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Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport

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T. F. Green Airport

Theodore Francis Green Memorial State Airport
USGS aerial image
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerState of Rhode Island
OperatorRhode Island Airport Corporation
ServesProvidence
Location2000 Post Road
Warwick, Rhode Island
Elevation AMSL55 ft / 17 m
Coordinates41°43′26″N 071°25′42″W / 41.72389°N 71.42833°W / 41.72389; -71.42833
Websitewww.pvdairport.com
Maps
A map with a grid overlay showing the terminals runways and other structures of the airport.
FAA airport diagram
PVD is located in Rhode Island
PVD
PVD
Location within Rhode Island
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
5/23 7,166 2,184 Asphalt
16/34 6,081 1,853 Asphalt
Statistics (2009, 1010)
Aircraft operations (2009)83,016
Based aircraft (2009)71
Passenger (2010)3,936,423

T. F. Green Airport[2] (IATA: PVD, ICAO: KPVD, FAA LID: PVD) (Theodore Francis Green Memorial State Airport) is a public airport in Warwick, six miles (10 km) south of Providence, in Kent County, Rhode Island, USA. Opened in 1931, the airport was named for former Rhode Island governor and longtime senator Theodore F. Green. Rebuilt in 1996,[3] the renovated main terminal was named for former Rhode Island governor Bruce Sundlun. It was the first state-owned airport in the United States.[4]

T.F. Green Airport is a regional airport serving the FAA's New England Region within the FAA System Plan.[5] Along with two other regional airports, Worcester Regional Airport and Manchester Regional Airport, T.F. Green is considered a reliever airport to Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts.[6] The airport is the largest and most active airport among the six operated by the Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC).

History

Iberia Airbus A340-300 visiting T.F. Green Airport on June 1, 2011

T.F. Green was dedicated on September 27, 1931, as Hillsgrove State Airport, drawing the largest crowd that had attended a public function in the country at the time.[4] In 1933 the Rhode Island State Airport Terminal was built on Airport Road, at the time named Occupatuxet Road.[7] In 1938 the airport was renamed to its current name.

During World War II, the Army Air Force took control of the airport from 1942 to 1945, using it for flight training for new air force cadets.[4]

In the 1960s the airport grew as commercial aviation sought interest in the Providence market. The runways were expanded for jet airliners and a new terminal opened on Post Road. In the 1970s, most of the legacy carriers served T.F. Green. In the 1990s, T.F. Green's terminal was once again rebuilt, expanding to 18 gates and modernizing the infrastructure. In 1997, four gates were added, totaling the number of gates to 22. Airlines added service to T.F. Green, including Air Canada,[8] Southwest,[9] SATA International (which operated flights to the Azores using an A310-300),[10] and Spirit Airlines.[11]

Following the September 11th attacks, T.F. Green, like most airports in the United States, faced a decrease in passengers, which resulted in fewer flights and loss of service, specifically from American Airlines (which once provided service to Chicago O'Hare and Dallas-Fort Worth Airport), Spirit, and SATA. As of 2013, the Providence Metropolitan Area is the largest MSA in the United States not served by American Airlines or any of its subsidiaries.

Since the HNTB-designed Bruce Sundlun Terminal was opened in 1996, T.F. Green had become more congested due to increased traffic and post-9/11 security changes.[12] As a result, the terminal underwent renovations which included the expansion of baggage rooms to accommodate a new In-Line Explosive Detection System (EDS) Baggage Handling System, expanded security screening checkpoints, increased concessions, additional ticket counters, and the expansion of RIAC administration offices on the terminal's second and third floors.[13]

Although T.F. Green's longest runway is only 7,166 feet (2,184 m), the airport has been visited by several wide-body airplanes. Cheaper landing and transient fees at T.F. Green make it an appealing choice for sports teams and entertainers visiting the Boston metropolitan area.

