Grider Field | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
) USGS image, 16 February 1994 | |||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Owner | City of Pine Bluff | ||||||||||
| Serves | Pine Bluff, Arkansas | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 206 ft / 63 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 34°10′28″N 091°56′08″W / 34.17444°N 91.93556°W | ||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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| Statistics (2009) | |||||||||||
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)
Grider Field (IATA: PBF, ICAO: KPBF, FAA LID: PBF) is a public airport five miles southeast of Pine Bluff, in Jefferson County, Arkansas.[1] The FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2009–2013 categorized it as a general aviation airport.[2]
Facilities
Grider Field covers 750 acres (300 ha) at an elevation of 206 feet (63 m). Its single runway, 18/36, is 5,998 by 150 feet (1,828 x 46 m).[1]
In the year ending May 31, 2009 the airport had 39,875 aircraft operations, average 109 per day: 94% general aviation, 5% military and 1% air taxi. 50 aircraft were then based at the airport: 84% single-engine, 12% multi-engine and 4% ultralight.[1]
History
Opened in April 1941 with 6,300' x 6,380' open turf field. Began training United States Army Air Corps flying cadets in under contract to Pine Bluff School of Aviation. Assigned to United States Army Air Forces Gulf Coast Training Center (later Central Flying Training Command) as a primary (level 1) pilot training airfield. Had five auxiliary airfields assigned for emergency and overflow landings. Flying training was performed with Fairchild PT-19s as the primary trainer. Also had several PT-17 Stearmans and a few P-40 Warhawks assigned. Also provided flexible gunnery training.
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Inactivated on 30 November 1944 with the drawdown of AAFTC's pilot training program. Declared surplus and turned over to the Army Corps of Engineers on 30 September 1945. Eventually discharged to the War Assets Administration (WAA) and returned to being a civil airport.
Chicago and Southern DC-3s served Pine Bluff from 1949 until 1953, when Trans-Texas took over. TI's last Convair 600 left in 1975.
Renovations
In November 2007 it was announced that Grider Field would undergo renovation and modernization. A new partnership with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff has been announced.
See also
- Arkansas World War II Army Airfields
- 31st Flying Training Wing (World War II)
References
- ^ a b c d FAA Airport Form 5010 for PBF PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective 8 April 2010.
- ^ National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2009–2013: Appendix A: Part 1 (PDF, 1.33 MB) Archived 2011-08-06 at the Wayback Machine. Federal Aviation Administration. Updated 15 October 2008.
- Other sources
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.- Shaw, Frederick J. (2004), Locating Air Force Base Sites History's Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC, 2004.
- Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas ASIN: B000NYX3PC
This article incorporates public domain material from the External links
- Aerial image as of 16 February 1994 from USGS The National Map
- FAA Terminal Procedures for PBF, effective January 28, 2021
- Resources for this airport:
- FAA airport information for PBF
- AirNav airport information for KPBF
- ASN accident history for PBF
- FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
- NOAA/NWS weather observations: current, past three days
- SkyVector aeronautical chart, Terminal Procedures