Roanoke Regional Airport

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Roanoke Regional Airport
Woodrum Field


Roanoke Regional Airport main terminal building
IATA: ROA – ICAO: KROA
Summary
Operator Roanoke Regional Airport Commission
Serves Roanoke Valley
Location Roanoke, Virginia
Elevation AMSL 1,175 ft / 358.1 m
Coordinates 37°19′31.7″N, 79°58′31.5″W
Website http://www.roanokeairport.com/
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
6/24 6,800 2,073 Asphalt
15/33 5,810 1,771 Asphalt
Helipads
Number Length Surface
ft m
H1 60 18 Asphalt
Federal Aviation Administration[1]

Roanoke Regional Airport (IATA: ROA, ICAO: KROA), also known as Woodrum Field, is a public airport located approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) north of downtown Roanoke, Virginia. It has two runways and over 60 scheduled flights each day. The airport is governed by the five-member Roanoke Regional Airport Commission that includes representatives from both the City of Roanoke and Roanoke County.

With a history stretching to the time following World War I, Roanoke Regional Airport has evolved from a pair of dirt runways and a single hangar to a fully equipped, modern airport serving multiple commercial airlines.[2] Today the airport features a terminal building completed in 1989, a pair of asphalt runways, and a control tower completed in 2005 that serves the residents of the greater Roanoke Valley.[3][4]

For 2007 Roanoke Regional saw 685,000 passengers with 71 percent on-time departures and 68 percent on-time arrivals.[5] The top carriers into Roanoke for 2007 were Piedmont Airlines with 25.96 percent, Atlantic Southeast Airlines with 13.87 percent and Trans States Airlines with 12.98 percent of all passengers.[5] The top destinations from Roanoke for 2007 included Charlotte with 24.2 percent, Atlanta with 18.7 percent and Chicago with 14 percent of all travelers.[5] As of February 2008, 1,379 daily seats are available for passengers traveling from Roanoke.[6]

Contents

[edit] History

Main terminal
Main terminal

After World War I, the idea of opening an airport to serve the Roanoke Valley became more of a priority for local leaders. The original purpose of the facility was to provide for a landing strip, aircraft storage, as well as serving as a flight school for local residents.[2] The original location of Roanoke's airport was 6 miles (9.7 km) north of the Roanoke city limits in Roanoke County. The location for the airport was secured on July 1, 1929, when the city of Roanoke signed the lease on the land to operate the Roanoke Municipal Airport.[2] The original facility featured a single 83 feet (25 m) x 100 feet (30 m) hangar and a pair of dirt runways, and the first commercial service commenced in 1933 when Ludington Airlines made Roanoke a stop on their New York to Nashville route.[2]

By 1934, American Airways began service to Roanoke, but they later moved their operations to Lynchburg in 1937 due to the poor conditions in Roanoke.[2] After American's withdrawal, city leaders determined a new facility needed to be constructed to replace the existing field. Originally privately operated, the city of Roanoke took control of the facility in 1937, after it purchased the original hangar, with Works Progress Administration funds paying the costs of paving the runways. After the airport was declared a national defense project, federal funds became available to complete the facility, and on December 15, 1941, it was officially dedicated.[2] The airport was named Woodrum Field in honor of Clifton A. Woodrum, the congressional representative from Virginia's Sixth District, and after it reopened, American Airways reestablished service to Roanoke Municipal Airport.[2]

Airside in the main terminal
Airside in the main terminal

Shortly after it departed from Asheville Regional Airport in Asheville, North Carolina on July 19, 1967, Piedmont Airlines Flight 22 collided with a twin-engine Cessna 310 on approach to Asheville. At the time of the accident, the Piedmont Boeing 727 was en route to Roanoke. There were 82 fatalities and no survivors, making this the deadliest accident associated with Roanoke Regional Airport.[7]

When facilities reached their maximum capacity, the need for upgrades became necessary for the airport to continue to grow. A proposal for runway expansion as well as facilities upgrades was developed in 1975, but was subsequently put on hold while a new regional airport was being studied to serve both Roanoke and all of Southwest Virginia.[2] During this time airline deregulation was put in place, and combined with the airport's aging facilities and the phasing out of turbo prop aircraft in favor of jet aircraft by the airlines, the airport's outdated infrastructure and deteriorating condition resulted in a decline of service to the airport.[2] In order to allow for larger, jet aircraft to land, a runway expansion began in the early 1980s.[8] With the runway extension underway, the airport officially changed its name from Roanoke Municipal Airport to Roanoke Regional Airport in 1983.[9] The runway expansion project was completed in 1985.[8]