T.F. Green has been visited by Air Force One, a Boeing 747, on October 25, 2010,[14] a Concorde operated by British Airways on June 13, 1988,[15] and an Airbus A340 flown by Iberia Airlines on June 1, 2011, which transported the Mens Spanish National Soccer Team for their match against the U.S. National Team on June 4, 2011, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.[16]

Runway expansion

The Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC) writes (in 2001)[17] that the master plan completed in 1997 failed to envision the "tremendous growth" that had been experienced in the years hitherto. The report identifies lack of runway length as a hindrance to "range and diversity of service", in particular emphasizing ability to service non-hub locations, the west coast, and international locations. A challenge particular to T.F. Green in this regard is its being surrounded by dense residential and commercial development. Many local residents also oppose expansion for the impact it will have on quality of life in the area.[18] Current plans call for runway 5-23 to be extended to 8,700 feet (2,700 m)[19] in order to allow T.F. Green to service nonstop flights to Western Europe and to bring back service to the Western United States.[20]

While some expansion proponents claim extending the main runway would bring in an estimated $138 million over the course of 13 years, doing so could consume 204 houses, at least ten businesses, and large areas of wetlands. More recent studies indicate substantially decreased enplanements due in-part to soaring fuel costs, and easier access to Logan International Airport since completion of improvements to the Southeast Expressway, Third Harbor Tunnel, bus services between T.F. Green and Logan, as well as the introduction of low cost carriers at Logan such as JetBlue.[21]

The Rhode Island Airport Corporation owns some residential property on the eastern side of the airport near the Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting building. Most homes on Cedar Swamp Road and Pembroke Avenue have since been demolished, likely to make way for future expansion.[22]

On March 1, 2012, TF Green Airport was given the go-ahead to expand the main runway and improve the safety of the secondary runway. The Warwick City Council unanimously voted to approve the expansion, and drop the suit against the RIAC. President Obama signed a bill saying the project will be federally funded. The project will take approximately 2–3 years.[23]

Facilities

Bruce Sundlun Terminal

Theodore Francis Green State Airport covers 1,111 acres (450 ha) at an elevation of 55 feet (17 m) above mean sea level. It has two asphalt runways: 5/23 is 7,166 by 150 feet (2,184 x 46 m) and 16/34 is 6,081 by 150 feet (1,853 x 46 m).[1] ILS is available for runways 5, 23, and 34, with runway 5 being certified for CAT III Instrument Landing. The other runways with ILS are certified for CAT I.[24] Taxiway Victor was Runway 5L/23R until 2003.

The airport's terminal, named for former Rhode Island governor Bruce Sundlun, has two concourses, North and South. The South Concourse has eight gates and the North Concourse has 14. Gate 7A is designed for international arrivals; it is directly connected to customs, which is on the lower level of the concourse. The terminal contains a number of stores and restaurants, and a central food court.

Traffic and statistics

In 2009 the airport had 83,016 aircraft operations, average 227 per day: 52% scheduled commercial, 24% air taxi, 23% general aviation and <1% military. 71 aircraft were then based at this airport: 77% single-engine, 5% multi-engine, 17% jet and 1% helicopter.[1]

T.F. Green is served by regional aircraft such as CRJ's and ERJ's and medium sized mainline jets such as Boeing 737's and MD-88s. Currently the largest scheduled aircraft servicing the airport is a US Airways Airbus A321 on one of six daily flights to its hub in Charlotte, North Carolina. Additionally, United Airlines does occasionally operate a Boeing 737-900 to Chicago, Illinois. Delta Air Lines charters a Boeing 767-300 during football season for the New England Patriots.

A former FedEx Boeing 727-200 parked at T.F. Green

T.F. Green is also visited daily by a Boeing 757-200 flown with FedEx, a new addition to the FedEx fleet. FedEx used to operate a Boeing 727 out of TF Green, however the 65 remaining 727s in service with FedEx have all been retired as of June 2013., UPS Airlines Similarly operates a Boeing 757-200 out if T.F Green. w.[25]

Currently, the farthest mainline service is a Boeing 737 by Southwest Airlines daily to Las Vegas. Previously this aircraft and airline serviced the longest domestic route from the airport to Phoenix, Arizona. The service to Phoenix was terminated in 2011.

