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Richmond International Airport

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Richmond International Airport
File:Richmond International Airport Logo.jpg
  • IATA: RIC
  • ICAO: KRIC
  • FAA LID: RIC
    RIC is located in Virginia
    RIC
    RIC
    Location of the Richmond International Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
Owner/OperatorCapital Region Airport Commission
ServesRichmond, Virginia
LocationSandston, Virginia
Elevation AMSL167 ft / 50.9 m
Coordinates37°30′18″N 077°19′10″W / 37.50500°N 77.31944°W / 37.50500; -77.31944
Websitewww.flyrichmond.com
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
16/34 9,003 2,744 Asphalt
2/20 6,607 2,014 Asphalt
7/25 5,326 1,623 Asphalt
Statistics (2015)
Aircraft operations99,067
Based aircraft75
Passengers3,688,199
Sources: Federal Aviation Administration[1] and RIC Airport.[2]

Richmond International Airport (IATA: RIC, ICAO: KRIC, FAA LID: RIC) is a joint civil-military public airport, in Sandston, Virginia, an unincorporated community (within Henrico County). The airport is about 7 miles (11 km) southeast of downtown Richmond, the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Richmond International Airport is the busiest airport in central Virginia and the third most frequented in the state, beating Norfolk, Williamsburg, and Charlottesville. It falls after Washington D.C's two airports.

Overview

Six commercial air carriers currently serve RIC, with non-stop flights to 21 destinations, and connecting flights to other countries. An estimated record 3,630,000 passengers used RIC in 2007. In October 2016 RIC reported its 32 straight month of growth, with nearly 330,000 travelers. In January 2012, following its merger with AirTran, Southwest Airlines hinted that they would begin flights to Richmond[3] and actually began nonstop service to Orlando on Sunday, November 4, 2013.[4]

To help accommodate the current and proposed increase in passengers and air service, RIC has embarked on a major expansion program. It has increased the number of gates, added parking spaces (to 8,000), and created a new terminal roadway and air traffic control tower. The project features major renovations of the terminal building, including upper-level departures and lower-level arrivals, the construction of a central utility plant, and the widening of security checkpoints. Construction on the renovated two-level terminal was completed in spring 2007, and was designed by Gresham, Smith & Partners.[5]

In 2004, Richmond International Airport handled over 59,000 tons of cargo. Cargo services offered at the airport include more than 100,000 square feet (10,000 m2) of warehouse/office space and 1,000,000 square feet (100,000 m2) of apron space. The airport is designated a Foreign Trade Zone. Because of its position on the Eastern Seaboard, cargo transit via RIC is on the rise. Goods shipped out of the metropolitan Richmond area can reach 50% of the U.S. population within 24 hours.

History

Byrd Field in 1952

The airport was dedicated as Richard Evelyn Byrd Flying Field in 1927 in honor of aviator Richard E. Byrd, brother of then Gov. Harry F. Byrd. Charles Lindbergh attended the dedication ceremony. Although the facility was in Henrico County, Richmond Mayor John Fulmer Bright was instrumental in the creation of Byrd Field, which was initially owned by the City of Richmond.

The current president and CEO of the airport is Jon Mathiasen. It is owned and operated by the Capital Region Airport Commission, a Commonwealth-created governmental agency overseen by representatives of Chesterfield, Hanover, and Henrico counties, and the City of Richmond.

A terminal building designed by Marcellus Wright and Son was completed in 1950.[6] It was expanded from 1968 to 1970, which included the current passenger concourses.[7]

The April 1957 Official Airline Guide shows 43 weekday departures: 22 on Eastern, 10 Piedmont, 5 American, 4 National, and 2 Capital.

Airport statistics

In 2007, the airport served 3,634,544 passengers, a record for the airport; a 10.3% increase over 2006.[8] RIC is the third-busiest airport in Virginia, after Washington Dulles and Ronald Reagan Washington.

In October 2016, RIC served 322,267 passengers. Delta was the largest carrier with 35.14%, and United had 15.07% Other carrier were: American (29.67%), Southwest (6.99%), JetBlue (11.46%), Alleigent (3.11%), and Vacation Express (0.10%) [9]

Richmond International has 75 based aircraft; 21 are single-engine, 21 multi-engine, and 33 jets.[10]

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

AirlinesDestinationsConcourse
Allegiant Air Jacksonville, Orlando/Sanford, St. Petersburg/Clearwater B
American Airlines Charlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth, Philadelphia A
American Eagle Charlotte, Chicago–O'Hare, Miami, New York–LaGuardia, Philadelphia A
Delta Air Lines Atlanta, Deroit B
Delta Connection Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York–JFK, New York–LaGuardia
Seasonal: Orlando 		B
JetBlue Airways Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando A
Southwest Airlines Atlanta, Orlando B
United Airlines Chicago–O'Hare, Denver B
United Express Chicago–O'Hare, Denver, Houston–Intercontinental, Newark, Washington–Dulles B

