| T. F. Green Airport Theodore Francis Green State Airport |
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|---|---|---|---|
| USGS aerial image | |||
| IATA: PVD – ICAO: KPVD – FAA LID: PVD | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Owner | State of Rhode Island | ||
| Operator | Rhode Island Airport Corporation | ||
| Serves | Providence | ||
| Location | 2000 Post Road Warwick, Rhode Island |
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| Elevation AMSL | 55 ft / 17 m | ||
| Coordinates | |||
| Website | |||
| Maps | |||
| FAA airport diagram | |||
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PVD
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| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 5/23 | 7,166 | 2,184 | Asphalt |
| 16/34 | 6,081 | 1,853 | Asphalt |
| Statistics (2009, 1010) | |||
| Aircraft operations (2009) | 83,016 | ||
| Based aircraft (2009) | 71 | ||
| Passenger (2010) | 3,936,423 | ||
| Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1] | |||
T. F. Green Airport [2] (IATA: PVD, ICAO: KPVD, FAA LID: PVD), also known as Theodore Francis Green State Airport, is a public airport located in Warwick, six miles (10 km) south of Providence, in Kent County, Rhode Island, USA. Dedicated in 1931, the airport was named for former Rhode Island governor and longtime senator Theodore F. Green. Completely rebuilt in 1996,[3] the renovated main terminal was named for former Rhode Island governor Bruce Sundlun. It was the first state-owned airport in the United States.[4]
T.F. Green Airport is considered a regional airport serving the FAA's New England Region within the FAA System Plan.[5] Along with two other regional airports, Worcester Regional Airport and Manchester Regional Airport, T.F. Green is considered a reliever airport to Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts. The airport is the largest and most active airport among the six operated by the Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC).
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T.F. Green was dedicated on September 27, 1931, as Hillsgrove State Airport, drawing the largest crowd that had attended a public function in the country at the time.[4] In 1933, the historic Rhode Island State Airport Terminal was built, located on Airport Road, at the time named Occupatuxet Road.[6] In 1938 the airport was renamed to its current name.
During World War II, the Army Air Force took control of the airport from 1942 to 1945, using it for flight training for new air force cadets.[4]
In the 1960s, the airport grew rapidly, as commercial aviation sought interest in the Providence market. The runways were expanded to accommodate jet airliners and a new terminal opened on Post Road. In the 1970s, most of the legacy carriers served T.F. Green. In the 1990s, T.F. Green's terminal was once again rebuilt, expanding to 18 gates and modernizing the infrastructure. In 1997, 4 gates were added, totaling the number of gates to 22. Airlines added service to T.F. Green, including Air Canada,[7] Southwest,[8] SATA International,[9] and Spirit Airlines.[10]
Following the September 11th attacks, T.F. Green, like most airports in the United States, faced a decrease in passengers, which resulted in fewer flights and loss of service, specifically from American Airlines, Spirit, and SATA.
Although T.F. Green's longest runway is only 7,166 feet (2,184 m), the airport has been visited by several wide-body airplanes. Cheaper landing and transient fees at T.F. Green make it an appealing choice for visiting sports teams and entertainers. There are also plans to extend runway 5/23 to allow for nonstop flights to California and Western Europe.
T.F. Green has been visited by Air Force One, a Boeing 747, on October 25, 2010,[11] a Concorde operated by British Airways on June 13, 1988,[12] and an Airbus A340 flown by Iberia Airlines on June 1, 2011, which transported the Mens Spanish National Soccer Team for their match against the U.S. National Team on June 4, 2011, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.[13]
Since the Bruce Sundlun Terminal was opened in 1996, T.F. Green had become more congested due to increased traffic and post-9/11 security changes. As a result, terminal renovations have recently begun. According to the RIAC website, these improvements include:[14]
The Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC) writes (in 2001)[15] that the master plan completed in 1997 failed to envision the "tremendous growth" that had been experience in the years hitherto. The report identifies lack of runway length as a hindrance to "range and diversity of service", in particular emphasizing ability to service non-hub locations, the west coast, and international locations. A challenge particular to T.F. Green in this regard is its being surrounded by dense residential and commercial development. Many local residents also oppose expansion for the impact it will have on quality of life in the area.[16] Current plans call for runway 5-23 to be extended to 8,700 feet (2,700 m)[17] in order to allow T.F. Green to service nonstop flights to California and Western Europe.[18]
While some expansion proponents claim extending the main runway would bring in an estimated $138 million over the course of 13 years, doing so could consume 204 houses, at least ten businesses, and large areas of wetlands. More recent studies indicate substantially decreased enplanements due in-part to soaring fuel costs, and easier access to Logan International Airport since completion of improvements to the Southeast Expressway, Third Harbor Tunnel, bus services between T.F. Green and Logan, as well as the introduction of low cost carriers at Logan such as JetBlue.[19]
The Rhode Island Airport Corporation owns some residential property on the eastern side of the airport near the Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting building. Most homes on Cedar Swamp Road and Pembroke Avenue have since been demolished, likely to make way for future expansion.[20]
Theodore Francis Green State Airport covers an area of 1,111 acres (450 ha) at an elevation of 55 feet (17 m) above mean sea level. It has two asphalt paved runways: 5/23 is 7,166 by 150 feet (2,184 x 46 m) and 16/34 is 6,081 by 150 feet (1,853 x 46 m).[1] ILS is available for runways 5, 23, and 34, with runway 5 being certified for CAT III Instrument Landing operations. The other runways with ILS are certified for CAT I Instrument Landing operations.[21] Taxiway Victor served as Runway 5L/23R until 2003.