In 2011, T.F. Green handled about 3,852,000 passengers.[26] The mainline airline with the largest presence at T.F. Green is Southwest, which carried 50.77% of all passengers for the 12-month period ending June 30, 2012, followed by US Airways with 14.11%.[26] T.F. Green also handled over 26,000,000 pounds (12,000,000 kg) of cargo and mail.[26]

As of March 2011, 83% of departures were on-time at T.F. Green, and 80% of arrivals were on-time.[26]

Busiest Domestic Routes from Providence
(January – December 2012)[26]
Rank Airport Passengers Carriers
1 Baltimore, Maryland 319,000 Southwest
2 Charlotte, North Carolina 196,000 US Airways
3 Orlando, Florida 192,000 JetBlue, Southwest
4 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 135,000 US Airways
5 Atlanta, Georgia 127,000 Delta
6 Chicago (Midway), Illinois 118,000 Southwest
7 Detroit, Michigan 93,000 Delta
8 Washington (National), D.C. 90,000 US Airways
9 Tampa, Florida 89,000 Southwest
10 Fort Lauderdale, FL 70,000 JetBlue, Southwest
11 Chicago, IL 69,000 United
12 Cleveland, OH 71,500 United
13 Dulles, Virginia 71,500 United
Traffic by calendar year[27]
Passengers Change from previous year Aircraft operations Cargo
(pounds)[28]
2004 5,509,186 38,420,118
2005 5,730,557 Increase04.02% 118,436 38,497,744
2006 5,203,396 Decrease09.20% 45,727,608
2007 5,019,342 Decrease03.54% 100,693 44,185,658
2008 4,692,974 Decrease06.50% 92,045 30,444,992
2009 4,328,741 Decrease07.76% 83,016 21,017,341
2010 3,936,423 Decrease09.06% 81,571 21,859,591
2011 3,883,548 Decrease01.34% 80,597 22,856,687
2012 3,650,737 Decrease05.99% 76,491 24,204,472

Airlines and destinations

Passenger service

AirlinesDestinations
Cape Air Seasonal: Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket
Delta Air Lines Atlanta, Detroit
Delta Connection operated by Compass Airlines Detroit
Delta Connection operated by Endeavor Air Detroit
Delta Connection operated by SkyWest Airlines Minneapolis/St. Paul
JetBlue Airways Fort Lauderdale, Orlando
Southwest Airlines Baltimore, Chicago-Midway, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa
Seasonal: Fort Myers, Las Vegas, West Palm Beach
United Airlines Chicago-O'Hare
United Express operated by Chautauqua Airlines Cleveland
United Express operated by Commutair Newark
United Express operated by ExpressJet Chicago-O'Hare, Cleveland, Newark, Washington-Dulles
United Express operated by Mesa Airlines Chicago-O'Hare, Washington-Dulles
United Express operated by Republic Airlines Newark, Washington-Dulles
US Airways Charlotte, Philadelphia
US Airways Express operated by Air Wisconsin Philadelphia, Washington-National
US Airways Express operated by Republic Airlines Philadelphia, Washington-National

Cargo airlines

Airline Destination
FedEx Express Fort Wayne
FedEx Feeder operated by Wiggins Airways Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard
UPS Airlines Hartford

Ground transportation

T.F. Green Airport has direct access to I-95 via the T. F. Green Airport Connector Road, a 1.1-mile (1.8 km) freeway. The airport is served by major car rental companies as well as by local taxi and limousine services.

The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) offers public bus transportation to and from the cities of Providence (Kennedy Plaza in downtown Providence) and Newport. In particular:[29]

  • The #20 bus goes to Kennedy Plaza by way of Elmwood and Roger Williams Park and Zoo, and takes approximately 40 minutes.
  • The #14 bus goes directly to and from Kennedy Plaza and takes approximately 20–25 minutes; it also connects to Newport, Narragansett, and East Greenwich.

