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Coordinates: 29°36′26″N 095°09′32″W / 29.60722°N 95.15889°W / 29.60722; -95.15889
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{{for|the military use of the airport|Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base}}
{{BRAC}}
{{Infobox airport
[[Image:EllingtonT38s.jpg|right|thumb|250px|NASA's fleet of [[T-38 Talon]]s sitting on the flightline at Ellington.]]
| nativename = {{smaller|Ellington Field}}
'''Lieutenant Eric Lamar Ellington Field''' is an [[airport]] in southeast [[Houston, Texas]]. Its [[IATA airport code]] is EFD.
| caption = [[USGS]] 1995 [[orthophoto]]
| FAA = EFD
| location = <!--if different than above-->
| opened = {{start date and age|1917|05|21|df=y|p=yes|br=yes}}
| coordinates = {{coord|29|36|26|N|095|09|32|W|region:US-TX|display=inline,title}}
| name = Ellington Airport
| image = Ellington-13jan1995.jpg
| IATA = EFD
| ICAO = KEFD
| type = Public / Military
| owner = City of Houston
| operator = [[Houston Airport System]]
| city-served = [[Houston, Texas]]
| elevation-f = 32
| website = {{official website|http://www.fly2houston.com/ellington-airport/}}
| pushpin_map = USA Texas#USA
| pushpin_relief = yes
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of the airport in Texas
| pushpin_label = '''EFD'''
| pushpin_label_position = bottom
| r1-number = 4/22
| r1-length-f = 8,001
| r1-surface = Concrete
| r2-number = 17R/35L
| r2-length-f = 9,001
| r2-surface = Concrete
| r3-number = 17L/35R
| r3-length-f = 4,609
| r3-surface = Concrete
| stat-year = 2022
| stat1-header = Aircraft operations
| stat1-data = 115,958
| stat2-header = Based aircraft
| stat2-data = 95
| footnotes = Source: [[Federal Aviation Administration]]<ref name="FAA">{{FAA-airport|ID=EFD|use=PU|own=PU|site=24067.3*A}}. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective July 13, 2023.</ref>
| image_map = EFD - FAA airport diagram 0901.jpg
| image_map_caption = FAA airport diagram
}}


'''Ellington Airport'''<ref name="FAA" /><ref name="HAS">
Ellington Field was established when aviation was in its infancy &mdash; in [[1917]], during the height of [[World War I]]. Originally created as a training facility for the [[United States Army Air Corps]], the field is now used by military, commercial, government and general aviation sectors. It is one of the few airfields built for WWI training purposes still in operation today.
{{cite web
|url=http://www.fly2houston.com/efd-about-ellington-airport
|title=About Ellington Airport
|publisher=Houston Airport System
|date=May 31, 2013
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130529223406/http://www.fly2houston.com/efd-about-ellington-airport
|archive-date=May 29, 2013
}}
</ref> {{airport codes|EFD|KEFD|EFD}} is a public and military use [[airport]] in [[Harris County, Texas]], United States.<ref name="FAA" /> It is owned by the City of Houston's department of aviation, [[Houston Airport System]] and located {{convert|15|nmi|mi km|abbr=on}} southeast of [[downtown Houston]].<ref name="FAA" /> Formerly known as '''Ellington Field''', then '''Ellington Air Force Base''', then again as '''Ellington Field'''<ref>
{{cite web
| url = http://www.airnav.com/airport/KEFD
| title = KEFD &ndash; Ellington Field Airport
| publisher = [[Federal Aviation Administration|FAA]] data republished by AirNav
| date = September 20, 2012
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121101220140/http://www.airnav.com/airport/KEFD
| archive-date = November 1, 2012
}}
</ref><ref name="fly2art1" /> it is included in the [[National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems]] for 2011–2015, which [[FAA airport categories|categorized]] it as a [[general aviation]] [[reliever airport]].<ref>
{{cite web
|url=http://www.faa.gov/airports/planning_capacity/npias/reports/media/2011/npias_2011_appA.pdf
|title=2011–2015 NPIAS Report, Appendix A
|format=[[PDF]], 2.03 MB
|work=National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems
|publisher=Federal Aviation Administration
|date=October 4, 2010
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927084535/http://www.faa.gov/airports/planning_capacity/npias/reports/media/2011/npias_2011_appA.pdf
|archive-date=2012-09-27
}}
</ref> The airport does not have scheduled commercial passenger service. However, Continental Airlines used to operate daily regional services between Ellington and Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport between 1990 and 2004. On 17 October 2018, the City of Houston approved Phase 1 of the [[Houston Spaceport]] project on the Ellington Airport site.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Blevins |first=Troy |date=2018-10-17 |title=$18.8M in funding approved for Phase 1 of Houston Spaceport project |url=https://www.click2houston.com/news/2018/10/17/188m-in-funding-approved-for-phase-1-of-houston-spaceport-project/ |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=KPRC |language=en}}</ref>


