The Story Behind The Name Of Geg Airport

what does geg airport stand for

Spokane International Airport (GEG) is a commercial airport located in Spokane, Washington. Covering 6,140 acres, it is the largest commercial/public airport in Washington state in terms of land area. The airport's IATA code, GEG, stands for Geiger Field, which was the previous name of the airport during its time as a military airfield.

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Spokane International Airport

The airport operates two paved runways: Runway 3/21, which is 11,002 ft × 150 ft (3,353 m × 46 m) and made of asphalt/concrete, and Runway 8/26, which is 8,199 ft × 150 ft (2,499 m × 46 m) and made of asphalt. The passenger terminal facility at Spokane International Airport consists of three main structures: Concourse A and B in the centre, Concourse C to the southwest, and the Ground Transportation Center to the north. These structures are immediately adjacent and connected, although the two concourse structures are not linked by an airside connector on the sterile side. As a result, connecting passengers need to transit between Concourse A-B and Concourse C through the landside, non-sterile corridor.

Spokane Transit operates four bus stops at Spokane International Airport, with bus routes 60 and 63 serving the airport. The airport is also served by the WSDOT's Travel Washington Gold Line, Northwestern Trailways, Wheatland Express, Queen City Shuttle, and Special Mobility Service. A consolidated rental car facility is located adjacent to the Ground Transportation Center on the north end of the main terminal, which opened in November 2008 and is intended to meet passenger growth for 20 years after its opening.

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Geiger Field

Spokane International Airport, with the airport code GEG, was previously known as Geiger Field. The airport is located in Spokane, Washington, and is categorized as a small-hub primary commercial service facility.

Before 1941, the airfield was known as Sunset Field. It was purchased from the county by the War Department and renamed Geiger Field after Major Harold Geiger, an Army aviation pioneer who died in a plane crash in 1927. During World War II, the Second Air Force used it as a major training base for B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombardment units. New aircraft were obtained from Boeing near Seattle. The airfield also served as an aircraft maintenance and supply depot for the Air Technical Service Command, with Deer Park Airport and Felts Field as auxiliaries.

In 1946, Geiger Field became Spokane's municipal airport, replacing Felts Field. In 1960, the City of Spokane was allotted Spokane Geiger Field under the Surplus Property Act, and the airport received its current name. The current terminal complex, designed by Warren C. Heylman and William Trogdon, opened in 1965, with a second level added to Concourse A and Concourse B in 1974.

The airport covers 6,140 acres (2,480 hectares) and has two paved runways. The passenger terminal facility consists of three main structures: Concourse A and B in the center, Concourse C to the southwest, and the Ground Transportation Center to the north. These structures are immediately adjacent and connected, but the two concourse structures are not linked by an airside connector on the sterile side.

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Major Harold Geiger

Spokane International Airport, designated with the International Air Transport Association airport code GEG, is named in honour of Major Harold Geiger, an American military officer and pioneer U.S. Army aviator.

Born on October 7, 1884, in East Orange, New Jersey, Geiger graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1908 and was promoted to second lieutenant in the Coast Artillery Corps. He was a balloonist and one of America's top dirigible experts of World War I. He completed courses at the U.S. Army Balloon School in 1917 and served overseas with the Army's Balloon Section Headquarters in France as a lieutenant colonel. He also completed dirigible studies in France and Italy and was attached to the Ambassador's staff in Berlin.

In 1919, Geiger made a flight from Pearl Harbor to Diamond Head at the speed of 60 mph, demonstrating the potential of airplanes as useful supplements to garrisons and ships, thus enhancing Hawaii's defence capabilities. However, strong winds made long flights challenging, and regular flight activity was curtailed. As a result, Geiger transferred to lighter-than-air activities.

In 1926, Major Geiger was slightly injured in a mid-air collision between two airplanes at Langley Field, Virginia. Unfortunately, on May 17, 1927, he died in a plane crash while taking off for a flight to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland. Despite managing to jump out of the plane, he was unable to escape the flames and perished. Major Harold Geiger is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

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Sunset Field

In 1946, Geiger Field was transferred to Spokane to serve as a commercial airport, becoming Spokane's municipal airport and replacing Felts Field. The current terminal complex, Concourse A and B, was designed by Warren C. Heylman and William Trogdon and opened in 1965. A second level was added to the concourses in 1974.

Spokane International Airport covers 6,140 acres and operates two paved runways. The airport is believed to have the only federally-run air traffic control tower named for an individual, honouring Ray Daves, a World War II radioman who survived Pearl Harbor and Midway and later served as an air traffic controller in Spokane.

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FAA location identifier

The Federal Aviation Administration location identifier (FAA LID) is a three- to five-character alphanumeric code that identifies aviation-related facilities inside the United States. The FAA identifier system is used for aviation-related facilities, including airports, navigation aids, or weather stations, and is used for staffed air traffic control facilities in air traffic control, telecommunications, computer programming, weather reports, and related services.

The FAA has the authority to assign all three-letter identifiers (except those beginning with the letters K, N, W, and Y), all three- and four-character alphanumeric identifiers, and five-letter identifiers for the United States and its jurisdictions. The FAA regularly publishes detailed listings of all codes it administers. The coding system has evolved over time, and to ensure safety and reduce ambiguity, many "legacy" codes have remained intact, even though they violate the current rules.

In the case of Spokane International Airport (GEG), its airport code GEG is derived from its former name, Geiger Field, which was named after Major Harold Geiger, an Army aviation pioneer who died in a crash in 1927. The airport was previously called Sunset Field before it was purchased by the War Department in 1941 and became a military airfield.

Overall, the FAA location identifier is an important tool for identifying and organising aviation-related facilities and services in the United States, with a specific focus on air traffic control and related operations.

Frequently asked questions

GEG stands for Geiger Field, named after Major Harold Geiger, an Army aviation pioneer who died in a crash in 1927.

Spokane International Airport covers 6,140 acres (9.6 sq mi; 2,480 ha; 6,140 sq ft). Excluding military airfields, general aviation, and cargo airports, it is the largest commercial/public airport in the state of Washington.

The airport was originally known as Sunset Field before 1941. It was purchased by the War Department and renamed Geiger Field. During World War II, it was a major training base for the Second Air Force and was used for aircraft maintenance and as a supply depot. In 1946, it became Spokane's municipal airport, replacing Felts Field.

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