Killeen Regional Airport Explained

Killeen Regional Airport
Image2-Width:250
Iata:GRK
Icao:KGRK
Faa:GRK
Type:Military/Public
Location:Fort Cavazos / Killeen, Texas
Elevation-F:1,015
Website:FlyGRK.net
Coordinates:31.0672°N -97.8289°W
Pushpin Map:USA Texas#USA
Pushpin Relief:yes
Pushpin Mapsize:250
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of airport in Texas
Pushpin Label:GRK
Pushpin Label Position:right
R1-Number:15/33
R1-Length-F:9,997
R1-Surface:PEM
Stat-Year:2021
Stat1-Header:Aircraft operations (year ending 4/30/2021)
Stat1-Data:84,630
Footnotes:Sources: Airport website[1] and FAA[2]

Killeen Regional Airport[1] is a small military/commercial joint-use airport that operates alongside Robert Gray Army Airfield. The airport is based inside the south end of the Fort Cavazos Military Reservation (known as West Fort Hood), six nautical miles (7 mi, 11 km) southwest of the central business district of Killeen, Texas, in unincorporated Bell County. The commercial side replaced the old Killeen Municipal Airport (now Skylark Field) in August, 2004 as that airport was unable to expand. Formerly Killeen–Fort Hood Regional Airport, on 26 September, 2023, the airport began the multi-month process of renaming to "Killeen Regional Airport", as approved by the Killeen City Council.[3]

As per Federal Aviation Administration records, the airport had 232,299 passenger boardings (enplanements) in calendar year 2008,[4] 231,500 enplanements in 2009, and 243,861 in 2010.[5] It is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which categorized it as a primary commercial service airport (more than 10,000 enplanements per year).[6]

Facilities and aircraft

The airport has one runway designated 15/33 with a PEM (Porous European Mix) surface measuring 9,997 by 200 feet (3,047 x 61 m). For the 12-month period ending April 30, 2021, the airport had 84,630 aircraft operations, an average of 232 per day: 87% military, 12% scheduled commercial and 1% general aviation. 47 aircraft were then based at this airport: 1 multi-engine, 6 jet, and 40 military.

The civilian terminal has six gates, car rental facilities, and retail shops. Gates 1-3 and 4-6 are separated by different TSA checkpoints.

2018 Master Plan and Improvements

In 2018, the facility continued completion of the master plan, bid and awarded a $4.9 million passenger boarding bridge replacement project, design and bid a $4.7 million security surveillance project, completed design of a $750,000 quick-turn. facility and more.[7] The airport also saw Blimpie take lease of one of the retail spots located on the second floor of the terminal in 2019.

Airlines and destinations

Killeen Regional Airport currently offers a single non-stop destination.

In 2005, Allegiant Air offered twice weekly service to Las Vegas. After nine months of service, Allegient Air stopped all flights to and from Killeen in February 2006.[8]

Occasionally, NCAA football teams have their charter airplanes parked at gates 1 and 6 for away football teams playing the University of Mary Hardin–Baylor, or for the university's own football team. The usual airlines for these charters include Sun Country, Xtra Airways, and Southwest Airlines.

On November 27, 2017, Delta Airlines announced that service would no longer continue to Killeen, and the route ended on 15 January, 2018. American Airlines later added two daily flights because it no longer had competition with Delta, and it also added the Embraer 175, the largest aircraft for regular scheduled passenger flights currently, and the largest the airport has seen since Allegiant left. United Airlines also added a third daily flight in response to Delta leaving.

Effective 4 January, 2022, United ceased its operations in Killeen after announcing their plans on 4 November, 2021. American Airlines is the only remaining commercial passenger airline, with multiple flights to and from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport daily under their American Eagle regional flight brand.[9]

Top destinations

BTS
Transtats">Web site: January 2019. RITA | BTS | Transtats. June 14, 2020. Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
RankCityPassengers
1Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas108,000
2Houston (Intercontinental), Texas35,000

Accidents near GRK

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Your Central Texas Airport. www.flykilleen.net.
  2. . Federal Aviation Administration. Effective August 10, 2023.
  3. Web site: Limiti . Kevin . 2023-09-26 . Council changes airport’s name to Killeen Regional Airport . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230929085324/https://kdhnews.com/news/local/council-changes-airport-s-name-to-killeen-regional-airport/article_13f42658-5ccd-11ee-81ac-53caa654fabc.html . 2023-09-29 . 2023-10-01 . The Killeen Daily Herald . en.
  4. Web site: Enplanements for CY 2008 . PDF, 1.0 MB . faa.gov . Federal Aviation Administration . December 18, 2009 .
  5. Web site: Enplanements for CY 2010 . PDF, 189 KB . faa.gov . Federal Aviation Administration . October 4, 2011 .
  6. Web site: 2011–2015 NPIAS Report, Appendix A . PDF, 2.03 MB . faa.gov . Federal Aviation Administration . October 4, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120927084535/http://www.faa.gov/airports/planning_capacity/npias/reports/media/2011/npias_2011_appA.pdf . September 27, 2012 .
  7. Web site: Killeen's airport regains market, route after Delta pulled out. 11 February 2019 .
  8. Web site: Allegiant Air Pulls Service from Killeen-Ft. Hood Regional Airport. 2017-01-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20171201034559/http://www.kxxv.com/story/5963598/allegiant-air-pulls-service-from-killeen-ft-hood-regional-airport. 2017-12-01. dead.
  9. Web site: Dowling . Jack . 2021-11-04 . United Airlines leaving Killeen, citing COVID-19 related struggles . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220123024206/https://kdhnews.com/news/breaking/united-airlines-leaving-killeen-citing-covid-19-related-struggles/article_992c35ae-3db2-11ec-bb8e-cf06d846e861.html . 2022-01-23 . 2023-10-01 . The Killeen Daily Herald . en.