== History ==
== History ==
Established by the [[Army Air Service]] on 21 May 1917, Ellington Field was one of the initial [[World War I]] [[Army Air Service]] installations when aviation was in its infancy. It is named for 1st Lt. Eric Ellington, a U.S. Army aviator who was killed in a plane crash in San Diego, California in 1913.<ref>World War I Group, Historical Division, Special Staff, United States Army, Order of Battle of the United States Land Forces in the World War (1917–1919)</ref> Originally created as a training facility, Ellington Airport is currently used by [[military aviation|military]], [[civil aviation|commercial]], [[NASA]] aircraft and [[general aviation]] sectors. Ellington Airport is one of the few airfields built for World War I training purposes still in operation today.


For additional history related to Ellington's status as a military airfield, see [[Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base]].
In [[1917]], the U.S. government purchased 1,280 acres of tall prairie grassland from a Dr. R. W. Knox and the Wright Land Company to establish an air base in [[Houston, Texas]]. The location &mdash; currently part of southeast Houston &mdash; was selected because the weather conditions were ideal for flight training. Soon after construction began on the airfield, the base was named after Lt. [[Eric Lamar Ellington]], an Army pilot killed four years earlier in a plane crash in [[San Diego, California]].


The City of Houston annexed Ellington Field in the late 1960s.<ref>"[https://www.houstontx.gov/planning/Annexation/docs_pdfs/HoustonAnnexationHistory.pdf Annexations in Houston Or How we grew to 667 square miles in 175 years]." City of Houston Planning and Development Department. p. 39 of 62. Retrieved on February 21, 2017.</ref>
The base &mdash; which consisted of a few hangars and some wooden headquarters buildings &mdash; was completed in a matter of months. By the end of 1917, the field was ready to receive its first squadron &mdash; the [[120th Aero Squadron]], which was transferred from [[Kelly Air Force Base|Kelly Field]], along with its [[Curtiss JN4]] Jenny biplanes, which were shipped in wooden crates via railroad.


In January 2009, a name change from Ellington Field to Ellington Airport was approved by the Houston City Council.<ref name="HBJ 2009">
During WWI, Ellington served as an advanced flight training base. As of [[1918]], Ellington had its own gunnery and bombing range on a small peninsula in the [[Gulf of Mexico]] near [[San Leon, Texas]]. Ellington became well-known in military circles, and had a series of "firsts" &mdash; including the first camp newspaper, the first American aerial gunnery and bombing range, the first "canteen girls", and the first aerial ambulance in American military history.
{{cite news
| title = Ellington Field gets new name
| work = [[Houston Business Journal]]
| date = January 16, 2009
| access-date = August 8, 2009
| url = http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2009/01/12/daily51.html
}}</ref> In August 2011, the city announced that the facility would be renamed Ellington International Airport.<ref name="HBJ 2011">McEver, Melissa. "[http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2011/08/12/major-expansion-set-at-ellington-airport.html?s=print Major expansion set at Ellington Airport]." ''[[Houston Business Journal]]''. August 12, 2011. Retrieved on August 15, 2011.</ref> However, as of May 2013, it is still listed as Ellington Airport by the [[Federal Aviation Administration]] and the [[Houston Airport System]].<ref name="FAA" /><ref name="HAS" />