The airport's terminal, named for former Rhode Island governor Bruce Sundlun, has two concourses, North and South. The South Concourse has eight gates, and the North Concourse has 14 gates. Gate 7A is designed for international arrivals for use by Air Canada flights; it is directly connected to customs, which is on the lower level of the concourse. The terminal contains a number of stores and restaurants, and a central food court.
T.F. Green is mostly served by regional aircraft such as CRJ's and ERJ's, as well as smaller mainline aircraft such as Boeing 737's and MD-88's. Currently the largest scheduled aircraft servicing the airport is an US Airways Airbus A321-200 or Boeing 757-200 for one of its five daily flights to Charlotte, North Carolina, depending on the season. Delta Air Lines charters a Boeing 767-300 during the football season for the New England Patriots. Previous other mainline service included American Airlines servicing Chicago O'Hare and Dallas-Fort Worth Airport until 2008. During 2008, SATA International operated flights to the Azores using an A310-300.
T.F. Green is also visited daily by a Boeing 757 flown with FedEx, a new addition to the FedEx fleet. FedEx used to operate a Boeing 727 out of TF Green and with fewer than 75 Boeing 727's remaining in the fleet, FedEx is one of the few air carriers still flying this aircraft.[22]
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2009, the airport had 83,016 aircraft operations, an average of 227 per day: 52% scheduled commercial, 24% air taxi, 23% general aviation and <1% military. At that time there were 71 aircraft based at this airport: 77% single-engine, 5% multi-engine, 17% jet and 1% helicopter.[1]
In 2011, T.F. Green handled about 3,852,000 passengers.[23] The mainline airline with the largest presence at T.F. Green is Southwest, which carried 51.22% of all passengers for the 12-month period ending July 31, 2011, followed by US Airways with 15.11%.[23] T.F. Green also handled over 26,000,000 pounds (12,000,000 kg) of cargo and mail.[23]
As of March 2011, 83% of departures were on-time at T.F. Green, and 80% of arrivals were on-time.[23]
| Rank | Airport | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baltimore, Maryland | 304,000 | Southwest |
| 2 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 221,000 | Southwest, US Airways |
| 3 | Orlando, Florida | 191,000 | Southwest |
| 4 | Charlotte, North Carolina | 190,000 | US Airways |
| 5 | Atlanta, Georgia | 120,000 | Delta |
| 6 | Chicago (Midway), Illinois | 102,000 | Southwest |
| 7 | Tampa, Florida | 96,000 | Southwest |
| 8 | Washington (National), D.C. | 88,000 | Delta, US Airways |
| 9 | Detroit, Michigan | 88,000 | Delta |
| 9 | Chicago (O'Hare), Illinois | 81,000 | United |
| Passengers | Change from previous year | Aircraft operations | Cargo (pounds)[24] |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 5,509,186 | 38,420,118 | ||
| 2005 | 5,730,557 | 4.02% | 118,436 | 38,497,744 |
| 2006 | 5,203,396 | 9.20% | 45,727,608 | |
| 2007 | 5,019,342 | 3.54% | 100,693 | 44,185,658 |
| 2008 | 4,692,974 | 6.50% | 92,045 | 30,444,992 |
| 2009 | 4,328,741 | 7.76% | 83,016 | 21,017,341 |
| 2010 | 3,936,423 | 9.06% | 81,571 | 21,859,591 |
| Source: Rhode Island Airport Corporation [25] | ||||
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Air Canada Express operated by Air Georgian | Toronto-Pearson |
| Cape Air | Seasonal: Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket |
| Delta Air Lines | Atlanta |
| Delta Connection operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines | Detroit |
| Delta Connection operated by Chautauqua Airlines | Detroit, Washington-National [ends March 25] |
| Delta Connection operated by Comair | Detroit |
| Delta Connection operated by Compass Airlines | Seasonal:Minneapolis/St. Paul |
| Delta Connection operated by Pinnacle Airlines | Detroit, Washington-National [ends March 25] |
| Delta Connection operated by Shuttle America | Detroit |
| Southwest Airlines | Baltimore, Chicago-Midway, Denver [begins January 7, 2012], Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas, Orlando, Philadelphia [ends January 7, 2012], Phoenix [ends January 7, 2012], Tampa Seasonal: Fort Myers [begins February 12, 2012] |
| United Airlines | Chicago-O'Hare |
| United Express operated by Chautauqua Airlines | Cleveland |
| United Express operated by Colgan Air | Washington-Dulles |
| United Express operated by Commutair | Newark |
| United Express operated by ExpressJet Airlines | Chicago-O'Hare, Cleveland, Newark |
| United Express operated by GoJet Airlines | Chicago-O'Hare |
| US Airways | Charlotte, Philadelphia, Washington-National |
| US Airways Express operated by Air Wisconsin | Philadelphia, Washington-National |
| US Airways Express operated by Chautauqua Airlines | Washington-National |
| US Airways Express operated by Piedmont Airlines | New York-LaGuardia [begins January 9, 2012] |
| US Airways Express operated by Republic Airlines | Philadelphia, Washington-National |
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| FedEx Express | |
| UPS Airlines | |
| DHL Airlines |
T.F. Green Airport has direct access to I-95 via the T. F. Green Airport Connector Road, a 1.1-mile (1.8 km) freeway. The airport is served by major car rental companies as well as by local taxi and limousine services.
