View source for Addison Airport

{{Short description|Public airport in Addison, Dallas County, Texas}}
{{For|the airport in Addison, Alabama|Addison Municipal Airport}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox airport
| name                   = Addison Airport
| image                  = Addison Airport aerial.jpg
| IATA                   = ADS
| ICAO                   = KADS
| FAA                    = ADS
| type                   = Public
| owner                  = [[Addison, Texas|City of Addison]]
| operator               =
| city-served            = [[Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex]]
| location               = [[Addison, Texas|Addison]], [[Texas]], [[United States|U.S.]]
| operating_base         = {{ubl|class=nowrap
  | [[Ameristar Air Cargo]]
  | [[Ameristar Jet Charter]]
  | [[Flight Express, Inc.|Flight Express]]
  | [[GTA Air]]
  | [[Martinaire]]}}
| elevation-f            = 645
| elevation-m            = 197
| coordinates            = {{coord|32|58|07|N|096|50|11|W|region:US-TX_type:airport_scale:10000|display=inline,title}}
| website                = {{URL|www.addisonairport.net}}
| pushpin_map            = USA Texas#USA
| pushpin_relief         = yes
| pushpin_map_caption    = Location
| pushpin_label          = '''ADS'''
| pushpin_label_position = bottom
| r1-number              = 16/34
| r1-length-f            = 7,203
| r1-length-m            = 2,195
| r1-surface             = [[Concrete]]
| stat-year              = 2023
| stat1-header           = Aircraft operations (year ending 9/30/2023)
| stat1-data             = 119,065
| stat2-header           = Based aircraft
| stat2-data             = 576
| footnotes              = Source: [[Federal Aviation Administration]] effective January 25, 2024<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://aspm.faa.gov/opsnet/sys/opsnet-server-x.asp |title=Federal Aviation Administration |access-date=March 19, 2018 |archive-date=August 11, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811224435/http://aspm.faa.gov/opsnet/sys/opsnet-server-x.asp |url-status=dead }}</ref>
}}
[[Image:ADS - FAA airport diagram.png|thumb|FAA airport diagram]]
[[File:Addison airport.jpg|thumb|right|Runway 15 with Dallas in the background]]

'''Addison Airport''' {{airport codes|ADS|KADS|ADS}} is a public airport in [[Addison, Texas|Addison]], in [[Dallas County, Texas|Dallas County]], [[Texas]], [[United States]], {{convert|9|mi|nmi km|abbr=on}} north of downtown Dallas.<ref name=FAA>{{FAA-airport|ID=ADS|use=PU|own=PU|site=23710.3*A}}, effective 2007-12-20</ref> It opened in 1954 and was purchased by the town of Addison in 1976.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://addisontexas.net/airport/about-ads|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080601101729/http://www.addisonairport.net/management/about_us.aspx|url-status=dead|title=About ADS &#124; Addison Texas|archivedate=June 1, 2008|website=addisontexas.net}}</ref>

The [[Addison Airport Toll Tunnel]], completed in 1999, allows east–west automobile traffic to cross the airport under the runway.

==History==
The town of Addison originally formed in 1904 as a small unincorporated community surrounding a [[St. Louis Southwestern Railway]] depot located at the northern end of a [[branch line]] to Dallas. On June 15, 1953, residents voted to incorporate because they did not want the nearby cities of Dallas, [[Carrollton, Texas|Carrollton]], or [[Farmers Branch, Texas|Farmers Branch]] to annex the community. By the mid 1950s, the newly incorporated city had about five hundred residents, but few public improvements and no local water system.<ref name=TSHA-Addison>{{cite web |url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/addison-tx |title=Addison, TX |last=Maxwell |first=Lisa C. |orig-date=1952 |date=September 20, 2023 |website=Handbook of Texas Online |publisher=Texas State Historical Association |access-date=January 8, 2024}}</ref>{{sfn|Bleakley|2017|pp=1–2,10}}

In 1955, Guy Dennis, the son-in-law of founding settler Sidney Smith Noell, sold his large farm north of the depot to W.T. Overton, a 28-year-old businessman from Dallas, who announced in January 1956 that he would build Addison Airport on the site. Overton said that it would be the first airfield in the area designed for [[business jet]]s, then a novel innovation.{{sfn|Bleakley|2017|pp=2–5}} Overton and his partners chose the airport site because [[Civil Aeronautics Administration (United States)|Civil Aeronautics Administration]] statistics indicated that more aircraft owners lived in Texas than in any state other than California, and the largest cluster of those owners resided in Dallas County; additionally, most upscale residential development likely to attract aircraft owners was being built in the northern part of the county.{{sfn|Bleakley|2017|pp=9–10}}