In April 2014, [[Sierra Nevada Corporation]] signed an agreement with Houston Airport System officials to explore development of Ellington as a [[Private spaceflight|commercial]] [[spaceport]]. The ultimate goal of the agreement is to use Ellington as a landing site for the company's [[Dream Chaser]] [[spaceplane]]. A [[feasibility study]] found it would cost [[United States dollar|US$]]48 million to $122 million to equip Ellington for landing and launching small space vehicles on a regular basis. With federal approval in June 2015, Ellington Airport was granted a Launch Site License from the Federal Aviation Administration that established the airport as the 10th commercial spaceport in the United States.<ref>{{cite news
After WWI concluded, Ellington was no longer considered necessary, and in [[1920]] it was deactivated as an active duty airfield. A small caretaker unit was kept there for administrative reasons, but generally, the only flight activity during this time was from Army pilots stationed at Kelly Field, who flew down to practice landings on Ellington's runways.
|title=Houston Airport System plans from spaceport approved by FAA
|work=fly2houston.com
|date=June 30, 2015
|access-date=July 1, 2015
|url=http://www.fly2houston.com/0/3922731/0/83280D83283/
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150701225730/http://www.fly2houston.com/0/3922731/0/83280D83283/
|archive-date=July 1, 2015
}}</ref> On 17 October 2018, the city council approved Phase 1 funding of $18.8 million for improvements to streets, water, wastewater, electrical power distribution facilities and communications facilities on the site.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.khou.com/article/tech/188m-for-phase-1-of-houston-spaceport-project-approved/285-605258095|title=$18.8M for Phase 1 of Houston spaceport project approved|website=KHOU|date=17 October 2018 |access-date=2019-01-29}}</ref>


In September 2017, the [[Lone Star Flight Museum]] moved from Galveston's [[Scholes Field|Scholes International Airport at Galveston]] to Ellington, a move that had been in the works since the aftermath of [[Hurricane Ike]] in 2008. The Museum built a brand new facility at Ellington to house its airworthy and static aircraft, as well as its Texas Aviation Hall of Fame. The facility is complete with training centers and administrative space, allowing the Museum to operate solely from Ellington.
In [[1923]], Ellington had been ordered to be completely dismantled. But that plan was abruptly halted when the [[Texas National Guard]] decided to establish an aviation squadron. Soon after, the [[111th Observation Squadron]] (known colloquially as "Houston's Own" and now the [[147th Fighter Wing]], still stationed at Ellington) was born, stationed at Ellington Field. The squadron, which flew [[Curtiss JN6H]]s and [[De Havilland DH.4]]s, provided mapping, photography, and reconnaissance support for the [[36th Infantry Division]].


Groundbreaking on Phase 1 was held in 2019 to include providing streets, water, wastewater, electrical power distribution facilities, and fiber optic and communications facilities necessary to attract future development.
Just a few years alter, Ellington's status was again threatened as local city leaders began discussing building a municipal airport. That airport &mdash; the present day [[William P. Hobby Airport]] &mdash; confirmed the squadron's fears; by [[1927]] Ellington's aging facilities were obsolete. The Texas National Guard decided to move the 111th to new facilities at the municipal airport instead. The Texas National Guard and 36th Infantry Division bought most of the airfield's buildings, but let the land lie fallow &mdash; by [[1928]] Ellington was again overtaken by tall prairie grass. That same year, a fire engulfed what was left of the airfield, consuming its remaining structures, save concrete foundations and a metal water tower. For the next 12 years, the U.S. military leased the land to local ranchers for use as pasture.


==Overview==
[[World War II]], with its concomitant need for trained pilots, resurrected Ellington Field from the ash heap of history. Rep. [[Albert Thomas]], who was one of Houston's representatives in the [[U.S. House of Representatives]], pushed for rebuilding Ellington as a pilot training ground. Beyond the area's excellent weather for flying, Thomas argued that the Houston area's enormous petroleum refineries, upon which the war effort depended, needed military protection close by.
[[File:EllingtonAirportHouston.JPG|thumb|left|Entrance to the airport]]
[[File:WOHAirshow.jpg|thumb|left|[[World War II]] and [[Cold War]] -era US aircraft flying in formation during Wings Over Houston at Ellington Airport]]


