Grayson County Airport
Encyclopedia
North Texas Regional Airport / Perrin Field is a county-owned public use airport
in Grayson County
, Texas
, United States
. It is located between the cities of Sherman
and Denison
. Formerly known as Grayson County Airport, the airport was renamed in November 2007. It is used entirely for general aviation purposes. Several of the buildings are occupied by businesses, Grayson County government agencies, as well as Grayson County College
.
Although most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier
for the FAA
and IATA
, this airport is assigned GYI by the FAA and PNX by the IATA (which assigned GYI to an airport in Gisenyi
, Rwanda
).
As a general aviation reliever airport, unconfirmed reports suggest that the airport might potentially (in the distant future) serve as a third airport for the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex
to handle travelers from its growing northern suburbs. If this occurs, commercial traffic would be focused on regional jet airline operations. A planned extension of State Highway 289 would pass the airport on the west side.
uses several of the buildings for its course offerings. The college also operates the former base golf course
.
After seeing the fighters take off from here, a young Chesley Sullenberger
became interested in flying.
of 749 feet (228 m) above mean sea level. It has two runway
s: 17L/35R is 9,000 by 150 feet (2,743 x 46 m) with an asphalt/concrete surface; 13/31 is 2,277 by 60 feet (694 x 18 m) with an asphalt surface.
It originally had three runways, but one 8,000'(2,438m) runway is closed and is used solely as a taxiway
. The airport has an operational Category I instrument landing system
(ILS) to Runway 17L. The former USAF control tower resumed operations in mid-2008.
For the 12-month period ending April 30, 2007, the airport had 53,300 aircraft operations, an average of 146 per day: 98% general aviation
, 2% military
and <1% air taxi
. At that time there were 169 aircraft based at this airport: 73% single-engine
, 11% multi-engine, 11% jet
, 4% helicopter
and 1% ultralight.
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...
in Grayson County
Grayson County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 110,595 people, 42,849 households, and 30,208 families residing in the county. The population density was 118 people per square mile . There were 48,315 housing units at an average density of 52 per square mile...
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is located between the cities of Sherman
Sherman, Texas
Sherman is a city in and the county seat of Grayson County, Texas, United States. The city's estimated population as of 2009 was 38,407. It is also one of two principal cities in the Sherman-Denison Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
and Denison
Denison, Texas
Denison is a city in Grayson County, Texas, United States. The population was 22,773 at the 2000 census; it is estimated to have grown to 24,127 in 2009. Denison is one of two principal cities in the Sherman-Denison Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
. Formerly known as Grayson County Airport, the airport was renamed in November 2007. It is used entirely for general aviation purposes. Several of the buildings are occupied by businesses, Grayson County government agencies, as well as Grayson County College
Grayson County College
Grayson County College is a community college located in Grayson County, Texas. GCC's main campus is located in Denison, with branch campuses in Sherman, Van Alstyne and Bonham ....
.
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 GYI by the FAA and PNX by the IATA (which assigned GYI to an airport in Gisenyi
Gisenyi
Gisenyi is a city in Rubavu district in the Western Province of Rwanda. Gisenyi is contiguous with Goma, the city across the border in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The population of the city is about 106 000 .-Description:...
, Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
).
As a general aviation reliever airport, unconfirmed reports suggest that the airport might potentially (in the distant future) serve as a third airport for the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex
Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex
The Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area, a title designated by the U.S. Census as of 2003, encompasses 12 counties within the U.S. state of Texas. The area is divided into two metropolitan divisions: Dallas–Plano–Irving and Fort Worth–Arlington. Residents of the area...
to handle travelers from its growing northern suburbs. If this occurs, commercial traffic would be focused on regional jet airline operations. A planned extension of State Highway 289 would pass the airport on the west side.
History
The airport is located on the site of the former Perrin Air Force Base, which was built in 1941 and closed in 1971. Since the closure, a small group of local Sherman and Denison citizens have held the memory of Perrin together, hosting nine Perrin Field reunions since the early 1980s. The Perrin AFB Research Foundation was established in 1998. Today, in addition to serving as a general aviation airport, several businesses, as well as a juvenile detention center/boot-camp and adult probation center are built upon former barracks and nearby areas. There is a small museum dedicated to the former Perrin Air Force Base at the airport and Grayson County CollegeGrayson County College
Grayson County College is a community college located in Grayson County, Texas. GCC's main campus is located in Denison, with branch campuses in Sherman, Van Alstyne and Bonham ....
uses several of the buildings for its course offerings. The college also operates the former base golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
.
After seeing the fighters take off from here, a young Chesley Sullenberger
Chesley Sullenberger
Chesley Burnett "Sully" Sullenberger III is an American airline transport pilot , safety expert, and accident investigator from Danville, California...
became interested in flying.
Facilities and aircraft
The airport covers an area of 1410 acres (570.6 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 749 feet (228 m) above mean sea level. It has two 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: 17L/35R is 9,000 by 150 feet (2,743 x 46 m) with an asphalt/concrete surface; 13/31 is 2,277 by 60 feet (694 x 18 m) with an asphalt surface.
It originally had three runways, but one 8,000'(2,438m) runway is closed and is used solely as a taxiway
Taxiway
A taxiway is a path on an airport connecting runways with ramps, hangars, terminals and other facilities. They mostly have hard surface such as asphalt or concrete, although smaller airports sometimes use gravel or grass....
. The airport has an operational Category I instrument landing system
Instrument Landing System
An instrument landing system is a ground-based instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway, using a combination of radio signals and, in many cases, high-intensity lighting arrays to enable a safe landing during instrument...
(ILS) to Runway 17L. The former USAF control tower resumed operations in mid-2008.
For the 12-month period ending April 30, 2007, the airport had 53,300 aircraft operations, an average of 146 per day: 98% 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...
, 2% 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 <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...
. At that time there were 169 aircraft based at this airport: 73% 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...
, 11% multi-engine, 11% jet
Jet aircraft
A jet aircraft is an aircraft propelled by jet engines. Jet aircraft generally fly much faster than propeller-powered aircraft and at higher altitudes – as high as . At these altitudes, jet engines achieve maximum efficiency over long distances. The engines in propeller-powered aircraft...
, 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...
and 1% ultralight.
External links
- Perrin Field Historical Society and Museum
- Sherman/Denison, Grayson County (GYI) at Texas DOT Airport Directory