Pecos Municipal Airport
Pecos Municipal Airport (IATA: PEQ, ICAO: KPEQ, FAA LID: PEQ) is a city-owned airport two miles southwest of Pecos, in Reeves County, Texas, United States.[1] The FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2009–2013 categorized it as a general aviation airport.[2]
Pecos Municipal Airport covers 771 acres (312 ha) at an elevation of 2,613 feet (796 m). It has two asphalt runways: 9/27 is 5,953 by 80 feet (1,814 x 24 m) and 14/32 is 6,236 by 80 feet (1,901 x 24 m).[1]
In the year ending August 12, 2009 the airport had 20,050 aircraft operations, average 54 per day: 71% general aviation and 29% military. 13 aircraft were then based at the airport: 84.6% single-engine, 7.7% multi-engine and 7.7% helicopter.[1]
The airport opened as Pecos Airport on 400 acres (1.6 km2) three miles (5 km) south and slightly west of Pecos. Proceeds of a $10,000 bond issue authorized in an election on September 14, 1940, were used for land purchase. The site was cleared, fenced, and graded under a Work Projects Administration contract.
The attack on Pearl Harbor galvanized the Army Air Force into launching a training program, first for 50,000 and then for 70,000 pilots, and Pecos was chosen as one of five new training fields. Because more land was required for the long runways necessary for novice pilots, the town council promptly called another bond election to authorize an additional $50,000. The field's size was increased to 1,834 acres (7.42 km2), accommodating one runway 7,200 feet (2,200 m) long and two others of 6,200 feet (1,900 m) each. Following the formal announcement of a military base on March 25, 1942, construction contracts were let in May. Both the construction and the early flying phases of the base were handicapped by wind-whipped dust until late 1943, when extensive palliation efforts relieved the situation.
Designated as Pecos Army Airfield (PAAF), the field was activated on 11 July 1942 while still under construction. It was assigned to the United States Army Air Forces Western Flying Training Command, 38th Flying Training Wing as a primary (level 1) pilot training airfield.[3] The first commander, Col. Harry C. Wisehart, arrived on June 28, 1942, as project officer. The first military units to arrive were the 744th School Squadron (100 men) and the 341st Air Base Squadron (18 men). A week later five more school squadrons, each with 80 men, arrived from Lemoore Army Air Field, California, as the vanguard of the eventual population of 4,000. It first was used as a basic pilot school. Pilot training aircraft included the Cessna AT-17 and the North American BT-14.