Ellington Airport consists of three active [[runway]]s (a {{convert|9001|ft|m|adj=on}} [[Instrument Landing System|ILS]] CAT I runway, an {{convert|8001|ft|m|adj=on}} runway, and a {{convert|4609|ft|m|adj=on}} runway).<ref name="CIPEFD">
Construction began on a much-expanded Ellington Field, which eventually included five control towers, two 46,000 square foot hangars, the most modern medical complex in south Texas and 74 barracks. Ellington became one of the sites where bomber pilots received their advanced training. It also housed the Army Air Corps' [[bombardier]] school, known as the "the Bombardment Academy of the Air." In [[1943]], the bombardier school was replaced with a school for navigators.
{{cite web
| url = http://www.fly2houston.com/CIPEFD
| title = Program Overview: Ellington Field
| publisher = Houston Airport System
| access-date = March 7, 2007
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070313002329/http://www.fly2houston.com/CIPEFD
| archive-date = March 13, 2007
}}
</ref> The airport supports the operations of the [[United States]] military, [[NASA]] and a variety of [[general aviation]] tenants.<ref name="fly2art1">
{{cite web
| url = http://www.fly2houston.com/EllingtonAbout
| title = About Ellington Field
| publisher = Houston Airport System
| access-date = February 24, 2007
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070302010555/http://www.fly2houston.com/EllingtonAbout
| archive-date = March 2, 2007
}}
</ref> The field is a base for [[NASA]]'s administrative, cargo transport and high-altitude aircraft, which also includes NASA's fleet of [[T-38 Talon]] jets bailed to the agency from [[USAF]], [[Gulfstream Aerospace|Gulfstream]] [[Shuttle Training Aircraft]], and a former USN [[McDonnell Douglas C-9|C-9]] nicknamed the "Weightless Wonder VI" which replaced the former USAF [[KC-135|NKC-135]] aircraft known as the [[Vomit Comet]], a [[zero-g]] trainer.<ref name="NASAaircraft">
{{cite web
| url = http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/pdf/161111main_ellington_aircraft_fact_sheet.pdf
| title = Ellington Field Aircraft
| publisher = [[National Aeronautics and Space Administration]]
| access-date = February 24, 2007
}}
</ref> The only three [[B-57 Canberra|WB-57F]] aircraft (used for atmospheric research and reconnaissance) still flying in the world today are housed at Ellington.<ref name="Goddard">
{{cite web
| url = http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/topstory/2002/20020709crystalface.html
| title = Study of Cloud Ice Crystals May Improve Climate Change Forecasts
| publisher = [[Goddard Space Flight Center]]
| date = July 16, 2012
| access-date = February 24, 2007
| url-status = dead
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060929230101/http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/topstory/2002/20020709crystalface.html
| archive-date = September 29, 2006
}}
</ref>


The [[Texas Air National Guard]], [[United States National Guard|Texas Army National Guard]] and the [[U.S. Coast Guard]] also maintain a presence at the base. The Coast Guard facility known as [[Coast Guard Air Station Houston]] operates 3 [[Eurocopter]] MH-65C "Dolphin" Short-Range Recovery (SRR) helicopters for search and rescue (SAR) and port security roles. Several flight schools reside at the airfield. Ellington Field is also home to the largest flying club in Texas and the annual "Wings Over Houston" [[airshow]].<ref name="CIPEFD"/>
From [[1945]] at the close of the war until [[1948]], Ellington served primarily as a reserve air base. But in [[1948]], Ellington was reopened for active duty and renamed Ellington Air Force Base. By [[1949]], the Air Force had rebuilt Ellington enough to open a radar navigator school. To help navigators learn celestial positioning, a Houston resident paid for the construction of a planetarium at Ellington. The planetarium, which stood 50 feet high and was topped by an aluminum dome, could hold 40 students.


Ellington Field once had scheduled commercial air service: [[Continental Express]] flights between Ellington Airport and [[George Bush Intercontinental Airport]] in north Houston ended in 2004. Prior to the cessation of commercial air service, the route flown between Bush Intercontinental and Ellington Field was the shortest [[fixed-wing]] route flown in the United States at only {{convert|25|nmi|km|abbr=on}}. Flight times were as short as six minutes, depending on direction of departure. To this day, Ellington Field serves as a [[reliever airport]] for both Bush Intercontinental and the [[William P. Hobby Airport]], and handles diverted aircraft from those two airports during bad weather events and peak traffic times.<ref name="HBJ 2009" /> A [[terminal aerodrome forecast]] is produced for the airfield 365 days a year at 20Z, 04Z, and 12Z by the [[26th Operational Weather Squadron]], a [[Air Force Weather Agency|USAF weather]] squadron.
In [[1957]] the [[United States Navy]] opened a Naval Air Reserve Center at Ellington, where Navy pilots flew amphibious aircraft on antisubmarine missions over the Gulf of Mexico. But budget problems forced its closure just a year later.


