Republic Airport

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Republic Airport
IATA: FRG - ICAO: KFRG
Summary
Airport type		Public
Operator		New York State Department of Transportation
Serves		Farmingdale, New York
Elevation AMSL		82 ft (25 m)
Coordinates		40°43′43.61″N, 73°24′48.26″W
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
Direction	ft	m	Surface
14/32	6,827	2,081	Asphalt
1/19	5,516	1,681	Asphalt

FAA diagram of Republic Airport (FRG)

See also: Transportation in New York City

Republic Airport (IATA: FRG, ICAO: KFRG) is a major general aviation airport located on Long Island in East Farmingdale, Suffolk County, New York.

It is a popular destination for aircraft travelling to New York City and Long Island. Although mainly a general aviation airport, it is designated as a reliever airport according to Federal Aviation Administration records. It is the third busiest airport in New York in terms of aircraft movements behind only John F. Kennedy (KJFK) and LaGuardia (KLGA). Occupying 526 acres, Republic Airport is one of eleven airports on Long Island.

[edit] History

Republic Airport was developed by Sherman Fairchild as the Fairchild Flying Field in East Farmingdale on Long Island, NY in late 1927 as his flying field and airplane factory in South Farmingdale was inadequate to support the mass production of his FC-2 and Model 71 airplanes. Fairchild purchased property on the south side of Route 24-Conklin Street and had the airport's original layout plan prepared on November 3, 1927. The 77.967 acre flying field was developed in the late winter and early spring of 1928 and was originally owned and operated by Fairchild Engine & Airplane Manufacturing Company.The first flights from the Fairchild Flying Field took place in late spring of 1928 after the Fairchild Airplane and Airplane Engine factories were completed and aircraft were produced in the new factories. After Fairchild moved to Hagerstown, Maryland in 1931, Grumman Aircraft Engineering built planes at the airport from 1932 until 1937. Seversky Aircraft moved there in 1936, and became Republic Aviation in 1939. Republic built the P-47 Thunderbolt during World War II, the F-84 Thunderjet during the Korean War, and the F-105 Thunderchief during the Vietnam Era. Republic Aviation was acquired by the Fairchild-Hiller Corp.in 1965 and Republic Airport started service as a general aviation airport on December 7, 1966 under the Farmingdale Corporation. Republic Airport was acquired by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in 1969 and ownership of the airport was transferred to the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) in April 1983, in order to promote economic development in the surrounding Long Island region. The Republic Airport Commission was created by the New York State Legislature in 1982 {Chap. 370, L.1982) "as an advisory council to the Commissioner of Transportation in the administration and management of the Republic Airport facilities and its surrounding areas with respect to projects to be undertaken at such airport."

The Long Island Republic Airport Historical Society, formed in 1987, maintains thirteen photographic exhibits illustrating the history of aviation, and historical archives, on the first floor of the main terminal building at Republic Airport. The airport is also home to American Airpower Museum which offers visitors the opportunity to see WWII aircraft in flight.

[edit] Facilities

Republic Airport has a two-story terminal building serving passengers boarding charter flights to short distance destinations such as Atlantic City, New Jersey. Two fixed based operators serve corporate and light general aviation customers: Long Island Jet Center and Atlantic Aviation. Adjacent to the airport is the 56th Fighter Group restaurant, operated by Specialty Restaurants Corp. Also, Troop L of the New York State Police, which covers Nassau and Suffolk Counties, is headquartered at the airport.