Dallas Love Field

Dallas Love Field
USGS aerial photo as of February 19, 1995
FAA airport diagram
IATA: DAL – ICAO: KDAL – FAA LID: DAL
Summary
Airport type		Public
Owner		City of Dallas
Operator		City of Dallas Department of Aviation
Serves		Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington
Location		Dallas, Texas, USA
Focus city for		Southwest Airlines
Elevation AMSL		487 ft / 148 m
Coordinates		32°50′50″N 096°51′06″W
Website		www.dallas-lovefield.com
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	ft	m
13L/31R	7,752	2,363	Concrete
13R/31L	8,800	2,682	Concrete
18/36	6,147	1,874	Asphalt
Statistics (2007, 2010)
Aircraft operations (2007)			247,235
Based aircraft (2007)			693
Passengers (2010)			7,960,809
Source: Federal Aviation Administration

Dallas Love Field (IATA: DAL, ICAO: KDAL, FAA Location identifier: DAL) is a city-owned public airport 6 miles (10 km) northwest of downtown Dallas, Texas. It was Dallas' airline airport until 1974 when Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) opened.

In March 2012 Love Field is served by Southwest Airlines, United Express, Delta Connection, and SeaPort Airlines. Southwest Airlines corporate headquarters is at Love Field, and Dallas is a focus city for them. Seven full service fixed base operators (FBOs) provide general aviation service: fuel, maintenance, hangar rentals, and charters. Some also provide meeting rooms, car rentals, limousine service and restaurants.

Facilities and aircraft

Dallas Love Field covers an area of 1,300 acres (530 ha) at an elevation of 487 feet (148 m) above mean sea level. It has three runways:

• Runway 13L/31R: 7,752 by 150 feet (2,363 m × 46 m), Surface: Concrete (Built 1943, Extended 1952)
• Runway 13R/31L: 8,800 by 150 feet (2,682 m × 46 m), Surface: Concrete (Built 1965)
• Runway 18/36: 6,147 by 150 feet (1,874 m × 46 m), Surface: Asphalt (Built 1943)

For the 12-month period ending October 31, 2007, the airport had 247,235 aircraft operations, an average of 677 per day: 39% general aviation, 37% scheduled commercial, 23% air taxi and 1% military. At that time there were 693 aircraft based at this airport: 3% single-engine, 4% multi-engine, 93% jet and 1% helicopter.

The City of Dallas Department of Aviation headquarters is on the grounds of the airport.

Airlines and destinations

Love Field's passenger terminals have 19 gates, divided into two terminals: 1 and 2. Terminal 1 (United & Delta) has four gates: 29–32 (Terminal 1 will close in October 2014). Terminal 2 (Southwest) has 15 gates: 1–12, 14, 15 (Gates 5-15 are now Closed) & Gates 2-4 have been renumbered as Gates 42–44. North Concourse (Southwest) Gates 1-11 opened on April 16, 2013.Gate 12 opened July 2013. Eight additional North Concourse Gates to open in October 2014.

Airlines	Destinations	Terminal
Delta Connection operated by ExpressJet	Atlanta	1
SeaPort Airlines	El Dorado, Hot Springs	1
Southwest Airlines	Albuquerque, Amarillo, Austin, Birmingham (AL), Branson, El Paso, Harlingen, Houston-Hobby, Kansas City, Little Rock, Lubbock, Midland/Odessa, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, St. Louis, San Antonio, Tulsa, Wichita	2 & North Concourse
United Express operated by ExpressJet	Houston-Intercontinental	1
United Express operated by SkyWest Airlines	Houston-Intercontinental	1

Top destinations

KDAL 13L Short Final

Top ten busiest domestic routes out of DAL
(July 2012 - June 2013)

Rank	City	Passengers	Carriers
1	Houston (Hobby), TX	598,000	Southwest
2	San Antonio, TX	337,000	Southwest
3	Austin, TX	295,000	Southwest
4	Kansas City, MO	229,000	Southwest
5	St. Louis, MO	226,000	Southwest
6	New Orleans, LA	205,000	Southwest
7	Albuquerque, NM	186,000	Southwest
8	Lubbock, TX	147,000	Southwest
9	El Paso, TX	137,000	Southwest
10	Midland, TX	135,000	Southwest

Legend Terminal

The terminal was built by Legend Airlines and was later used by Legend Airlines and Delta Connection/Atlantic Southeast Airlines. Under the terms of lifting the Wright Amendment, the number of gates at the airport is limited thus effectively precluding use of the terminal for scheduled passenger flights. The gates of the former terminal were demolished and the remaining structure converted into a U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility.

Previous airline service

Several airlines have served Love Field in the past including: American Airlines, American Freighter, Braniff International Airways, Capital Airlines, Continental Airlines (now United), Delta Air Lines, Eastern Air Lines, Legend Airlines, Ozark Air Lines, Saturn Airways, Slick Airways, Southern Air Transport, Trans-Texas Airways and more.