The partners incorporated Addison Airport, Inc. (AAI) on August 30, 1956,{{sfn|Bleakley|2017|p=6}} and laid out an [[industrial park]] in the triangular area formed by the main railway line, Dooley Road, and the main runway.{{sfn|Bleakley|2017|pp=10,12}} After obtaining final approval from the city, the airport had its formal groundbreaking ceremony on March 16, 1957. The airfield included a {{cvt|5,000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} terminal building, and its primary paved runway, 15/33, was {{cvt|4,500|ft|m}} long–deliberately {{cvt|50|ft|m}} longer than the longest runway at the newly constructed [[Redbird Airport]] in South Dallas.{{sfn|Bleakley|2017|p=14–17}}

AAI needed a professional manager for the airport. Overton's partner James DeLoache was impressed by Henry Stuart, who managed nearby Park Cities Airport, and quickly persuaded Stuart to leave that airport and manage Addison Airport instead.{{sfn|Bleakley|2017|p=8}} AAI realized that a private well would not support their development plans, so they petitioned the city to drill a municipal well and build its first public water system. The project was approved by voters in April 1957 and construction began in August. The well was later supplemented by a large water main extended from Dallas.{{sfn|Bleakley|2017|p=10}}

The airport's grand opening was held on October 18, 1957.{{sfn|Bleakley|2017|p=19}}

==Facilities and aircraft==
Addison Airport covers {{convert|368|acre}}; its one runway, 16/34, is {{convert|7203|x|100|ft|adj=on}} [[concrete]]. In the year ending September 30, 2023, it had 119,065 aircraft operations, averaging 326 per day: 68% [[general aviation]], 32% [[air taxi]], <1% airline and <1% military. 576 aircraft were then based at the airport: 326 single-engine, 86 multi-engine, 157 jet and 7 [[helicopter]].<ref name=FAA /> In 2022, its runway designation was changed from 15/33 to 16/34.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://addisontexas.net/airport/runway-taxiway-pavement-project-updates |accessdate=2022-03-29 |title=Runway - Taxiway Pavement Project Updates |publisher=Town of Addison}}</ref>

There are currently three fixed-base operators: [[Atlantic Aviation]], [[Galaxy]], and Million Air.

Charter services are available from a variety of companies, with [[Business Jet Solutions]] and [[Flexjet|Bombardier FlexJet]] having large operations.

The airport is the headquarters of [[Ameristar Jet Charter]], [[GTA Air]], and [[Martinaire]], and also has scheduled freight flights from [[AirNet Express]], [[Flight Express, Inc.|Flight Express]], and [[Flight Development]].

It is also a training hub, with primary to advanced flight instruction available from [[Thrust Flight School]], [[American Flyers]], [[Stature Aviation]], [[CTL Aero]], [[Epic Flight Academy]], and [[PlaneSmart!]].

==Airlines and destinations==

===Cargo===
{{Airport destination list
|GTA Air|[[Austin Executive Airport|Austin]], [[El Paso International Airport|El Paso]], [[Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport|Lubbock (TX)]]
|[[Martinaire]]|[[Abilene Regional Airport|Abilene]], [[Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport|Dallas/Fort Worth]], [[George Bush Intercontinental Airport|Houston-Intercontinental]]}}

