Nantucket Airport: Why 'Ack' Callsign?

why is nantucket airport called ack

Nantucket Memorial Airport, located on the south side of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, is also known by its airport code, ACK. When airport codes switched from two letters to three, the U.S. Navy reserved all codes starting with 'N', so Nantucket Memorial Airport used other letters in its name to get ACK. The airport is the second busiest in the state, and visitors to the island often have a special connection to the letters A-C-K due to the memories they made while visiting.

Characteristics Values
Name of the Airport Nantucket Memorial Airport
Location South side of the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States
Owner Town of Nantucket
IATA ACK
ICAO KACK
FAA LID ACK
Elevation 48 feet (15 m) above sea level
Area 1,200 acres (490 ha)
Number of runways 2
Runway 6/24 6,303 ft × 150 ft (1,921 m × 46 m), ILS/DME equipped, with approved GPS approaches
Runway 15/33 4,500 ft × 100 ft (1,372 m × 30 m), has approved GPS approaches
Aircraft operations (for the 12-month period ending April 30, 2021) 50,963 (an average of 140 operations per day)
Aircraft operations breakdown 56% air taxi, 41% general aviation, 2% commercial, and 1% military
Number of aircraft based at the airport (as of April 2022) 18 (15 single-engine and 3 multi-engine)
Reason for the code ACK When airport codes switched from two letters to three, the U.S. Navy reserved all codes starting with ‘N’. So, NAntuCKet Memorial Airport used other letters in its name to get ACK

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The airport is on the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, US

The Nantucket Memorial Airport is located on the south side of the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, US. It is a public airport owned by the Town of Nantucket and is the second busiest airport in the state, after Logan International Airport. The airport covers 1,200 acres of land at an elevation of 48 feet above sea level. It has two asphalt runways and an airport apron with parking stands for both commercial and general aviation aircraft.

The airport's IATA, ICAO, and FAA LID codes are ACK, which was derived from the airport's name when airport codes switched from two to three letters. The U.S. Navy reserved all codes starting with 'N', so Nantucket Memorial Airport used other letters in its name to form ACK.

Nantucket Memorial Airport was formed in the late 1930s when Leslie Holm, a farmer in Nobadeer, plowed and smoothed his cornfields with the help of former test pilot David Raub. Together, they formed the Nobadeer Flying Service and allowed the Town of Nantucket to use the fields as an airfield. The airport was returned to the town on June 20, 1946, and dedicated as Nantucket Memorial Airport to honour the Nantucket men who lost their lives in the war and those who served.

The airport has seen various airlines over the years, including Provincetown-Boston Airlines (PBA), which served the airport using Douglas DC-3 aircraft, and Continental Express, which operated Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia and Saab 340 regional turboprop airliners. Today, the airport continues to serve a significant number of aircraft operations, with an average of 140 operations per day, including air taxi, general aviation, commercial, and military flights.

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The airport code ACK is derived from the airport's name

The airport code ACK is derived from the name of the airport, Nantucket Memorial Airport. When airport codes switched from two letters to three, the U.S. Navy reserved all codes starting with the letter 'N'. As a result, Nantucket Memorial Airport, located on the island of Nantucket, had to use other letters from its name to form the airport code ACK.

Nantucket Memorial Airport is a public airport situated on the south side of the island of Nantucket in Massachusetts, United States. It is owned by the Town of Nantucket and is about three miles southeast of the town center. The airport is the second busiest in the state, after Logan International Airport, due to the high volume of corporate travel to and from the island during the peak season.

The airport covers 1,200 acres at an elevation of 48 feet above sea level and features two asphalt runways. In the 12 months ending April 30, 2021, the airport recorded 50,963 aircraft operations, averaging 140 operations per day. The airport primarily serves air taxi (56%), general aviation (41%), commercial (2%), and military (1%) operations.

Nantucket Memorial Airport has a special significance for visitors to the island, and the three letters, A-C-K, often evoke fond memories of their time spent there. The airport code ACK has even inspired brands and products, such as ACK Roasters Coffee, which aims to capture the unique vibe and experience of Nantucket in their coffee selections.

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ACK also stands for Arthur Charles Kitridge III, aka Chuck the Seagull

The Nantucket Memorial Airport, located on the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, is identified by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) with the code ACK. Besides being the FAA code for the airport, ACK also stands for Arthur Charles Kitridge III, also known as Chuck the Seagull.