Public transit

Currently, DART bus route 524 serves the airport.

The DART Orange Line & Green Line light rail serves the airport at Inwood/Love Field Station, which opened in 2010. Passengers must use the bus from route 524 in order to travel between Love Field and the Inwood/Love Field Station. When terminal reconstruction is complete, a people mover system will directly link the terminal to DART's Burbank Station.

Charter Service and FBOs

Love Field is also home to a number of charter flight companies and FBOs including:

• Landmark Aviation
• Business Jet Center (FBO)
• Business Jet Access (Charter)
• Signature Flight Support
• Jet Aviation

Future

In early 2009 a plan to modernize Love Field was announced. The $519 million master plan will replace the existing terminals with a new 20-gate concourse and expanded baggage facilities. The project is scheduled to open when the last of the Wright amendment restrictions end in 2014. The project also calls for a $250 million people mover system to connect to Dallas Area Rapid Transit's Burbank Station.

History

Dallas Love Field is named after First Lieutenant Moss L. Love. Love was assigned to the U.S. Army 11th Cavalry, who died in an airplane crash near San Diego, California on 4 September 1913, becoming the 10th fatality in U.S. army aviation history. His Wright Model C biplane crashed during practice for his Military Aviator Test. He was the eighth aviation officer to be killed and the 10th fatality in Army aviation. Love Field was named by the United States Army on October 19, 1917,

World War I

Love Field in 1918 during World War I

136th Aero Squadron (Later Squadron "C") Love Field Texas, 1918

Training flight of 4 Curtiss JN-4Ds from Love Field

Instructor pilot sitting in a Curtis JN-4

Dallas Love Field has its origins beginning in 1917 when the Army announced its intention of establishing a series of camps to train prospective pilots after the United States entry into World War I. The airfield was one of thirty-two new Air Service fields. It was constructed just southeast of Bachman Lake, and it covered over 700 acres and could accommodate up to 1,000 personnel. Dozens of wooden buildings served as headquarters, maintenance, and officers’ quarters. Enlisted men had to bivouac in tents.

Love Field served as a base for flight training for the United States Army Air Service. In 1917, flight training occurred in two phases: primary and advanced. Primary training took eight weeks and consisted of pilots learning basic flight skills under dual and solo instruction. After completion of their primary training at Mather, flight cadets were then transferred to another base for advanced training.

It opened on 19 October 1917, and the first unit stationed at Love Fieldwas the 136th Aero Squadron, which was transferred from Kelly Field, south of San Antonio, Texas. Only a few U.S. Army Air Service aircraft arrived with the 136th Aero Squadron, and most of the Curtiss JN-4 Jennys to be used for flight training were shipped in wooden crates by railcar. Training units assigned to Love Field during World War I were:

• Post Headquarters, Love Field, October 1917-December 1919
• 71st Aero Squadron (II), February 1918

Re-designated as Squadron "A", July–November 1918

• 121st Aero Squadron (II), April 1918

Re-designated as Squadron "B", July–November 1918

• 136th Aero Squadron (II), November 1917

Re-designated as Squadron "C", July–November 1918

• 197th Aero Squadron, November 1917

Re-designated as Squadron "D", July–November 1918

• Flying School Detachment (Consolidation of Squadrons A-D), November 1918-November 1919

With the sudden end of World War I in November 1918, the future operational status of Love Field was unknown. Many local officials speculated that the U.S. government would keep the field open because of the outstanding combat record established by Love-trained pilots in Europe. Locals also pointed to the optimal weather conditions in the Dallas area for flight training. Cadets in flight training on 11 November 1918 were allowed to complete their training, however no new cadets were assigned to the base. Also the separate training squadrons were consolidated into a single Flying School detachment, as many of the personnel assigned were being demobilized.

Inter-war years

With the end of World War I, in December 1919 Love Field was deactivated as an active duty airfield, however, and a small caretaker unit was assigned to the facility for administrative reasons. The facility was converted into a storage facility for surplus De Havilland and JN-4 aircraft were stored at Love Field (some JN-4s were bought back by the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company in the spring of 1919.) Post-war "the largest recruiting mission in the spring and summer of 1919" was led by Lt. Col. Henry B. Clagett beginning with seven DH-4s departing Dallas and which flew as far as Boston. A small caretaker unit was assigned to the facility for administrative reasons and it was used intermittently to support small military units.