The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) offers public bus transportation to and from the cities of Providence (Kennedy Plaza in downtown Providence) and Newport. In particular:[26]
An intermodal station, completed in October 2010, includes an elevated walkway to the terminal, a rental car garage, and commuter rail parking. The MBTA commuter rail service to and from Boston commenced on December 6, 2010.[27] Scheduled are six inbound weekday trains during morning and evening rush hours and five outbound trains. Inbound trips are scheduled to take 90 minutes to Boston's South Station, with outbound trips taking 75 minutes. Full MBTA commuter rail service - 8 trains every weekday - between Boston, Massachusetts, and Wickford Junction is expected in 2011.[28] Amtrak has formally stated they will not stop at the station for the foreseeable future citing lack of being economically feasible.
British rock band The Rolling Stones were arrested at the airport in 1972 after assaulting a photographer, and were brought to the Warwick police station. Their flight could not land in Boston, where the band had a scheduled concert at Boston Garden, due to fog. They were processed quickly to avoid a riot at the Garden.[29]
On December 6, 1999 at approximately 8:35pm Eastern Daylight Time, a runway incursion occurred involving United Airlines flight 1448 (a Boeing 757) and FedEx Express flight 1662 (a Boeing 727) on Runway 5R/23L.[30] Shortly after landing on Runway 5R, United 1448 was instructed by the air traffic control tower to taxi to the gate, part of the instructions including crossing Runway 16. Due to the low-visibility conditions that night, the pilots became disoriented and turned down the wrong taxiway, which led them back towards the active runway they had just arrived on. The tower controller, unaware of United's mistake, cleared FedEx 1662 for takeoff on Runway 5R. United 1448 then confirmed with the controller that they should cross the runway in front of them (neither party aware that they were in fact not near Runway 16) and the aircraft continued moving towards Runway 5R/23L.
United 1448 sounding confused then radioed that they were near taxiway Kilo, and as they re-entered Runway 5R/23L, reported that "somebody just took-off" overhead, referring to FedEx 1662 that had indeed just become airborne in very close proximity to the United aircraft. However, the controller appeared not to take this seriously, stating, "you shouldn't be anywhere near Kilo", and advised the United 1448 crew to hold position. United 1448 then informed the tower that they were now on an active runway, which they mistakenly believed to be 23R/5L (inactive at the time). A moment later the pilot corrected himself, stating that they were on 5R/23L. United 1448's crew was told again to stand by, so the aircraft remained idle at the intersection of the active runway, while the controller cleared MetroJet 2998 for takeoff on the same runway. The United 1448 pilot immediately interjected to insist that the plane was on the active runway, to which the controller belligerently denied telling them it was not an active runway. Meanwhile, the MetroJet pilot having heard the exchange realized there was confusion over the whereabouts of United 1448 and refused the takeoff clearance stating, "We're staying clear of all runways until we figure this out".
Despite all this confusion, the controller again cleared MetroJet 2998 for take off on Runway 5R. They again refused to accept the clearance for take-off until the United 1448 was confirmed to have arrived at the gate. Once United 1448 was confirmed to be at the gate, MetroJet 2998 finally departed on Runway 5R.
The US Airways crew operating Flight 2998 were praised by a US Air spokesperson for their actions of avoiding a near-disaster. An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board followed and while no fault was assigned to the controller, she was required to undergo retraining before returning to service. The pilots were debriefed by United, received additional training and were returned to service.[31]
Part of the confusion was United 1448's inability to correctly identify the runway they were on. During the radio exchanges, United 1448 refers to 23L/5R as 23R/5L and vice versa.
On December 16, 2007, Air Wisconsin (US Airways Express) flight 3758, a CRJ-200 arriving from Philadelphia, departed the left side of runway 5 after a hard landing by an unstabilized approach.[32] Although the aircraft sustained substantial damage, none of the 31 passengers and crew aboard were injured.
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.