The airport is owned by the Town of Nantucket and is situated around three miles southeast of the town centre. It is the second busiest airport in the state, after Logan International Airport, due to the high volume of corporate travel to and from the island during the peak season.

The airport was initially established in the late 1930s when Leslie Holm, a farmer in Nobadeer, ploughed and levelled some of his cornfields with the help of former test pilot David Raub. Together, they formed the Nobadeer Flying Service with three small planes. Soon, they began allowing the Town of Nantucket to use the fields as an airfield.

Over time, the airport expanded and now covers 1,200 acres, featuring two asphalt runways. It caters to a variety of aircraft, including Cessna 402 planes, JetBlue Embraer 190 jets, and regional jets such as the American Eagle Airlines CRJ-200.

While the ACK code is primarily associated with the airport, it is intriguing to note that it also represents Arthur Charles Kitridge III, whose alias, Chuck the Seagull, adds a whimsical touch to the airport's identification.

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Nantucket Memorial Airport is the second-busiest airport in Massachusetts

Nantucket Memorial Airport (IATA: ACK, ICAO: KACK, FAA LID: ACK) is a public airport on the south side of the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States. It is the second-busiest airport in the state, preceded by Logan International Airport. The airport is owned by the Town of Nantucket and is located three miles (5 km) southeast of the town centre. The airport covers 1,200 acres (490 ha) at an elevation of 48 feet (15 m) above sea level. It has two asphalt runways: Runway 6/24: 6,303 ft × 150 ft (1,921 m × 46 m), ILS/DME-equipped, with approved GPS approaches, and Runway 15/33: 4,500 ft × 100 ft (1,372 m × 30 m), which also has approved GPS approaches.

Nantucket Memorial Airport's busy status is due to intense corporate travel to and from the island during the high season. In the 12 months ending April 30, 2021, the airport recorded 50,963 aircraft operations, averaging 140 operations per day. The majority of these were air taxi services, with 33 aircraft based at the airport. The airport's busiest month is July, due to an influx of tourist travellers.

The airport's IATA code, ACK, also stands for Arthur Charles Kitridge III, also known as "Chuck the Seagull."

Nantucket Memorial Airport has a rich history, dating back to the late 1930s when Leslie Holm, a farmer in Nobadeer, ploughed and smoothed his cornfields with David Raub, a former test pilot. Together, they formed the Nobadeer Flying Service with three small planes. They began allowing the Town of Nantucket to use their fields as an airfield. During World War II, the airport was used by the United States Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command, 1st Antisubmarine Squadron, flying antisubmarine patrols. Holm's farmhouse, located at the intersection of Old South and Nobadeer Farm Roads, still stands today, although airport buildings have been constructed around it.

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The airport was dedicated to the 11 Nantucket men who died in the war

The Nantucket Memorial Airport (IATA: ACK, ICAO: KACK, FAA LID: ACK) is named in honour of the 11 Nantucket men who died in the war, as well as all the other Nantucket residents who served. The airport is located on the south side of the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and is the second-busiest airport in the state.

The airport's IATA code, ACK, was derived from its name, Nantucket Memorial Airport, when airport codes transitioned from two letters to three. The U.S. Navy had reserved all codes starting with the letter 'N', so the airport used other letters from its name to form the code ACK.

The airport was initially formed in the late 1930s when Leslie Holm, a farmer in Nobadeer, ploughed and smoothed his cornfields with the help of former test pilot David Raub. Together, they formed the Nobadeer Flying Service and soon allowed the Town of Nantucket to use the fields as an airfield. The airport was returned to the town on June 20, 1946, and dedicated as the Nantucket Memorial Airport on August 25, 1946.

Nantucket Memorial Airport covers 1,200 acres of land and sits at an elevation of 48 feet above sea level. It has two asphalt runways and facilitates a large number of aircraft operations, with an average of 140 operations per day. The airport primarily serves air taxi and general aviation aircraft, with some commercial and military operations also taking place.

Frequently asked questions

When airport codes switched from two letters to three, the U.S. Navy reserved all codes starting with ‘N’. So, Nantucket Memorial Airport used other letters in its name to get ACK.

ACK stands for Arthur Charles Kitridge III, a/k/a "Chuck the Seagull."

Yes, ACK is also used as an abbreviation for Nantucket itself. For example, ACK Roasters is a coffee roasting brand that reflects the vibe of Nantucket.

Yes, it is the second busiest airport in Massachusetts after Logan International Airport.

The airport is busy due to intense corporate travel to and from the island during the high season.

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