| Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport South Plains AAF |
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|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 USGS airphoto | |||
| IATA: LBB – ICAO: KLBB – FAA LID: LBB | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Operator | City of Lubbock | ||
| Location | Lubbock, Texas | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 3,282 ft / 1,000 m | ||
| Website | |||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 8/26 | 8,001 | 2,439 | Concrete |
| 17R/35L | 11,500 | 3,502 | Concrete |
| 17L/35R | 2,891 | 881 | Asphalt |
Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport (IATA: LBB, ICAO: KLBB) is an airport located just north of Lubbock, Texas. Originally known as Lubbock International Airport, it was renamed in 2004 to honor former Texas governor Preston E. Smith, an alumnus of Texas Tech University. The airport has three runways.
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The airport is the 8th busiest airport in Texas, with more than 90,000 more enplaned people than the 9th busiest (Midland International Airport). Lubbock International is first among the smaller Texas cities (behind only Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, and El Paso). It just finished completion on its major re-construction and re-configuration of its parking facilities. Wait times at this airport are extremely minimal usually taking about ten minutes from entering the airport, to ticket-counters, to gate. Lubbock Preston Smith international Airport is one of only 42 airports around the world with CNN Airport Network. Lubbock Preston Airport plays host as a major hub to Fedex's feeder planes that serve cities around Lubbock.
The airport was opened in November 1937 as South Plains Airport. In 1942, the United States Army Air Forces indicated a need for the airport as a training airfield. After its requisition by the Air Force, it was assigned to the World War II Army Air Forces Flying Training Command, Gulf Coast Training Center (later Central Flying Training Command). The airport was renmed South Plains Army Airfield and a rapid period of construction was begun to convert the civil airport into a military training airfield.
Construction involved improving runways and airplane hangars, with three concrete runways, several taxiways and a large parking apron and a control tower. Several large hangars were also constructed. Buildings were ultimately utilitarian and quickly assembled. Most base buildings, not meant for long-term use, were constructed of temporary or semi-permanent materials. Although some hangars had steel frames and the occasional brick or tile brick building could be seen, most support buildings sat on concrete foundations but were of frame construction clad in little more than plywood and tarpaper.
The base was activated on 11 September 1942 as the South Plains Flying School. The mission was ground and flying training of glider pilots. Glider training was performed by the 848th School Squadron (Special), with overall training being under the 64th Two-Engine Flying Training Group. Aircraft assigned were Douglas C-47 Skytrains and Waco CG-4A gliders. The CG-4A was the USAAF's primary glider, consisting of little more than a wooden and fabric shell, equipped with radio, wheels, and brakes. Glider pilots trained at South Plains flew these craft in combat during the Normandy Invasion, Operation Market-Garden, and also Operation Varsity, the airborne invasion of Germany.
By late 1944 Flying Training Command ended all glider instruction, and control of South Plains AAF was transferred to Air Service Command at Tinker Field, Oklahoma. Under Air Service Command, South Plains became a maintenance and supply depot for excess aircraft that could not be accommodated at Tinker. After the war ended, in 1946 and 1947, South Plains was used as a storage facility for excess aircraft prior to their reclamation.
The military use of South Plains ended on December 1, 1947 and the facility was returned to the local government for civil use.
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| American Eagle | Dallas/Fort Worth |
| Delta Connection operated by Pinnacle Airlines | Memphis |
| Southwest Airlines | Albuquerque, Austin, Dallas-Love, Las Vegas |
| United Express operated by ExpressJet Airlines | Denver, Houston Intercontinental |
| Rank | City | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas-Love, TX | 151,000 | Southwest |
| 2 | Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | 112,000 | American |
| 3 | Houston-Intercontinental, TX | 51,000 | United |
| 4 | Austin, TX | 47,000 | Southwest |
| 5 | Memphis, TN | 35,000 | Delta |
| 6 | Las Vegas, NV | 31,000 | Southwest |
| 7 | Albuquerque, NM | 22,000 | Southwest |
| 8 | Houston-Hobby, TX | 22,000 | No longer served |
| 9 | Denver, CO | 11,000 | United |
| 10 | Phoenix, AZ | 8,000 | No longer served |
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Ameriflight | Dallas/Fort Worth |
| Baron Aviation Services | Abilene, Roswell |
| Empire Airlines | Midland, Dallas/Fort Worth |
| FedEx Express | Memphis, Tucson |
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
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