An intermodal station, completed in October 2010, includes an elevated walkway to the terminal, a rental car garage, and commuter rail parking. The MBTA commuter rail service to and from downtown Providence and Boston commenced on December 6, 2010 and was expanded on November 14, 2011.[30] Service was expanded south to Wickford Junction in April 2012.[31] There are ten weekday trains to Wickford Junction and ten to Providence, most of which continue on to Boston with local stops along the way. Travel time to South Station in Boston about 85 minutes, while the travel times to both Providence and to Wickford Junction are about 15 minutes. Amtrak has formally stated they will not stop at the station for the foreseeable future citing lack of being economically feasible.

Incidents

1972 Rolling Stones arrest

British rock band The Rolling Stones were arrested at the airport in 1972 after assaulting a photographer, and were brought to the Warwick police station. Their flight could not land in Boston, where the band had a scheduled concert at Boston Garden, due to fog. They were processed quickly to avoid a riot at the Garden.[32]

1999 runway incursion

On December 6, 1999 at approximately 8:35pm Eastern Standard Time, a runway incursion occurred involving United Airlines flight 1448 (a Boeing 757) and FedEx Express flight 1662 (a Boeing 727) on Runway 5R/23L.[33] Shortly after landing on Runway 5R, United 1448 was instructed by the air traffic control tower to taxi to the gate, part of the instructions including crossing Runway 16. Due to the low-visibility conditions that night, the pilots became disoriented and turned down the wrong taxiway, which led them back towards the active runway they had just arrived on. The tower controller, unaware of United's mistake, cleared FedEx 1662 for takeoff on Runway 5R. United 1448 then confirmed with the controller that they should cross the runway in front of them (neither party aware that they were in fact not near Runway 16) and the aircraft continued moving towards Runway 5R/23L.

United 1448 sounding confused then radioed that they were near taxiway Kilo, and as they re-entered Runway 5R/23L, reported that "somebody just took off" overhead, referring to FedEx 1662 that had indeed just become airborne in very close proximity to the United aircraft. However, the controller appeared not to take this seriously, stating, "you shouldn't be anywhere near Kilo", and advised the United 1448 crew to hold position. United 1448 then informed the tower that they were now on an active runway, which they mistakenly believed to be 23R/5L (inactive at the time). A moment later the pilot corrected himself, stating that they were on 5R/23L. United 1448's crew was told again to stand by, so the aircraft remained idle at the intersection of the active runway, while the controller cleared MetroJet 2998 for takeoff on the same runway. The United 1448 pilot immediately interjected to insist that the plane was on the active runway, to which the controller belligerently denied telling them it was not an active runway. Meanwhile, the MetroJet pilot having heard the exchange realized there was confusion over the whereabouts of United 1448 and refused the takeoff clearance stating, "We're staying clear of all runways until we figure this out".

Despite all this confusion, the controller again cleared MetroJet 2998 for take off on Runway 5R. They again refused to accept the clearance for take-off until the United 1448 was confirmed to have arrived at the gate. Once United 1448 was confirmed to be at the gate, MetroJet 2998 finally departed on Runway 5R.

The US Airways crew operating Flight 2998 were praised by a US Air spokesperson for their actions of avoiding a near-disaster. An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board followed and while no fault was assigned to the controller, she was required to undergo retraining before returning to service. The pilots were debriefed by United, received additional training and were returned to service.[34]

Part of the confusion was United 1448's inability to correctly identify the runway they were on. During the radio exchanges, United 1448 refers to 23L/5R as 23R/5L and vice versa. Runway 23R/5L has been closed since this incident and is now taxiway V.

2007 CRJ accident

On December 16, 2007, Air Wisconsin (US Airways Express) flight 3758, a CRJ-200 arriving from Philadelphia, departed the left side of runway 5 after a hard landing by an unstabilized approach.[35] Although the aircraft sustained substantial damage, none of the 31 passengers and crew aboard were injured.