== Facilities and aircraft ==
In [[1959]], Ellington was downgraded to a reserve Air Force base, and has served the military in that caapcity since. Also in 1959, the [[Civil Air Patrol]] decided to move its headquarters to Houston. In addition, Ellington also hosted several [[Reserve Officer Training Corps]] summer courses, hosting officer candidates from 22 states. The CAP has since relocated their headquarters elsewhere, but a local unit still remains at Ellington.
Ellington Field covers an area of {{convert|2362|acre|km2|abbr=on}} at an [[elevation]] of {{convert|32|ft|m|abbr=on}} above [[mean sea level]].


It has three [[runway]]s with [[concrete]] surfaces:
In [[1962]], NASA elected to use Ellington as its base for astronaut flight training because of its proximity to the newly-constructed [[Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center]], which continues to the present day.


*Runway 4/22 is {{convert|8001|x|150|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref name="FAA" />
In [[1976]], Ellington was officially deactivated. All Air Force Reserve squadrons were transferred elsewhere; however, the Texas Air National Guard and National Guard still maintain a presence on the base.
*Runway 17R/35L is {{convert|9001|x|150|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref name="FAA" />
*Runway 17L/35R is {{convert|4609|x|80|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref name="FAA" />


For the 12-month period ending 31 December 2022, the airport had 115,958 aircraft operations, an average of 317 per day: 74% [[general aviation]], 15% [[military aviation|military]], 9% [[air taxi]], and 2% [[airline|scheduled commercial]]. At that time there were 95 aircraft based at this airport: 32 single-[[aircraft engine|engine]], 30 [[jet aircraft|jet]], 8 multi-engine, and 25[[military aircraft|military]].<ref name="FAA" />
In [[1984]] the city of Houston purchased Ellington to use as a third civil airport, and it was again renamed Ellington Field.


The Lone Star Flight Museum, which was located at [[Scholes International Airport at Galveston|Scholes]] from 1985 until 2017, maintains a fleet of airworthy warbirds including: North American B-25 Mitchell Bomber, Douglas A24 Banshee (Decorated as an SBD-5 Dauntless), Vought F4U Corsair, General Motors (Eastern Aircraft) TBM Avenger, Grumman F6F Hellcat, General Motors FM-2 Wildcat, North American AT-6 Texan, Beech AT-11 Kansan, Cessna AT-17 Bobcat, Stinson L-5, Douglas DC-3, and Stearman PT-17.
==Present day ==


The [[Air National Guard]] maintains [[ARFF]] equipment for use mainly on military aircraft, however they also respond to private emergencies.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.goang.com/careers/emergency-management-and-response/fire-protection.html|title=Fire Protection}}</ref>
Ellington Field has mostly been used for military purposes, for flying NASA aircraft, flying packages for the [[United Parcel Service]], and for flying the [[United States President]] into the Houston area. For most of its history it has been an Army or Air Force base, but is now now in civilian management. However, the Texas [[Air National Guard]] and [[National Guard]] still maintain a presence at the base, including the 147th Fighter Wing. The base is also the location of [[NASA]]'s fleet of [[T-38 Talon]] jets, as well as the [[Vomit Comet]], a [[zero-g]] trainer. Both types of airplane are used for astronaut training.


==Statistics==
Ellington Field once had scheduled commercial air service. [[Continental Express]] flew between Ellington Field and [[George Bush Intercontinental Airport]] in north Houston. The service ended on [[September 7]], [[2004]].
===Annual traffic===
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" style="font-size: 95%"
! style=max-width:10em|Year<ref>[http://www.fly2houston.com/about-traffic-updates Traffic Updates. Retrieved on Mar 28, 2015.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150524014309/http://www.fly2houston.com/about-traffic-updates |date=2015-05-24 }}</ref>
! style=max-width:10em|Passengers
|-
| 1987||0
|-
| 1988||0
|-
| 1989||0
|-
| 1990||35,908
|-
| 1991||85,560
|-
| 1992||108,976
|-
| 1993||114,656
|-
| 1994||117,895
|-
| 1995||91,028
|-
| 1996||94,299
|-
|1997
|111,405
|-
|1998
|102,550
|-
|1999
|96,943
|-
|2000
|73,880
|-
|2001
|60,255
|-
|2002
|76,035
|-
|2003
|80,306
|-
|2004
|53,947
|-
|2005
|0
|-
|2006
|0
|-
|2007
|2
|-
|2008
|0
|-
|2009
|0
|-
|2010
|1
|-
|2011
|0
|-
|2012
|0
|-
|2013
|2
|-
|2014
|4
|}