Between 1984-1985, Roanoke City developed an Airport Master Plan calling for $43.8 million to be spent in the development of a new terminal building, in addition to other improvements throughout the site.[10] With $15.4 million secured in state and local funding for its implementation, the remainder of the costs were covered by local authorities.[10] From this need for funding, the idea for the creation of a Regional Airport Commission to oversee airport operations was proposed. Approved by the Virginia General Assembly on February 18, 1986, and initiated on July 1, 1987, the Roanoke Regional Airport Commission consisted of 5 members, with three appointed from Roanoke City and two appointed from Roanoke County.[10] The creation of the commission ended the city of Roanoke's role as the sole operator of the airport, which had stretched from 1934 through 1987.[10]

Directional signage and airport logo in Downtown Roanoke
Directional signage and airport logo in Downtown Roanoke

Although Roanoke has never had international passenger service, in 2001, the Airport Commission was prepared to change the airport's name to Roanoke International Airport.[9] This was the case as the U.S. Customs Service increased the radius covered by the inland port in Dublin to include Roanoke. This expansion allowed for the airport to add customs officials to accommodate both international travel and cargo to pass through Roanoke's facilities.[11] However, the renaming did not occur as a result of the economic downturn in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks.[9] In 2007, the prospect of changing the airport's name was again mentioned as a possibility by the Airport Commission.[9]

Local residents and businesses sometimes complain about the airport's limited number of non-stop flights and lack of low priced fares.[12] Airport officials estimate that around a third of airline tickets purchased by area residents are for travel from other airports. Competition includes Piedmont Triad International Airport near Greensboro, North Carolina as an alternate and others farther away which have service from Southwest Airlines or international flights.[13][14] However, aviation industry consultant Michael Boyd compared Roanoke's level of air service favorably to similarly sized cities.[14]

In an effort to add more options for travelers in Roanoke, the airport added non-stop service to Orlando in May 2006[15] and Tampa in December 2006[16] with Allegiant Air. This is largely seen as the product of an effort by local leaders to bring new and improved service to the airport through both existing and new carriers. Earlier attempts to lobby AirTran Airways[17][18] and the now defunct Independence Air[19] to serve the airport were unsuccessful.

[edit] Previous airline service

Ticketing counters on the lower level of the main terminal
Ticketing counters on the lower level of the main terminal

In the time since the initial commercial service to Roanoke commenced in 1933, various airlines have offered non-stop service to and from Roanoke. Prior to airline deregulation, carriers such as TWA[20] and Eastern Airlines[21] provided service. However, the original Piedmont Airlines has left the most lasting legacy on commercial aviation in Roanoke.[2]

Piedmont became the airport’s dominant air carrier through its 1988 merger with USAir. Service originally commenced on April 16, 1948,[2] with only a pair of flights, which carried 42 passengers. In the 1970s, Piedmont established a regional hub in Roanoke with 45 daily flights, that served 330,000 passengers by 1973.[2] By 1982, Piedmont accounted for 89 percent of all passengers that traveled through Roanoke.[11]

From Roanoke, Piedmont provided non-stop service to many cities including but not limited to: Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago-O'Hare, Greensboro, Louisville, Nashville, Newark, Pittsburgh, Richmond, and Washington-Reagan.[22] Piedmont continued to serve Roanoke through its merger with USAir, and the final Piedmont flights from Roanoke occurred on August 4, 1989.[23]

During the period of Piedmont’s dominance, several regional airlines established service to Roanoke only to later pull out. Between October 29, 1978 and February 1979, Allegheny Airlines provided non-stop service to Pittsburgh,[2] Aeromech Airlines briefly provided service to selected West Virginia destinations in the early 1980s,[2] and Air Virginia provided service from the 1970s through the mid-1980s.[2]

In the period following the Piedmont-USAir merger, Roanoke has seen various carriers enter and exit the local market. American Eagle discontinued service to its Raleigh-Durham hub in December 1994.[24] In January 1996, Continental Express offered daily flights to its Newark only to have the service discontinued on November 1, 1997.[25] Other carriers still operating at Roanoke have decreased the number of destinations served from Roanoke since the early 1990s. U.S. Airways Express has eliminated non-stop service to Baltimore, Charlottesville, Dayton, Pittsburgh and Washington-Reagan since 1990,[11] and Northwest Airlink has eliminated service to Newark.[26]

