Alison in 1979.
In 1986, the State Legislature passed a bill that established the Airport as the Gainesville-Alachua County Regional Airport Authority. The Airport Authority, which consists of nine board members, five selected by the City of Gainesville, three by the Governor and one by Alachua County, continues to oversee the Airport to date.
See also
- Florida World War II Army Airfields
- Army Air Force School of Applied TacticsArmy Air Force School of Applied TacticsThe Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics was a military training organization of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II...
External links
- Gainesville Regional Airport (official site) brochure from CFASPP (April 2005)