See also

References

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

  1. ^ a b c FAA Airport Form 5010 for PVD PDF, effective July 2, 2009.
  2. ^ T.F. Green International Airport
  3. ^ Providence: Transportation - Approaching the City
  4. ^ a b c "History". Rhode Island Airport Corporation. 2011. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
  5. ^ "New England Region Airports Division: Regional Airport System Plan". Federal Aviation Administration. December 2, 2010. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
  6. ^ "The New England Regional Airport System Plan" (PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. 2006. pp. 50–51. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
  7. ^ "Where is the Comet? Theodore Francis Green Airport, Warwick, RI". The Magic World of Comet. 2000. Retrieved May 25, 2011.—In 1931, Hillsgrove State Airport, located on Airport Road, then called Occupatuxet Road, opened becoming the first state-owned and operated in the United State
  8. ^ "International Service Arrives at T.F. Green". The Providence Journal. October 5, 1997. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
  9. ^ Munroe, Tony (June 6, 1996). "Southwest to Start Service to Providence". Boston Herald. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
  10. ^ Downing, Neil (February 14, 2006). "Azores Wooing RI Travelers". The Providence Journal. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
  11. ^ Barmann, Timothy C. (August 20, 2004). "Spirit Airlines Lifts Rhode Island Airport". The Providence Journal. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
  12. ^ T.F. Green Airport Modernization
  13. ^ "T.F. Green Improvement Project update!". Rhode Island Airport Corporation. July 15, 2006. Archived from the original on August 27, 2006. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
  14. ^ "President Obama lands in Rhode Island". WPRI. Providence. October 25, 2010. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
  15. ^ Mingis, Ken; Lord, Peter; Emery, Jr., C. Eugene; DePaul, Tony (June 13, 1988). "Concorde Has Come and Gone; for Most, It Was Good Experience". The Providence Journal. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
  16. ^ "Iberia A340-300 Landing at KPVD". FlightAware. June 1, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
  17. ^ "Airport Master Plan Guiding Principles" (PDF). Rhode Island Airport Corporation, Landrum & Brown. February 5, 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 6, 2009. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
  18. ^ Needham, Cynthia (February 12, 2009). "Expand T.F. Green Airport's Main Runway, R.I. House Speaker Says". The Providence Journal. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  19. ^ "Level 6 Alternative B4" (PDF). Rhode Island Airport Corporation. 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
  20. ^ Nesi, Ted (May 27, 2009). "T.F. Green runway plan gets FAA OK". Providence Business News. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
  21. ^ Needham, Cynthia (March 10, 2007). "Runway Plan Takes Jomes, Businesses". The Providence Journal. Retrieved March 10, 2007.
  22. ^ "TF Green Airport (PVD, KPVD), Warwick, Rhode Island, USA". Airport-Technology. 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  23. ^ "Green light for TF Green Expansion". WPRI. Providence. 2012. Retrieved March 1, 2012.
  24. ^ "KPVD: Theodore Francis Green State Airport". FAA Information. Airnav.com. May 5, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  25. ^ "Fedex 727-200 Evening Flights From PVD to FWA". FlightAware. 2011.
  26. ^ a b c d e "Providence, RI: Theodore Francis Green (PVD)". Bureau of Transportation Statistics. October 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  27. ^ "Passenger Numbers". Rhode Island Airport Corporation. 2012. Retrieved February 14, 2012.
  28. ^ Total cargo (Freight, Express, & Mail).
  29. ^ Bus route information from RIPTA's website.
  30. ^ "Schedules and Maps: Providence/Stoughton Line". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. 2011. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
  31. ^ Bierman, Noah (September 10, 2009). "Vote Set on T link to R.I. Airport". The Boston Globe. Retrieved September 10, 2009.
  32. ^ "Mick Jagger mugshot". Thatsweird.net. May 17, 2005. Retrieved April 18, 2008.
  33. ^ "Planes Urged to Stop at Runway Intersections". Los Angeles Times/St. Petersburg Times. June 14, 2000.
  34. ^ "Animations of runway incursions from Board Meeting of June 13, 2000". National Transportation Safety Board. June 13, 2000.
  35. ^ "Probable Cause, DCA08FA018". National Transportation Safety Board. December 30, 2008. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
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