Laredo International Airport

Infobox Airport
name = Laredo International Airport

---

caption = Photo as of 9 February 2002
IATA = LRD
ICAO = KLRD
FAA = LRD
type = Public
owner = City of Laredo
operator =
city-served = Laredo, Texas
location =
elevation-f = 508
elevation-m = 155
coordinates = coord|27|32|38|N|099|27|42|W|region:US_type:airport
website = [http://www.cityoflaredo.com/Airport/ CityOfLaredo.com/...]
r1-number = 14/32
r1-length-f = 5,928
r1-length-m = 1,807
r1-surface = Concrete
r2-number = 17L/35R
r2-length-f = 8,236
r2-length-m = 2,510
r2-surface = Concrete
r3-number = 17R/35L
r3-length-f = 7,711
r3-length-m = 2,350
r3-surface = Asphalt
stat-year = 2007
stat1-header = Aircraft operations
stat1-data = 57,698
stat2-header = Based aircraft
stat2-data = 41
footnotes = Sources: airport website [ [http://www.cityoflaredo.com/Airport/ Laredo International Airport] , official site] and FAAFAA-airport|ID=LRD|use=PU|own=PU|site=24194.*A, effective 2008-06-05]

Laredo International Airport airport codes|LRD|KLRD|LRD is a city-owned public-use airport located three nautical miles (6 km) northeast of the central business district of Laredo, a city in Webb County, Texas, United States.

The airport is served by three commercial airlines. In the twelve months ending September 2007, LRD enplaned 109,000 passengers, a 22 percent increase from the same time period the year before. In 2006, LRD totaled 365 million pounds of cargo, a 3 percent decrease from 2005.

History

The Laredo International Airport was once the Laredo Air Force Base, formerly Laredo Army Air Field. The Laredo Army Air Field began operations as a World War II military installation in November 1942. It had a gunnery range and a gunnery school. The field became inactive in late 1945, and the property reverted to the city of Laredo, which used it as a municipal airport in 1950. The base was reactivated and renamed Laredo Air Force Base in April 1952 to provide basic flight training for jet pilots, including pilot trainees from 24 countries. The Laredo Air Force Base utilized the vast cattle ranges to the northwest of the city as aerial gunnery range. Units stationed in LAFB were 38th Combat Support Wing and 3640th Pilot Training Wing. It was closed permanently in 1973 and was turned into the Laredo International Airport.

Facilities and aircraft

Laredo International Airport covers an area of 1,796 acres (727 ha) at an elevation of 508 feet (155 m) above mean sea level. It has three runways:
* Runway 14/32: 5,928 x 150 ft. (1,807 x 46 m), Surface: Concrete
* Runway 17L/35R: 8,236 x 150 ft. (2,510 x 46 m), Surface: Concrete
* Runway 17R/35L: 7,711 x 150 ft. (2,350 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt

For the 12-month period ending September 30, 2007, the airport had 57,698 aircraft operations, an average of 158 per day: 48% general aviation, 28% military, 18% air taxi and 7% scheduled commercial. At that time there were 41 aircraft based at this airport: 37% single-engine, 20% multi-engine, 32% jet and 12% helicopter.

Airlines and destinations

There is one, two-floor terminal at the Laredo International Airport. The bottom floor contains the check-in counters, a gift shop, a restaurant, baggage claim, and US customs. The top floor contains two security lanes and four gates, all with jetways. Free Wi-Fi internet access is available throughout the terminal. Gates 3 and 4 allow direct access to US customs. KLRD sometimes receives a share of diverted flights when severe weather threatens Dallas or Houston.

* Allegiant Air (Las Vegas)
* American Airlines
** American Eagle (Dallas/Fort Worth)
* Continental Airlines
** Continental Express operated by ExpressJet Airlines (Houston-Intercontinental)
** Continental Express operated by Chautauqua Airlines (Houston-Intercontinental)

Air cargo operators & destinations

* ABX Air (Wilmington, OH)
* FedEx Express (Memphis, TN)
* UPS Airlines (Louisville, KY)
* BAX Global/Schenker (Toledo, OH)

ee also

* Texas World War II Army Airfields

References

* Thole, Lou (1999), Forgotten Fields of America : World War II Bases and Training, Then and Now - Vol. 2. Publisher: Pictorial Histories Pub, ISBN 1575100517
* [http://liberatorcrew.com/Manuals/LAAF.htm Laredo Army Air Field Manual]

External links

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