Clinton National Airport Explained


Iata:LIT
Icao:KLIT
Faa:LIT
Type:Public
Owner:City of Little Rock
Operator:Little Rock Municipal Airport Commission
City-Served:Little Rock
Opened:[1]
Elevation-F:266
Coordinates:34.73°N -92.22°W
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Zoom:10
Mapframe-Wikidata:yes
Image Map Caption:FAA airport diagram
R1-Number:04L/22R
R1-Length-F:8,273
R1-Surface:Concrete
R2-Number:04R/22L
R2-Length-F:8,251
R2-Surface:Concrete
R3-Number:18/36
R3-Length-F:6,224
R3-Surface:Concrete
H1-Number:H1
H1-Length-F:50
H1-Surface:Concrete
Stat-Year:2023
Stat1-Header:Total passengers
Stat1-Data:2,237,309
Stat2-Header:Aircraft operations (through year ending 2/28/2023)
Stat2-Data:83,217
Footnotes:Sources: Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport[2]

Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport, also known as Adams Field, is a joint civil-military airport on the east side of Little Rock, Arkansas, United States.[3] [4] It is operated by the Little Rock Municipal Airport Commission.[5]

The largest commercial airport in Arkansas, it served more than 2.1 million passengers in the year spanning from March 2009 through to February 2010.[6] While Clinton National Airport does not have direct international passenger flights, more than 50 flights arrive or depart at Little Rock each day, with nonstop service to 14 cities.[7] The airport is included in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2019–2023, in which it is categorized as a small-hub primary commercial service facility.[8]

History

The airport was originally named Adams Field after Captain George Geyer Adams, 154th Observation Squadron, Arkansas National Guard, who was killed in the line of duty on September 4, 1937. He was a strong advocate for the airport, and also a Little Rock city councilor.

American Airlines was the first airline to serve Little Rock when it first landed at Adams Field on June 19, 1931.

During World War II the airfield was used by the United States Army Air Forces Third Air Force for antisubmarine patrols and training.

In 1972 the airport opened its current 12-gate terminal.

In August 2008, the airport approved a plan to renovate the terminal over a 15-year period. This would expand the terminal from 12 to 16 gates.[9]

On March 20, 2012, the municipal airport commission voted to rename the airport the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport, named after Arkansas native, former Governor and United States President Bill Clinton and his wife, United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.[10] The name Adams Field will continue to be used when referring to the airport's runways and air traffic, and will be the airport's official designator. In 2017, Republican state Sen. Jason Rapert filed a bill that would have forced the airport's renaming but relented when he found little support for the measure.[11]

In October 2013, Travel + Leisure released a survey of travelers that ranked Clinton National Airport as the worst of the 67 domestic airports considered in the survey. The survey report cited long lines and few food and shopping choices, among other criticisms.[12] A survey commissioned by the airport contradicted Travel + Leisures claim, finding that more than 90% of passengers were satisfied with their experience.[13]

In March 2024, the Clinton National Airport's executive director Bryan Malinowski was killed in a shootout with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agents attempting to conduct a pre-dawn raid on his home. An affidavit accused him of illegal gun sales.[14] [15]

Facilities and aircraft

Clinton National Airport covers 2,000 acres (809 ha) at an elevation of 266 feet (81 m) above mean sea level. It has three concrete runways: 4L/22R is 8,273 by 150 feet (2,522 x 46 m); 4R/22L is 8,251 by 150 feet (2,515 x 46 m); 18/36 is 6,224 by 150 feet (1,897 x 46 m). It has one concrete helipad 50 by 50 feet (15 x 15 m).[16]

In the year ending February 28, 2023, the airport had 83,217 aircraft operations, an average of 228 per day: 47% general aviation, 26% scheduled commercial, 16% air taxi, and 10% military. The military operations are mostly C-130 transports from nearby Little Rock Air Force Base practicing touch-and-go landings. At that time, 122 aircraft were based at this airport: 42 single-engine, 22 multi-engine, 54 jet, and 4 helicopter.

There are two fixed-base operators (FBOs) on the field: Signature Flight Support and Atlantic Aviation. Central Flying Service, under new ownership, operates on the field offering aircraft maintenance, sales and flight training.

Dassault Aircraft Services (DAS), a subsidiary of Dassault Aviation, operates a large facility at the airport. It is the site of two Falcon aircraft operations: the main Completion Center for all Falcon jets worldwide, and the company-owned Service Center.

Current production model Falcons are manufactured in France, then flown in "green" condition to the Completion Center where optional avionics and custom interiors are installed, and exteriors are painted. Dassault Aircraft Services (DAS) – Little Rock provides inspection, maintenance, modification, completion and repair needs for the Falcon product line.

The Dassault Aircraft Services (DAS) – Little Rock Service Center and Completion Center employs nearly 1,600 people and has a combined occupance of nearly, making Little Rock the largest Dassault facility in the world.

Terminal

The single terminal has twelve gates. Six gates are along the length of the terminal (three on either side) and a rotunda at the end has six more.