[edit] Facilities

[edit] Terminal

Aurora statue outside the main terminal
Aurora statue outside the main terminal

The current terminal building was designed by the Charlotte based architectural firm of Odell Associates and was built to serve as a replacement for the 1953 terminal, later demolished in 2005.[27] Construction of the terminal commenced in 1987,[10] and it opened in October 1989 at a final cost of $25 million.[3] The Y-shaped building features a front of blue-tinted, reflecting glass with exposed white triangular tube steel trusses.[3] The lobby interior includes an arched brick wall leading out into a central plaza and front courtyard at the main entrance. The terminal was constructed to handle passengers expected through the year 2010, with a design that allows for expansion when warranted.[3] Outside the terminal is an abstract, steel sculpture by New York artist Albert Paley entitled Aurora. Installed in October 1990, the sculpture is 21 feet (6.4 m) feet in height.[28]

Landside facilities, or the facilities located outside the TSA security checkpoint, include check-in, car rental, baggage claim and a taxi hire. The upper-level has a small cafe and newsstand. The upper-level Airside, or the facilities located inside the TSA security checkpoint, has 7 gates (Gates 1-6 and 5A), and a small cafe area.[29] Additionally, the entire terminal has been a free, wi-fi hotspot since April 2, 2003, when the service was initiated.[30]

Designed for future expansion to accommodate additional aircraft, there has been talk of a terminal expansion, though official plans have yet to be announced.[3] However, with the gate space being used to 100 percent capacity at peak times, there is very little capacity available for new flights unless they arrive and depart at off-peak times (10 AM-12 PM),(7 PM-10 PM).[31][32]

[edit] Runways

Roanoke Regional Airport features a pair of runways originally completed in 1942.[33] The largest runway is 6,800 feet (2,100 m) x 150 feet (46 m) and the other runway is 5,810 feet (1,770 m) x 150 feet (46 m) in total length.[1]

Originally 5,900 feet (1,800 m) in length, an expansion to lengthen Runway 6/24 was originally envisioned in the 1970s.[8] However, expansion was delayed until the early 1980s while a proposed new regional airport serving Roanoke, Lynchburg and Martinsville, to be built in Bedford County, was evaluated.[8] Once the regional airport proposal was scrapped, the expansion was completed in 1985 and 900 feet (270 m) was added to its eastern end to allow for fully loaded jet aircraft to take off and land with a full load.[8]

The expansion also resulted in the creation of a tunnel beneath Runway 06/24 along Virginia State Route 118.[34] Completed between 1983 and 1985, it is maintained by the Roanoke Regional Airport Commission.[34] The most recent runway refurbishment was completed in 2002, in addition to the relocating one of the taxiways to prevent runway incursions.[33]

Due to the size and layout of its runways, the airport has been rated among the top ten airports within a couple of hours of Andrews Air Force Base for training pilots in the 89th Operations Group. This group is responsible for piloting Air Force One as the Special Air Mission fleet for the President of the United States.[35]

[edit] Control tower

Throughout its history, Roanoke Regional Airport has had five separate control towers serve the airport.[36] The first tower was commissioned in March 1943, and the fourth was commissioned on June 6, 1952 and located atop the original terminal building.[36] With the opening of the new terminal in 1989, a replacement tower became necessary in order to allow for the demolition of the original terminal building. Additionally, it would also provide controllers unobstructed views of the entire airport, which was not the case in the original structure.[36]

Federal funding for a new tower fell through in both 1993 and 1997, but in 1999 the FAA announced they were restarting the Roanoke project, paving the way for its construction.[4] The present tower is 197 feet (60 m) in height and has been operational since it was commissioned by the FAA on December 5, 2004. It was officially dedicated on May 16, 2005 in honor of former Roanoke air traffic manager John Hinkle.[4]

Twenty-nine air traffic controllers work the Roanoke tower, and its radar also provides air-traffic services for Lynchburg, Dublin, Blacksburg, Smith Mountain Lake, New London, Brookneal and the Falwell Airport in Lynchburg.[36] The total airspace controlled by Roanoke stretches well over 200 miles (320 km) from the Mountain Empire region to Farmville.[36]

[edit] Parking and ground transportation

Baggage claim and rental car area of the main terminal
Baggage claim and rental car area of the main terminal

Roanoke Regional features a large surface parking lot, which is divided into long term (996 spaces) and short term (226 spaces) parking.[37] An additional 598 parking spaces are available in an overflow lot across Aviation Drive during peak travel times.[38] In service since 1990,[39] a small parking shuttle bus operates every 10 to 15 minutes between 6 a.m. and midnight.[38] Future improvements to the parking areas will result in the construction of a multi-level parking garage atop the site of the existing long term lot.[40]

The airport is accessible from via Aviation Drive, which branches off Hershberger Road just east of Exit 3E off I-581 leading to downtown Roanoke.[41] The airport can also be accessed from Virginia State Route 118 by connecting with Municipal Drive just east of the terminal.[41]