==Accidents and incidents==

*July 19, 1986: All four occupants of a [[Cessna 421]], [[aircraft registration]] ''N6VR'', were killed when the aircraft suffered an apparent right-hand engine failure, rolled over, and dived into a vacant lot immediately after takeoff from Addison Airport.<ref>{{cite news |author=Jim Zook|title=Addison Air Crash Kills 4|work=[[The Dallas Morning News]] |date=1986-07-20}}</ref> The post-crash investigation revealed that the right-hand engine did not show any obvious signs of failure and its controls were not set to deliver full takeoff power. The crash was attributed to incorrect engine control operation; the pilot had recently purchased the Cessna 421 but had not been formally trained to fly it, and most of his twin-engined experience had been in an airplane with engine controls that operated in the reverse direction of those in the Cessna.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001213X34171&key=1|title=NTSB Report FTW86FA133|publisher=National Transportation Safety Board|access-date=2010-04-23}}</ref>
*June 20, 1992: The pilot of a [[Piper J-3|Piper J3C-65 Cub]], registered ''N3128M'', reported trouble and attempted to return to Addison Airport soon after taking off to test a newly installed engine. While turning to line up with the runway, the airplane suddenly lost altitude, rolled upside down, and crashed in the middle of nearby Beltway Drive, killing the pilot and his passenger. The crash was attributed to breakage of the left-hand [[Elevator (aircraft)|elevator]] control tube due to corrosion.<ref>{{cite news |author=Nancy St. Pierre|title=2 killed as plane crashes|work=[[The Dallas Morning News]] |date=1992-06-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/GenPDF.asp?id=FTW92FA165&rpt=fi|title=NTSB Report FTW92FA165|publisher=National Transportation Safety Board|access-date=2010-04-23}}</ref>
*January 1, 2004: The pilot and passenger of a [[Bellanca 17-30|Bellanca 17-30A Super Viking]], registered ''N4104B'', died when the aircraft struck houses in the [[Preston Hollow, Dallas, Texas|Preston Hollow]] neighborhood of nearby Dallas, Texas, after departing from Addison Airport bound for [[Amarillo, Texas]]. An intense post-crash fire destroyed two houses and the remains of the Bellanca, but an elderly resident of one house escaped injury after being dragged out of the burning structure by his caregiver, who was also unhurt.<ref>{{cite news |author=Tanya Eiserer|title=Man rescued after plane hits two N. Dallas houses - Caregiver pulls disabled doctor from fire; 2 fliers killed|work=[[The Dallas Morning News]] |date=2004-01-02}}</ref> The crash was attributed to [[spatial disorientation]] in densely clouded [[Instrument flight rules|IFR]] conditions; the pilot had reported a partial instrument panel failure, after which [[radar]] data indicated that he was making left turns instead of right turns as directed by [[air traffic controller]]s.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20040106X00018&key=1|title=NTSB Report FTW04FA052|publisher=National Transportation Safety Board|access-date=2010-04-22}}</ref>
*October 24, 2011: A [[Cirrus SR22]], registered ''N227TX'', attempted to return to Addison Airport shortly after takeoff. After several [[missed approach]]es, the aircraft crashed on a railroad track next to [[Hebron High School (Texas)|Hebron High School]], killing one passenger and seriously injuring the pilot and a second passenger.<ref>{{cite news |publisher=National Transportation Safety Board|title= NTSB Identification: CEN12FA037|url=https://www.ntsb.gov/about/employment/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief2.aspx?ev_id=20111024X42713&ntsbno=CEN12FA037&akey=1|access-date=2018-12-04}}</ref> The accident was attributed to "the pilot's failure to adequately preflight the airplane prior to departure, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to [[fuel exhaustion]]."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/ReportGeneratorFile.ashx?EventID=20111024X42713&AKey=1&RType=Final&IType=FA |title=NTSB Aviation Accident Final Report CEN12FA037 |publisher=[[National Transportation Safety Board]]|access-date= 29 August 2019}}</ref>
[[File:Addison Airport hangar damage 2019 (48173316586).jpg|thumb|Hangar damage from June 2019 King Air accident]]
*June 30, 2019: A [[Beechcraft Super King Air|Beechcraft King Air 350i]], registered ''N534FF'', crashed into a hangar on airport grounds after taking off for a flight to [[St. Petersburg, Florida]], killing all eight passengers and two pilots on board. The hangar was unoccupied at the time of the crash and nobody on the ground was harmed. The aircraft reportedly dropped its left wing on takeoff and immediately veered to the left. The [[Federal Aviation Administration]] (FAA) and the [[National Transportation Safety Board]] investigated.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bnonews.com/index.php/2019/06/plane-crash-addison-airport/|title=Plane crashes into hangar at Texas airport, killing 10|publisher=[[BNO News]]|date=2019-06-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Cardona |first1=Claire Z.  |last2=Branham |first2=Dana  |last3=Vizcaino |first3=Maria Elena  |date=2019-06-30 |title=10 dead after small plane crashes into Addison Airport hangar |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/addison/2019/06/30/crews-battle-blaze-addison-airport-after-plane-crashes-hangar |work=[[The Dallas Morning News]] |location=Dallas, Texas |access-date=2019-07-01 }}</ref><ref>{{ASN accident|title=N534FF|id=20190630-0|accessdate=2020-10-28}}</ref> The investigation determined an engine failure was followed by the pilot moving the rudder the wrong way, causing the aircraft to roll over and crash.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=May 18, 2021 |title=NTSB Says Pilot Error To Blame For 2019 Crash At Addison Airport That Killed 10 |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/dfw/news/ntsb-says-pilot-error-plane-crash-addison-airport-killed-10/ |work=CBS Local |location= |access-date=May 18, 2021}}</ref>