==See also==
Ellington Field is home to the largest flying club in Texas, and to the annual "Wings over Houston" airshow.
* [[List of airports in Texas]]


===BRAC===
==References==
{{Reflist|2}}


==External links==
In [[2005]], the U.S. [[Department of Defense]] recommended retiring Ellington's 147th Fighter Wing's [[F-16 Falcon]] fighter jets (a total of 15 aircraft). They would be replaced with 12 [[RQ-1 Predator]] unmanned [[Unmanned Aerial Vehicles|drones]]. The wing's combat support arm would remain intact. The 272nd Engineering Installation Squadron, an [[Air National Guard]] unit currently located off-base, would move into Ellington Field.
{{Portal|Texas|Aviation}}
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website|http://www.fly2houston.com/ellington-airport/}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070314002833/http://web.houstonairportsystem.org/efd_masterplan/main.html Houston Airport System - Ellington Airport Master Plan]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/ellington.htm Ellington Field] at GlobalSecurity.org
* [http://www.wingsoverhouston.com/ Wings Over Houston Airshow]
* {{FAA-diagram|00197}}
* {{FAA-procedures|EFD}}
{{US-airport-ga|EFD}}


{{Airports Owned by the City of Houston}}
The total estimated one-time cost to the Defense Department to implement this recommendation would be $1.6 million.
{{Spaceport|state=collapsed}}

Rep. [[Tom DeLay]], the powerful majority leader of the [[U.S. House of Representatives]], represents Ellington Field. He asked the commission that recommended Ellington be downsized to reevaluate its position, and hosted the chairman of the committee, [[Anthony Principi]], at Ellington Field in June 2005. It is unclear whether DeLay's advocacy will sway the commission to reverse its recommendations.

==Airport Overview==

[[Image:00197AD copy.jpg]]

==External links==
*[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/ellington.htm globalsecurity.org: Ellington Field]
* [http://efd.houstonairportsystem.org/ Houston Airport System's weather page for Ellington]
* [http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/history/ellington/Ellington.pdf A short history of Ellington Field, by NASA]
* [https://www.txelli.ang.af.mil/index2.html Ellington's 147th Fighter Wing &mdash; "Ace in the Hole"]


[[Category:United States Air Force bases]]
[[Category:Ellington Airport (Texas)| ]]
[[Category:U.S. Air Force bases slated for realignment]]
[[Category:Airports in Houston]]
[[Category:Airports of Texas]]
[[Category:Houston, Texas]]

Latest revision as of 16:37, 16 August 2024

For the military use of the airport, see Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base.
Ellington Airport

Ellington Field
USGS 1995 orthophoto
Summary
Airport typePublic / Military
OwnerCity of Houston
OperatorHouston Airport System
ServesHouston, Texas
Opened21 May 1917
(107 years ago) (1917-05-21)
Elevation AMSL32 ft / 10 m
Coordinates29°36′26″N 095°09′32″W / 29.60722°N 95.15889°W / 29.60722; -95.15889
WebsiteOfficial website
Maps
FAA airport diagram
FAA airport diagram
EFD is located in Texas
EFD
EFD
Location of the airport in Texas
EFD is located in the United States
EFD
EFD
EFD (the United States)
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
4/22 8,001 2,439 Concrete
17R/35L 9,001 2,744 Concrete
17L/35R 4,609 1,405 Concrete
Statistics (2022)
Aircraft operations115,958
Based aircraft95

Ellington Airport[1][2] (IATA: EFD, ICAO: KEFD, FAA LID: EFD) is a public and military use airport in Harris County, Texas, United States.[1] It is owned by the City of Houston's department of aviation, Houston Airport System and located 15 nmi (17 mi; 28 km) southeast of downtown Houston.[1] Formerly known as Ellington Field, then Ellington Air Force Base, then again as Ellington Field[3][4] it is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which categorized it as a general aviation reliever airport.[5] The airport does not have scheduled commercial passenger service. However, Continental Airlines used to operate daily regional services between Ellington and Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport between 1990 and 2004. On 17 October 2018, the City of Houston approved Phase 1 of the Houston Spaceport project on the Ellington Airport site.[6]

History

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Established by the Army Air Service on 21 May 1917, Ellington Field was one of the initial World War I Army Air Service installations when aviation was in its infancy. It is named for 1st Lt. Eric Ellington, a U.S. Army aviator who was killed in a plane crash in San Diego, California in 1913.[7] Originally created as a training facility, Ellington Airport is currently used by military, commercial, NASA aircraft and general aviation sectors. Ellington Airport is one of the few airfields built for World War I training purposes still in operation today.

