History
In 1946, Virginia's General Assembly passed legislation creating the Peninsula Airport Commission (PAC) to determine a location for and establish a new commercial airport to serve the cities of Newport News, Hampton, and Warwick. An agreement was reached with the US War Asset Administration in 1947 to transfer 924 acres (3.7 km²) of the former Camp Patrick Henry, a World War II US Army base, to the PAC as the site for the new airport. A Nike missile air defense base, known as N-85, still exists on the property, though abandoned since the mid-1960s.
The airport was originally named Patrick Henry Airport. It was assigned the designator PHF, representing Patrick Henry Field. The first runway built was Runway 2-20, a 3,500-foot (1,100 m) runway, followed by Runway 6-24 (later redesignated as Runway 7-25). Commercial airline service began in November 1949. The airport was serviced by Piedmont Airlines and Capital Airlines.
In 1951, the original passenger terminal was damaged by a fire. An upgraded traffic control tower was constructed and began operation and Runway 6-24 was extended to 5,000 feet (1,500 m) for larger four-engine aircraft during 1952. A new passenger terminal was opened in 1955.
Between 1952 and the 1970, three other airlines United Airlines, National Airlines, and USAir extended service to the airport. Both runways were extended during this period to their current lengths of 6526 feet (1989 m) Runway 2-20, and 8003 feet (2439 m) Runway 7-25. The airport was renamed "Patrick Henry International Airport" in 1975. A US Customs facility was added to the passenger terminal building to allow international flights (both commercial and corporate) access to the airfield. The airport now consists of 1,800 acres (7.3 km2), with most of it in the city of Newport News and nearly half of the airfield with runways 20 and 25 in York County.
When the United States Congress deregulated the airlines in 1978, many airlines serving Patrick Henry Airport consolidated their southeast Virginia services at other area airports. This resulted in Patrick Henry International Airport losing all jet services. By 1979 the airport only offered small commuter flights to very few destinations.
On December 19, 1980, the Daily Press reported a committee authorized by the PAC recommended that the airport change its name to "Newport News/Williamsburg International" to then-Executive Director Michael White. This change would not take place until ten full years later. At the time, the Commission members represented the cities of Newport News, Hampton, and Williamsburg, as well as James City County and York County. Since 2010, the Commission consists of six commissioners who are appointed by the cities of Hampton (2) and Newport News (4).
In 1985, USAir added large jet services from Pittsburgh and Washington, DC. These jet services were pulled in 1995. US Airways Express now serves Philadelphia and Charlotte from the airport. AirTran Airways started service from the airport to Atlanta in 1995, but ended service in March of 2012. Delta Connection began service from Newport News to Atlanta in February 2002.
The PAC renamed the facility Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport in September 1990. A new terminal was opened in late 1992.
Until the 1990s, part of the original terminal building was named Flight Services Building, and home to the National Weather Service. Weather reports and emergency alerts were broadcast on radio stations and weather frequencies during severe weather right from the airport.
When the original control tower was shut down in July 2007 with the opening of the state of the art 147 ft (45 m) tall new tower, it had been the oldest operating control tower on the east coast with continuous service for 55 years.
In 2008, the PAC selected Ken R. Spirito to serve as its new Executive Director. Spirito served as Executive Director of Peoria International in Illinois up until his move to Newport News. In 2010, Ted Kitchens was hired as Assistant Director of Planning and Development, having previously served with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International in Georgia.
Read more about this topic: Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport
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