When telling the story of Dallas Executive Airport (KRBD), it’s impossible to overstate the number of projects the airport has undertaken in the past decade, and its eye toward future development.
“Our goal is to be the number one reliever airport in the DFW Metroplex,” said Dallas Executive Airport Manager Darrell Phillips. “With the ten-year investment from the City of Dallas, in partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation, we believe we are well on our way.”
Dallas Executive Airport, built in 1945, is owned by the City of Dallas and operated by the Department of Aviation, “Dallas Airport System” which Includes Love Field, Downtown Vertiport and Dallas Executive Airport. The 1,040-acre general aviation facility is located just six miles south of downtown Dallas, or, as Mr. Phillips is fond of pointing out, “one traffic light away.”
The $50 million-plus investment, from private, local, and state funding, in the airport began with the 2011 airport master plan, which provided a blueprint for the future. Since that time period, the completed and future projects include:
- 2012 Upgraded access control system and upgraded airfield lighting and signage;
- 2013 New perimeter road and fencing and built taxiway Romeo;
- 2014 Runway 13/31 reconstruction project with TxDOT and the announcement of the new Commemorative Air Force (CAF) National Headquarters;
- 2015 Completed new master plan, kick off reconstruction of RWY 13/31;
- 2017 Completed new land use study;
- 2018 Runway 13/31 construction completed to 7,165 feet;
- 2018 Relocate Dallas Water Utilities water main on north end of Runway 13;
- 2018 New Dallas Police Department hangar construction on west side of airport;
- 2019 Eight new corporate hangars on taxiway Romeo;
- 2019 New Taxiway Echo to open up west side of airport MRO hangars;
- 2019 New fuel farm;
- 2019 New airport maintenance run-up area on taxiway Charlie;
- 2019 Ground breaking for CAF new educational center; and
- 2019 West side hangar development for new MRO maintenance repair and overhaul facility, 70,000 sq. ft. with FBO facility.
The runway 13-31 reconstruction project was a three-and-a-half year project that lengthened the runway from 6,400 to 7,163 feet, and provided relocation of the RPZ Runway Protective Zone back onto and inside of airport property. This, also with displaced threshold, helps to provide relocation of noise to be more to the central area of the airport. The extended length helps provide greater length for takeoff on hot Texas days. As a reliever airport to Dallas Love Field, these improvements provide capacity for future corporate aircraft to land at Dallas Executive Airport.
“We have state of the art amenities and infrastructure that provide first-class service to corporate and business segments of general aviation,” said Phillips. “With prime land ready for development, Dallas Executive Airport also provides excellent growth opportunities for both aeronautical and industrial development.”
The airport’s terminal building has a full-service restaurant, passenger lounge and administrative offices. The business conference center features a large briefing room as well as breakout rooms available for use by airport guests and tenants.
The airport is also equipped with an air traffic control tower, an instrument landing system and navigational aids that provide accessibility even under adverse weather conditions. Two full-service fixed based operators provide a range of amenities including meeting rooms, pilot lounge areas and sleeping quarters, car rentals, fuel maintenance, hangar rentals and charters.
The airport is also the national headquarters for the CAF. The National Aviation Education Center will be the first phase of the CAF National Airbase Campus at Dallas Executive Airport. Groundbreaking for their new building will occur in the Spring of 2019.
“We were thrilled to have been selected as the home for the Commemorative Air Force,” said Phillips. “It shows the level of commitment that the city has in developing this airport for the future.”