For additional history related to Ellington's status as a military airfield, see Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base.

The City of Houston annexed Ellington Field in the late 1960s.[8]

In January 2009, a name change from Ellington Field to Ellington Airport was approved by the Houston City Council.[9] In August 2011, the city announced that the facility would be renamed Ellington International Airport.[10] However, as of May 2013, it is still listed as Ellington Airport by the Federal Aviation Administration and the Houston Airport System.[1][2]

In April 2014, Sierra Nevada Corporation signed an agreement with Houston Airport System officials to explore development of Ellington as a commercial spaceport. The ultimate goal of the agreement is to use Ellington as a landing site for the company's Dream Chaser spaceplane. A feasibility study found it would cost US$48 million to $122 million to equip Ellington for landing and launching small space vehicles on a regular basis. With federal approval in June 2015, Ellington Airport was granted a Launch Site License from the Federal Aviation Administration that established the airport as the 10th commercial spaceport in the United States.[11] On 17 October 2018, the city council approved Phase 1 funding of $18.8 million for improvements to streets, water, wastewater, electrical power distribution facilities and communications facilities on the site.[12]

In September 2017, the Lone Star Flight Museum moved from Galveston's Scholes International Airport at Galveston to Ellington, a move that had been in the works since the aftermath of Hurricane Ike in 2008. The Museum built a brand new facility at Ellington to house its airworthy and static aircraft, as well as its Texas Aviation Hall of Fame. The facility is complete with training centers and administrative space, allowing the Museum to operate solely from Ellington.

Groundbreaking on Phase 1 was held in 2019 to include providing streets, water, wastewater, electrical power distribution facilities, and fiber optic and communications facilities necessary to attract future development.

Overview

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Entrance to the airport
World War II and Cold War -era US aircraft flying in formation during Wings Over Houston at Ellington Airport

Ellington Airport consists of three active runways (a 9,001-foot (2,744 m) ILS CAT I runway, an 8,001-foot (2,439 m) runway, and a 4,609-foot (1,405 m) runway).[13] The airport supports the operations of the United States military, NASA and a variety of general aviation tenants.[4] The field is a base for NASA's administrative, cargo transport and high-altitude aircraft, which also includes NASA's fleet of T-38 Talon jets bailed to the agency from USAF, Gulfstream Shuttle Training Aircraft, and a former USN C-9 nicknamed the "Weightless Wonder VI" which replaced the former USAF NKC-135 aircraft known as the Vomit Comet, a zero-g trainer.[14] The only three WB-57F aircraft (used for atmospheric research and reconnaissance) still flying in the world today are housed at Ellington.[15]

The Texas Air National Guard, Texas Army National Guard and the U.S. Coast Guard also maintain a presence at the base. The Coast Guard facility known as Coast Guard Air Station Houston operates 3 Eurocopter MH-65C "Dolphin" Short-Range Recovery (SRR) helicopters for search and rescue (SAR) and port security roles. Several flight schools reside at the airfield. Ellington Field is also home to the largest flying club in Texas and the annual "Wings Over Houston" airshow.[13]

Ellington Field once had scheduled commercial air service: Continental Express flights between Ellington Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in north Houston ended in 2004. Prior to the cessation of commercial air service, the route flown between Bush Intercontinental and Ellington Field was the shortest fixed-wing route flown in the United States at only 25 nmi (46 km). Flight times were as short as six minutes, depending on direction of departure. To this day, Ellington Field serves as a reliever airport for both Bush Intercontinental and the William P. Hobby Airport, and handles diverted aircraft from those two airports during bad weather events and peak traffic times.[9] A terminal aerodrome forecast is produced for the airfield 365 days a year at 20Z, 04Z, and 12Z by the 26th Operational Weather Squadron, a USAF weather squadron.