Major rental car companies Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz and National serve the airport. Taxi and limousine service is provided by local companies.[42]

The airport is also served by the Smart Way Bus, with its stop located outside the eastern end of the terminal. Operating Monday through Saturday, the Smart Way serves both downtown Roanoke as well as Salem, Christiansburg, Blacksburg and Virginia Tech.[43] Although Valley Metro does not directly serve the main terminal, Route 16 does make a scheduled stop just east of the main parking lot.[44]

[edit] Airlines and destinations

The Delta Connection staff is employed by Comair which, at the moment, does not fly to Roanoke.[45] Chautauqua operates the current flights to/from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport and Roanoke.

[edit] Cargo airlines

[edit] Aircraft

United Express Embraer ERJ-145 at Gate 2
United Express Embraer ERJ-145 at Gate 2
  • Allegiant Air uses MD-81/83 jet aircraft seating 130-150 people.[46]
  • Delta Connection carriers use Canadair Regional Jets (ASA), which seat up to 50 passengers, and the Embraer 135 (Chautauqua) which seats 37 passengers.[47]
  • Northwest Airlink carriers flying from Roanoke operate Canadair Regional Jets or Saab 340 turboprop aircraft.[48]
  • United Express employs an all regional jet fleet at Roanoke Regional, the Embraer 145 and Canadair Regional Jets are the standard for flights to Chicago and Washington-Dulles.[49]
  • US Airways Express contracts a number of regional carriers to fly into Roanoke. Their aircraft are as follows:
    • Air Wisconsin--Canadair Regional Jets (50 seat medium range regional jets)
    • Piedmont Airlines--DeHavilland Dash 8-100/300 (30-50 seat turboprop aircraft)
    • PSA Airlines--Canadair Regional Jets (50 seat regional jet aircraft)[50]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Airport Diagram for Roanoke Regional/Woodrum Field. FAA Airport Diagrams. FAA. Retrieved on 2008-02-10.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Kagey, Deedie (1988). "Up and Away with Aviation/Roanoke Regional Airport", When Past Is Prologue: A History of Roanoke County, 1st (in English), Roanoke, VA: Roanoke County Sesquicentennial Committee, 444-450. 
  3. ^ a b c d e Turner, Joel. "Airport designed to reflect valley", The Roanoke Times, August 12, 1990, pp. D1. 
  4. ^ a b c Caliri, Lois. "Control tower dedication finally arrives", The Roanoke Times, May 17, 2005, pp. C1. 
  5. ^ a b c Roanoke, VA: Roanoke Municipal (ROA). Scheduled Services Only: Data as of 2/24/2008. Bureau of Transportation Statistics: RITA. Retrieved on 2008-02-24.
  6. ^ Roanoke Regional Airport: Roanoke Airport Daily Departures Statistics. Roanoke Regional Airport. Roanoke Regional Airport Authority. Retrieved on 2008-02-24.
  7. ^ "Piedmont Aviation, Flight 22 Aircraft Accident Report", NTSB. Retrieved on 2008-02-15. 
  8. ^ a b c d e Turner, Joel. "Retiring manager got airport off ground", The Roanoke Times, July 1, 1991, pp. A3. 
  9. ^ a b c d Rogers, Christina. "Up in the air: The change to "Roanoke International Airport" is still possible", The Roanoke Times, July 19, 2007, pp. C8. 
  10. ^ a b c d e Kagey, Deedie (1988). "The Airport Commission", When Past Is Prologue: A History of Roanoke County, 1st (in English), Roanoke, VA: Roanoke County Sesquicentennial Committee, 607. 
  11. ^ a b c Stewart, Keisha. "Roanoke included in new customs boundaries", The Roanoke Times, May 26, 2001, pp. A7. 
  12. ^ Caliri, Lois. "Roanoke offers direct flights to NY", The Roanoke Times, September 7, 2002, pp. A8. 
  13. ^ Rogers, Christina. "Leaving Roanoke to find...cheaper airfare", The Roanoke Times, November 22, 2006, pp. A1. 
  14. ^ a b Caliri, Lois. "Expert: Not enough traffic to woo carrier", The Roanoke Times, July 17, 2004, pp. C8. 
  15. ^ Kantor, Eric. "Gone to Florida", The Roanoke Times, May 25, 2006, pp. A1. 
