- David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport
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Coordinates: 30°03′43″N 095°33′10″W / 30.06194°N 95.55278°W
David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport IATA: DWH – ICAO: KDWH – FAA LID: DWH Summary Airport type Public-use, privately-owned Owner Jag Gill Serves Houston, Texas Location Tomball, Texas Elevation AMSL 152 ft / 46 m Website Runways Direction Length Surface ft m 17R/35L 7,009 2,136 Asphalt 17L/35R 3,987 1,215 Asphalt 17W/35W 2,530 771 Water Statistics (2002) Aircraft operations 223,585 Based aircraft 300 Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1] David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (IATA: DWH, ICAO: KDWH, FAA LID: DWH) is a public-use airport located near the city of Tomball in unincorporated Harris County, Texas. It is 23 miles (37 km) northwest of the central business district of Houston. The airport is privately-owned by Jag Gill.[1]
The airport is notable because it is one of only a few privately owned airports with a Federal Aviation Administration control tower; the airport is owned by Jag Gill and managed by Robert Schmidt.[2]
On June 27, 2007, The Texas State Legislature approved Tomball's request to annex Hooks Airport even though the airport does not border the Tomball city limits. Since the airport is in the city of Houston's extraterritorial jurisdiction, the city of Tomball must get permission from Houston to annex the airport.[3] As of summer of 2010, the annex still has not been finalized.
Contents
Facilities and aircraft
David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport covers an area of 480 acres (190 ha) which contains two asphalt paved runways: 17R/35L measuring 7,009 x 100 ft (30 m). and 17L/35R measuring 3,987 x 35 ft (1,215 x 11 m). It also has a seaplane landing area designated as runway 17W/35W which is 2,530 x 100 ft (771 x 30 m).[1]
For the 12-month period ending August 5, 2002, the airport had 223,585 aircraft operations, an average of 612 per day: 98% general aviation, 1% air taxi and 1% military. There are 300 aircraft based at this airport: 83% single-engine, 10% multi-engine, 3% jet and 4% helicopter.[1]
Facilities include:
- The main Gill Aviation terminal
- The Aviator Grill, a locally owned and operated restaurant connected to the Gill Aviation terminal. The grill is a popular community restaurant, and provides a spectacular view of the main ramps and runway 17R.
- Tomball Jet Center
- Helicopter Services
- LifeFlight Alert center, with Memorial Herman Hosptial operated LifeFlight 4 on permanent standby.
The airport also includes numerous flight schools, including Silver State Helicopters and American Flyers.
The airport is also a local favorite for its diverse mix of aircraft and openness. The main ramps and taxiways, while monitored by airport staff, lack the usual high, barbed-wire fences, and families and enthusiasts are able to relax by the lake and grassy areas just mere feet from where aircraft are parked and operating from. Visiting aircraft range from standard GA traffic to exotic military aircraft such as the MV-22 Osprey and the F/A-18E Super Hornet that can turn a lazy day into a spontaneous gathering of like minded people within moments, and military pilots are often more than willing to give visitors up close and personal looks at their aircraft.
History
The Airport started when Charles Hooks built a runway for his own personal use. His hobby eventually became a business, and he subsequently built a runway and a main terminal building. It was first opened for public use in the 1960s. Shortly after its opening, Hooks' son, David, was killed in the crash of a small plane that he was piloting under the supervision of a flight instructor. All four people on the plane were killed. David was about 16 years old at the time of his death. The airport's name was changed from Houston Northwest Airport to David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport in his memory.[citation needed]
Until the 1980s, the airport was run and maintained by Hooks, and his wife Irma. Upon the death of Mrs. Hooks, her daughter stepped in and helped with its operation.[citation needed]
In 1989, Charles Hooks retired and sold the airport to the Gill Family.[citation needed]
In 2009 a fire occurred at the airport. A man was burned, and several aircraft were destroyed.[4]
On June 26, 2010, another fire occurred at the airport, destroying another large hangar. One helicopter and several aircraft components were destroyed.[5]
In early 2010, Hooks Airport received a notable resident when the B-17G Flying Fortress 'Texas Raiders' was permanently moved from William P. Hobby Airport to a spacious hangar in the Tomball Jet Center as a cost saving measure. 'Texas Raiders' will use Hooks Airport as her base of operations for the 2010 air show season and into the foreseeable future.[6]
References
- ^ a b c d FAA Airport Master Record for DWH (Form 5010 PDF), effective 2007-10-25
- ^ http://www.airnav.com/airport/KDWH
- ^ "Tomball gets OK to annex airport / Legislation clears one hurdle in city's quest to buy Hooks." Houston Chronicle. July 5, 2007.
- ^ Staff. "Man burned, planes damaged in airport fire." Houston Chronicle. December 6, 2009. Retrieved on December 7, 2009.
- ^ "Fire Erupts at Hooks Airport " KIAH-TV
- ^ "Refurbished B-17 headed for Hooks Airport " Ultimate Tomball
External links
- David Wayne Hooks Airport, official web site
- Resources for this airport:
- AirNav airport information for KDWH
- ASN accident history for DWH
- FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
- NOAA/NWS latest weather observations
- SkyVector aeronautical chart, Terminal Procedures for KDWH
Categories:- Airports in Greater Houston
- Buildings and structures in Harris County, Texas
- Transportation in Harris County, Texas
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