Facilities and aircraft

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Ellington Field covers an area of 2,362 acres (9.56 km2) at an elevation of 32 ft (9.8 m) above mean sea level.

It has three runways with concrete surfaces:

  • Runway 4/22 is 8,001 ft × 150 ft (2,439 m × 46 m)[1]
  • Runway 17R/35L is 9,001 ft × 150 ft (2,744 m × 46 m)[1]
  • Runway 17L/35R is 4,609 ft × 80 ft (1,405 m × 24 m)[1]

For the 12-month period ending 31 December 2022, the airport had 115,958 aircraft operations, an average of 317 per day: 74% general aviation, 15% military, 9% air taxi, and 2% scheduled commercial. At that time there were 95 aircraft based at this airport: 32 single-engine, 30 jet, 8 multi-engine, and 25military.[1]

The Lone Star Flight Museum, which was located at Scholes from 1985 until 2017, maintains a fleet of airworthy warbirds including: North American B-25 Mitchell Bomber, Douglas A24 Banshee (Decorated as an SBD-5 Dauntless), Vought F4U Corsair, General Motors (Eastern Aircraft) TBM Avenger, Grumman F6F Hellcat, General Motors FM-2 Wildcat, North American AT-6 Texan, Beech AT-11 Kansan, Cessna AT-17 Bobcat, Stinson L-5, Douglas DC-3, and Stearman PT-17.

The Air National Guard maintains ARFF equipment for use mainly on military aircraft, however they also respond to private emergencies.[16]

Statistics

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Annual traffic

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Year[17] Passengers
1987 0
1988 0
1989 0
1990 35,908
1991 85,560
1992 108,976
1993 114,656
1994 117,895
1995 91,028
1996 94,299
1997 111,405
1998 102,550
1999 96,943
2000 73,880
2001 60,255
2002 76,035
2003 80,306
2004 53,947
2005 0
2006 0
2007 2
2008 0
2009 0
2010 1
2011 0
2012 0
2013 2
2014 4

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i FAA Airport Form 5010 for EFD PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective July 13, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "About Ellington Airport". Houston Airport System. May 31, 2013. Archived from the original on May 29, 2013.
  3. ^ "KEFD – Ellington Field Airport". FAA data republished by AirNav. September 20, 2012. Archived from the original on November 1, 2012.
  4. ^ a b "About Ellington Field". Houston Airport System. Archived from the original on March 2, 2007. Retrieved February 24, 2007.
  5. ^ "2011–2015 NPIAS Report, Appendix A" (PDF). National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems. Federal Aviation Administration. October 4, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF, 2.03 MB) on 2012-09-27.
  6. ^ Blevins, Troy (2018-10-17). "$18.8M in funding approved for Phase 1 of Houston Spaceport project". KPRC. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
  7. ^ World War I Group, Historical Division, Special Staff, United States Army, Order of Battle of the United States Land Forces in the World War (1917–1919)
  8. ^ "Annexations in Houston Or How we grew to 667 square miles in 175 years." City of Houston Planning and Development Department. p. 39 of 62. Retrieved on February 21, 2017.
  9. ^ a b "Ellington Field gets new name". Houston Business Journal. January 16, 2009. Retrieved August 8, 2009.
  10. ^ McEver, Melissa. "Major expansion set at Ellington Airport." Houston Business Journal. August 12, 2011. Retrieved on August 15, 2011.
  11. ^ "Houston Airport System plans from spaceport approved by FAA". fly2houston.com. June 30, 2015. Archived from the original on July 1, 2015. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
  12. ^ "$18.8M for Phase 1 of Houston spaceport project approved". KHOU. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 2019-01-29.
  13. ^ a b "Program Overview: Ellington Field". Houston Airport System. Archived from the original on March 13, 2007. Retrieved March 7, 2007.
  14. ^ "Ellington Field Aircraft" (PDF). National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved February 24, 2007.
  15. ^ "Study of Cloud Ice Crystals May Improve Climate Change Forecasts". Goddard Space Flight Center. July 16, 2012. Archived from the original on September 29, 2006. Retrieved February 24, 2007.
  16. ^ "Fire Protection".
  17. ^ Traffic Updates. Retrieved on Mar 28, 2015. Archived 2015-05-24 at the Wayback Machine
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