  16. ^ Kantor, Eric. "Allegiant takes to Florida's waters", The Roanoke Times, September 29, 2006, pp. C10. 
  17. ^ Caliri, Lois. "Effort to attract AirTran accelerates", The Roanoke Times, September 11, 2003, pp. A9. 
  18. ^ Flowers, Shanna. "Roanoke should speak up to AirTran", The Roanoke Times, November 7, 2006, pp. B1. 
  19. ^ Adams, Duncan. "Airline's plan diverted from Roanoke for now", The Roanoke Times, March 25, 2004, pp. C8. 
  20. ^ "Trans World Airlines", Archive.com: The Museum of Commercial Aviation. Retrieved on 2008-02-19. 
  21. ^ "Eastern Airlines", Archive.com: The Museum of Commercial Aviation. Retrieved on 2008-02-19. 
  22. ^ "Piedmont Airlines", Archive.com: The Museum of Commercial Aviation. Retrieved on 2008-02-19. 
  23. ^ The Piedmont Aviation Historical Society. Milestones in the History of Piedmont Airlines. Retrieved on 2008-02-25.
  24. ^ Edwards, Greg. "Airlines stop service: Roanoke loses American Eagle", The Roanoke Times, December 14, 1994, pp. B8. 
  25. ^ Schnabel, Megan. "Continental Express cuts back both daily flights from Roanoke", The Roanoke Times, September 20, 1997, pp. A5. 
  26. ^ Howes, Daniel. "Flights to Newark on the way", The Roanoke Times, December 5, 1992, pp. A8. )
  27. ^ Adams, Duncan. "Controllers on cloud nine in new tower", The Roanoke Times, December 4, 2004, pp. C10. 
  28. ^ DeBell, Jeff. "Art comes to airport", The Roanoke Times, October 26, 1990, pp. B3. 
  29. ^ Roanoke Regional Airport: Terminal Map. Roanoke Regional Airport Authority. Retrieved on 2008-02-15.
  30. ^ Adams, Duncan. "Roanoke airport now internet ready", The Roanoke Times, April 3, 2003, pp. A7. 
  31. ^ Roanoke Regional Airport: Arrivals. Roanoke Regional Airport Authority. Retrieved on 2008-04-11.
  32. ^ Roanoke Regional Airport: Departures. Roanoke Regional Airport Authority. Retrieved on 2008-04-11.
  33. ^ a b Caliri, Lois. "Improvements take off at airport - Construction work resumes at Roanoke Regional Airport", The Roanoke Times, May 15, 2002, pp. A9. 
  34. ^ a b Taylor, Leslie. "Question: Is there a flight at the end of the tunnel?", The Roanoke Times, August 8, 1996, pp. C1. 
  35. ^ Kojima, Emi. "Roanoke's patriotic duty - Air Force pilots sharpen skills at Roanoke Regional Airport", The Roanoke Times, May 5, 2002, pp. A1. 
  36. ^ a b c d e Caliri, Lois. "Tower power", The Roanoke Times, February 8, 2004, pp. B1. 
  37. ^ Johnson, Rob. "Roanoke airport sees all departure seats booked", The Roanoke Times, October 31, 2007, pp. C8. 
  38. ^ a b Sturgeon, Jeff. "Potential for delay is gathering at the airport", The Roanoke Times, December 14, 2007, pp. C8. 
  39. ^ Turner, Joel. "Approval given for shuttlebus at airport", The Roanoke Times, January 18, 1990, pp. B4. 
  40. ^ Caliri, Lois. "Traffic, plans soar at airport", The Roanoke Times, January 29, 1999, pp. A7. 
  41. ^ a b Roanoke Regional Airport: Getting Here. Roanoke Regional Airport Authority. Retrieved on 2008-02-10.
  42. ^ Roanoke Regional Airport: Terminal Services. Car Rental. Roanoke Regional Airport Authority. Retrieved on 2008-02-17.
  43. ^ The Smart Way Commuter Bus: Schedules. Valley Metro. Retrieved on 2008-02-10.
  44. ^ Valley Metro: Schedules - Routes 12 & 16. Valley Metro. Retrieved on 2008-02-15.
  45. ^ "Comair: Customer Service Agent", Comair. Retrieved on 2008-02-15. 
  46. ^ What type of aircraft does Allegiant Air fly?. Allegiant Air. Retrieved on 2008-04-06.
  47. ^ Delta Book a Trip: ROA to ATL and CVG. Delta Airlines. Retrieved on 2008-04-06.
  48. ^ Northwest Airfare Search: ROA to DTW. Northwest Airlines. Retrieved on 2008-04-06.
  49. ^ United Flights Search: ROA to IAD and ORD. United Airlines. Retrieved on 2008-04-06.
  50. ^ USAirways Flights Search: ROA to CLT, PHL and LGA. USAirways. Retrieved on 2008-04-06.

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