Del Rio International Airport, is a public airport located just west of Del Rio, Texas. The airport has a single 6300' runway. The airport is owned by the City of Del Rio with a seven member airport advisory board, appointed by the City Council, monitors the development and operations of the airport. The airport is classified by the FAA as a commercial primary, non-hub airport. Currently the airport terminal is undergoing a 2.7 million dollar expansion to be ready by the fall of 2010, Once completed, The terminal will double in size and will have space for a second commercial airline. Construction is also in progress on the 6,000 sf. Texas Dept. Of Public Safety (DPS) Air Patrol station. Other upcoming airport projects includes an airport control tower, and the expansion of the Federal Express (FedEx) Cargo facility.
DRT is mostly used for general aviation but is also served by Continental airlines (Soon to become United Airlines). Due to its proximity to Laughlin AFB it is often used by USAF pilot training students. The Airport serves the Middle Rio Grande region.
The airport opened in November 1937 as Val Verde County Airport. On 26 September 1942, during World War II, the airport was taken over by the United States Army Air Forces and used as a contract primary pilot training airfield under the AAF Gulf Coast Training Center (later Central Flying Training Command). Flying training was performed with Fairchild PT-19s as the primary trainer. Also had several PT-17 Stearmans and a few P-40 Warhawks assigned.
Inactivated 11 January 1946 and airport returned to civil control.
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