The Blytheville Municipal Airport was constructed in 1959 to replace the city's former municipal airport, which was sold to the US Air Force to be turned into Blytheville Air Force Base.[3] Construction started in mid-April, 1959, with the runway being finished by October of 1959, and soon after hangars and offices were constructed on the site.[4][5][6]
In May 2023, the facility was renamed Wallace Thomas Field, after a former airport board member.[7]
Facilities and aircraft
Blytheville Municipal Airport covers an area of 88 acres (36 ha) at an elevation of 256 feet (78 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 18/36 with an asphalt surface measuring 5,000 by 75 feet (1,524 x 23 m).[1]
For the 12-month period ending August 31, 2009, the airport had 41,000 aircraft operations, an average of 112 per day: 95% general aviation, 4% air taxi, and 1% military. At that time there were 17 aircraft based at this airport: 77% single-engine, 12% multi-engine, 6% helicopter, and 6% ultralight.[1]