Cargo

AirlinesDestinations
DHL Express
operated by Air Cargo Carriers 		Cincinnati
DHL Express
operated by Suburban Air Freight 		Cincinnati
FedEx Express Indianapolis, Knoxville, Memphis
UPS Airlines Louisville, Norfolk, Philadelphia

Statistics

Top destinations

Busiest domestic routes from RIC (Aug 2015 – July 2016)[11]
Rank Airport Passengers Carriers
1 Atlanta, Georgia 578,000 Delta, Southwest
2 Charlotte, North Carolina 259,000 American/US Airways
3 Boston, Massachusetts 251,000 Delta, JetBlue
4 Chicago–O'Hare, Illinois 149,000 American, United
5 Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas 120,000 American
6 New York–LaGuardia, New York 102,000 American, Delta
7 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 92,000 American/US Airways
8 Orlando, Florida 77,000 Delta, JetBlue
9 Newark, New Jersey 69,000 United
10 Detroit, Michigan 68,000 Delta

Accidents and incidents

  • In 1951: Eastern Airlines Flight 601 bound from Newark to Miami suffered severe buffeting after an access door opened in flight over Lynchburg, Virginia and the crew decided to divert to Richmond. A flapless wheels-up landing was made a few miles short of the runway at Curles Neck Farm because the crew feared that the aircraft would disintegrate before they could get to the airport to attempt an emergency landing. There were no fatalities.
  • In 1961: Imperial Airlines Flight 201/8 was destroyed when it crashed and burned following an attempted emergency landing at the airport, all 74 passengers, and two of the 5 crewmembers died.
  • In 1996, Eastwind Airlines Flight 517 from Trenton, New Jersey, experienced loss of rudder control while on approach to Richmond; however, control was regained shortly after, and the aircraft landed normally.[12] There was one minor injury.
  • In 2011, a private twin engine, Piper Navajo, crashed after take-off. Only the pilot was on board at the time of the crash.[13] The pilot suffered burns and was immediately taken to a hospital.
  • In 2016 an American Airlines Embraer ERJ-145 that departed from the Richmond airport had to make an emergency landing at the Philadelphia airport due to smoke in the cabin.

Virginia Air National Guard

Until October 2007, the 192d Fighter Wing (192 FW), an Air Combat Command (ACC)-gained unit of the Virginia Air National Guard, maintained an Air National Guard station, operating F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft from the airport. In late 2007, pursuant to BRAC 2005 action, the 192 FW relinquished its F-16C and F-16D aircraft and moved to Langley AFB (now Joint Base Langley-Eustis), to integrate with the Regular Air Force as an associate unit to the 1st Fighter Wing (1 FW) flying the F-22 Raptor. The former Richmond International Airport Air National Guard Station property was transferred to the Department of the Army in support of U.S. Army Reserve and Virginia Army National Guard activities.[14]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Airport Master Records and Reports". AirportIQ 5010. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
  2. ^ "Richmond International Airport Aviation Activity Report" (PDF). Retrieved February 19, 2016.
  3. ^ "RIC could see Southwest service in about a year – Richmond Times-Dispatch: Richmond's Business & Economic News". Timesdispatch.com. February 1, 2012. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
  4. ^ PETER BACQUÉ (November 5, 2013). "RIC welcomes Southwest Airlines to Richmond – Richmond Times-Dispatch: Richmond's Business & Economic News". Timesdispatch.com. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
  5. ^ "Airport Design, Architecture and Interior Design – Gresham, Smith and Partners". Showcase.gspnet.com. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
  6. ^ "Terminal Building, Richard E. Byrd Airport, Richmond, Virginia: Rarely Seen Richmond". Virginia Commonwealth University. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
  7. ^ "History". Capital Region Airport Commission. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
  8. ^ Dunham, Linda (January 30, 2008). "Richmond airport's growth flying high". Richmond Times-Dispatch. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ Bacqué, Peter. "Richmond airport's November passenger traffic down 0.5 percent". Timesdispatch.com. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
  10. ^ [1] [dead link‍]
  11. ^ "RITA | BTS | Transtats". Transtats.bts.gov. Retrieved June 21, 2015.
  12. ^ "Aircraft accident Boeing 737-2H5 N221US Richmond, VA". Aviation Safety Network. June 9, 1996. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ "Plane Crashes at Richmond International Airport – WRIC Richmond News and Weather". Wric.com. November 9, 2013. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
  14. ^ John Pike. "Richmond International Airport / Byrd Field". Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
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