| Eaker Field | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: DUA – ICAO: KDUA – FAA LID: DUA | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Owner | City of Durant | ||
| Serves | Durant | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 699 ft / 213 m | ||
| Website | |||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 17/35 | 5,001 | 1,524 | Asphalt |
| 12/30 | 3,000 | 914 | Asphalt |
| Statistics (2005) | |||
| Aircraft operations | 46,355 | ||
| Based aircraft | 21 | ||
| Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1] | |||
Durant Regional Airport - Eaker Field (IATA: DUA, ICAO: KDUA, FAA LID: DUA) is a public airport located three miles (5 km) south of the City of Durant, Oklahoma,[2] established in September 1943.[3] It is three miles (5 km) south of Durant's central business district, off of U.S. 69/75. Its field elevation is 698 feet (213 m).[4] The airport is home to Southeastern Oklahoma State University's Aviation Sciences Institute.
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The airport is named in honor of SOSU alum General Ira Eaker. General Eaker was a 1917 graduate of Southeastern and served in both World War I and World War II. During WWII, General Eaker was commander of the Eighth Air Force in England and led several historic bombing missions against Nazi targets in occupied Europe and Germany.
The City of Durant named an airfield west of the town in honor of then Captain Eaker in the 1930s. The U.S. Navy built the current airfield as an auxiliary field during WWII and it became Durant Municipal Airport after the war. It was later renamed Eaker Field.[4]
Eaker Field covers an area of 840 acres (3.4 km2) and contains two runways designated 12/30 and 17/35. Runway 12/30 is 3,000 x 75 ft (914.4 x 22.9 m) and runway 17/35 is 5,001 x 100 ft (1,524.3 x 30.5 m), both with asphalt pavement.
For a 12-month period ending August 25, 2005, the airport had 46,355 aircraft operations, an average of 127 per day: 97.8% general aviation, 2.2% general aviation itinerant, 0.1% military. At that time there were 21 aircraft based at this airport: 17 single-engine, 3 multi-engine, and 1 jet.
The Durant Industrial Authority is currently in the process of putting the new airport terminal building design for Eaker Field up for bid. According to city officials, the need for a terminal building is drived by the growing economy in Durant and surrounding areas. The terminal building will be approximately 8,000 sq ft (740 m2).[5]
The terminal design initially called for an air traffic control tower, but was later dropped due to the cost.
A new taxiway is also in the early bidding process for Eaker Field. The taxiway project will be done in two phases along runway 17/35. Phase 1 will cover about half of the distance, around 2,500 feet (760 m), and is set to be completed in 2010. Phase II will include the remaining footage of the runway.