==Motor racing==
{{Infobox motorsport venue|
 | Name              = Addison Airport circuit<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.na-motorsports.com/Tracks/TX/DallasAddison.html#TrackFacts|title=Addison Airport, Dallas|website=www.na-motorsports.com}}</ref>
 | Location          = [[Dallas, Texas|Dallas, TX]], US
 | Time              = [[UTC-6]] [[Central Time Zone|CST]] ([[UTC-5]] [[Central Time Zone|CST]])
 | Opened            = 1989
 | Closed            = 1991
 | Events            = [[Trans-Am Series]] (1989-1991)<br /> [[SCCA Corvette Challenge]] (1989)<br /> [[SCCA Formula Super Vee]] (1989-1991)<br /> [[SCCA RaceTruck Challenge]] (1989-1991)
 | Layout1           = Circuit (1989–1991) 
 | Length_km         = 2.53
 | Length_mi         = 1.57
 | Turns             = 
 | Record_time       = 1:12.087<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cms.scca.com/documents/Pro%20Racing/Archives/Trans-Am/1990.pdf|title=1990 TRANS-AM BOX SCORES|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130228190944/http://cms.scca.com/documents/Pro%20Racing/Archives/Trans-Am/1990.pdf |access-date=24 March 2023|archive-date=February 28, 2013 }}</ref>
 | Record_driver     = {{flagicon|USA}} [[Irv Hoerr]]
 | Record_car        = [[Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme]]
 | Record_year       = [[1990 Trans-Am Series|1990]]
 | Record_class      = [[Trans-Am Series|Trans-Am]]
}}
In 1989, 1990, and 1991, Addison Airport hosted the [[Dallas Grand Prix]], consisting of [[Trans-Am Series]], [[SCCA Formula Super Vee]], [[SCCA Corvette Challenge]], and [[SCCA RaceTruck Challenge]] races.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thethirdturn.com/wiki/Dallas_Street_Circuit_at_Addison_Airport|title=Dallas Street Circuit at Addison Airport - The Third Turn|website=thethirdturn.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://racingcalendar.net/circuit/addison-airport/1989|access-date=15 April 2023|website=racingcalendar.net|title=1989 at Addison Airport}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://racingcalendar.net/circuit/addison-airport/1990|access-date=15 April 2023|website=racingcalendar.net|title=1990 at Addison Airport}}</ref>{{sfn|Bleakley|2017|pp=66–67}} The Dallas Grand Prix previously took place on a [[street circuit]] in [[Fair Park]], but complaints from nearby homeowners prompted organizers to seek a less noise-sensitive venue, and they decided on Addison Airport because the surrounding area was largely industrial in nature. The 1989 event was held on May 12–14 on a temporary {{cvt|1.57|mi|km}} circuit that traversed public streets, taxiways, and the south end of the runway. The races benefited Addison hotels and restaurants, but setup and teardown of the circuit and grandstands disrupted airfield operations for weeks, prompting airport businesses and the airport management company to lodge complaints with the town and the FAA in 1990. After the 1991 event, the FAA, the town, the race organizers, and airport managers and tenants agreed that 1992 would be the last year the event would be held at the airport. The agreement became moot when the race organizers, who had lost money on the previous events, cancelled the 1992 event citing financial reasons.{{sfn|Bleakley|2017|pp=66–67}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Texas|Aviation}}
* [[List of airports in Texas]]

==References==
===Citations===
{{Reflist|35em}}
===Bibliography===
*{{cite book |last=Bleakley |first=Bruce |date=2017 |title=Addison Airport: Serving Business Aviation for 60 Years, 1957–2017 |location=Dallas, Texas |publisher=Brown Books Publishing Group |isbn=978-1-61254-839-5}}

==External links==
*[http://www.addisonairport.net/ Addison Airport], official site
*{{FAA-diagram|00768}}
{{US-airport-ga|ADS}}
**{{FAA-procedures|ADS}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120819092607/http://www.cavanaughflightmuseum.com/ Cavanaugh Flight Museum]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090416175817/http://www.addisontx.gov/departments/fire_dep// Addison Fire Department]
*[http://www.dfwinstruments.com/ DFW Instrument Corporation]
{{Addison, Texas}}
{{Dallas airports}}
{{Trans-Am tracks}}
{{Pirelli World Challenge circuits}}

[[Category:Addison, Texas]]
[[Category:Airports established in 1954]]
[[Category:Airports in Texas]]
[[Category:Airports in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Dallas County, Texas]]
[[Category:Defunct motorsport venues in the United States]]
[[Category:Motorsport venues in Texas]]
[[Category:Transportation in Dallas County, Texas]]