Airlines and destinations

Cargo

Statistics

Top destinations

Busiest domestic routes from LIT (February 2023 – January 2024)! Rank! City! Passengers! Carriers
1 Atlanta, Georgia254,890Delta, Southwest
2 Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas180,870American
3 Denver, Colorado117,840Frontier, Southwest, United
4 Dallas–Love Field, Texas112,900Southwest
5 Charlotte, North Carolina94,240American
6 Chicago–O'Hare, Illinois89,500American, United
7 Houston–Intercontinental, Texas72,190United
8 St. Louis, Missouri61,740Southwest
9 New York–LaGuardia28,760American
10 Las Vegas, Nevada25,090Southwest

Annual traffic

LIT Airport Annual Traffic 2019-Present[17] !Year!Passengers!% Change
20192,241,716
2020977,74256.38%
20211,695,06173.36%
20222,021,04019.23%
20232,237,30910.70%

Airline market share

Largest Airlines at LIT (January 2024 – June 2024)[18] !Rank!Airline!Passengers!Share
1American Airlines374,52333.54%
2Southwest Airlines288,52225.84%
3Delta Airlines248,18822.23%
4United Airlines176,40315.80%
5Frontier Airlines15,1971.36%
6Allegiant Airlines12,5201.12%
7Chartered1,2350.11%

Ground transportation

Rock Region Metro currently provides transit service to the airport via METRO Connect Microtransit.[19] [20]

Accidents and incidents

See also

External links

Government
General information

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Dougan. Michael B.. 2016. Aviation. Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture. Central Arkansas Library System. January 1, 2018.
  2. Web site: December 2023 Total Enplanements and Deplanements. clintonairport.com. January 31, 2024.
  3. . Federal Aviation Administration. effective December 30, 2021.
  4. Web site: History . Clinton National Airport . 25 September 2022.
    • Web site: About LIT . Little Rock National Airport . https://web.archive.org/web/20120407012241/http://www.fly-lit.com/about_lit/default.aspx . April 7, 2012. 25 September 2022. live.
    • Web site: LIT – Adams Field . FAA data republished by AirNav . September 20, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121018164706/http://www.airnav.com/airport/KLIT . October 18, 2012.
  5. Web site: RITA BTS Transtats – LIT. www.transtats.bts.gov. 29 April 2017. en.
  6. Web site: Non-Stop Jet Service . Clinton National Airport . https://web.archive.org/web/20130218014042/http://www.fly-lit.com/airlines_flights/nonstop_jet_service.aspx . February 18, 2013.
  7. Web site: NPIAS Report 2019-2023 Appendix A . . October 12, 2018 . 17 . October 3, 2018.
  8. News: LR airport terminal OK'd for redesign . . August 20, 2008 . August 20, 2008 . February 17, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190217184447/https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2008/aug/20/lr-airport-terminal-okd-redesign-20080820/?subscriber%2Fnational . dead .
  9. News: Brantley . Max . Rapert folds on renaming Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport . 24 February 2023 . Arkansas Times . 17 March 2017.
  10. Web site: Passenger Satisfaction Flying High at Clinton National Airport . . August 28, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160815171204/http://www.fox16.com/news/passenger-satisfaction-flying-high-at-clinton-national-airport . August 15, 2016 . May 5, 2015 . live . mdy-all .
  11. News: Airport exec dies after shootout with feds at Arkansas home; affidavit alleges illegal gun sales. Jonathan. Limestone. USA Today. March 22, 2024. March 22, 2024.
  12. Web site: Bryan Malinowski, C.M.:Executive Director (2019-2024). Clinton National Airport. March 22, 2024.
  13. Web site: LIT airport data at skyvector.com. skyvector.com. September 5, 2022.
  14. Web site: LIT Airport Annual Passengers Reports 2019-Present. June 14, 2024.
  15. Web site: Passenger Statistics Year-To-Date June 2024 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240716170818/https://clintonairport.com/site/assets/files/1070/activity_report_workbook_for_06-2024_june_data.pdf . July 16, 2024 . July 16, 2024 . Clinton National Airport.
  16. Web site: METRO Connect Zones & Hours. Rock Region METRO. February 18, 2024. .
  17. Web site: System Map. February 18, 2024. .
  18. Web site: Ranter . Harro . ASN Aircraft accident Gulfstream American G-1159 Gulfstream II N46TE Little Rock National Airport, AR (LIT) . aviation-safety.net . 4 June 2019.
  19. Web site: Ranter . Harro . ASN Aircraft accident McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82 (MD-82) N215AA Little Rock National Airport, AR (LIT) . aviation-safety.net.
  20. Web site: Digital . THV11 . February 22, 2023 . Five people dead after plane crash near Little Rock 3M plant . 2023-02-24 . thv11.com . en-US.
  21. Web site: 2024-01-21 . One person dead after plane crashes at Little Rock airport, LRFD confirms . 2024-01-26 . thv11.com . en-US.
  22. Web site: January 22, 2024 . FAA Accident and Incident Notice . Federal Aviation Administration.