In January 1921, 1st lt William D. Coney attempted to fly from San Diego to Jacksonville with just one stop—at Love Field. In 1923, Dallas was a route point between Muskogee and Kelly Field on the southern division of the model airway. However, by 1923, the decision had been made to phase down all activities at the new base in accordance with sharply reduced military budgets and it was closed. The War Department had ordered the small caretaker force at Love Field to dismantle all remaining structures and to sell them as surplus. The War Department leased out the vacant land to local farmers and ranchers

In 1927,^[specify]

Dallas purchased Love Field which opened for civilian use (1st passenger service was by the National Air Transport company.)  On April 9, 1932, the first paved runways at the airfield were completed, and in March 1939 the airfield had 21 weekday airline departures: 9 American, 8 Braniff and 4 Delta.  "On 6 June 1939, the War Department approved...nine civil school detachments", including one at Dallas (cf. a 1940 school approved for Ft Worth's Hicks Field, a new 1942 Ft Worth airfield--Tarrant Field at the government plant and which had a 4 engine pilots' school,) and a Ferrying Command control center at Dallas' Hensley Field.)

World War II training and ferrying

Women's Air Force Service Pilots (WASP)s, Love Field, 1943

By October 1940 at the Texas World War II Army Airfield, classes had entered the Dallas Texas Aviation School which provided basic (level 1) flight training using Fairchild PT-19s as the primary trainer (several PT-17 Stearmans and a few P-40 Warhawks were also assigned.^{[citation needed]} The Gulf Coast ACTC school later moved to Brady, Texas; and Love Field also had an Air Materiel Command modification center. In September 1942, the Air Transport Command activity at Hensley Field moved to Love Field. ATC's 5th Ferrying Group, consisting of Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadrons (WAFS) ferried PT-17s, AT-6s and twin-engine Cessna AT-17s; and Love Field was also used by the San Antonio Air Service Command for aircraft overhauls. The 2d Ferrying Squadron of the 5th Ferrying Group was moved by Air Transport Command from Love Field to Fairfax Field at Kansas City on 15 April 1943.

In September 1943 a new north–south runway 18/36 and northwest–southeast runway 13/31 were completed. Air Force facilities closed at the end of WWII except for Love Field's automatic tracking radar station (call sign Dallas Bomb Plot) for Radar Bomb Scoring that had been established by 6 June 1945 (transferred to Strategic Air Command on 21 March 1946, 10th RBSS Det 1 by 1957.)

1947 to 1957

On March 9, 1947 Love Field's Lemmon Avenue Terminal Building opened on the east side of the airfield.

On November 29, 1949 American Airlines Flight 157, a Douglas DC-6 en route from New York City to Dallas and Mexico City with 46 passengers and crew, slid off Runway 36 after the flight crew lost control on final approach. The airliner struck a parked airplane, a hangar, and a flight school before crashing into a business across from the airport, killing 28. This was the deadliest air disaster in Texas history at the time and, according to modern reference sources, remains the deadliest crash to take place at the airfield itself.

Pioneer Airlines moved its base from Houston to Love Field in 1950.

The February 1953 C&GS diagram shows runway 7 (4301 ft), runway 13 (6201 ft) and runway 18 (5202 ft). On June 1, 1954 Runway 7/25 was closed; it was later removed to allow terminal expansion. Love Field then had two runways: Runway 13/31, the main runway, and the shorter 18/36.

The April 1957 Official Airline Guide shows 52 weekday departures on Braniff, 45 on American, 25 Delta, 21 Trans-Texas, 12 Central and 9 Continental. Three nonstops a day to Washington DC, three to New York/Newark, six to Chicago, five to California and 12 a week to Mexico City: DAL was big league.

1957 to 1974

Love Field's new terminal (the third and current terminal, designed by Donald S. Nelson) opened to the airlines on January 20, 1958 with three one-story concourses, 26 ramp-level gates and the world's first airport moving walkways. Airlines serving the airport at the time included American, Braniff, Central (which was based in Fort Worth), Continental, Delta and Trans Texas (later Texas International).

Turbine-power flights began on April 1, 1959 when Continental Airlines introduced the Vickers Viscount turboprop. Jet airline flights began on July 12, 1959 when American Airlines started Boeing 707 flights to New York.

In 1961 Mr. and Mrs. Earle Wyatt gave a large bronze statue bearing the inscription "One Riot, One Ranger" for display in the airport's new terminal. Famed Texas born sculptress Waldine Tauch created the piece. The inscription refers to an incident in which a single Texas Ranger was dispatched to quell a riot. Because of terminal renovation from 2010 to 2013, the statue was moved temporarily for display to the nearby Frontiers of Flight Museum, but the statue has now been returned to a prominent location in the lobby of terminal one (August 2013).

On November 22, 1963 President John F. Kennedy arrived at Love Field on Air Force One, and was assassinated in Dealey Plaza while his motorcade was traveling from Love Field to the Dallas Trade Mart. Hours later, Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as president aboard Air Force One before its departure from Love Field.

On April 2, 1965 the 8,800 ft (2,682 m) parallel Runway 13R/31L opened (Runway 13/31 became Runway 13L/31R). The project had been vexed by legal wrangling; safety concerns were raised regarding its proximity to schools and its minimal safety areas, while nearby residents attempted to stop the anticipated increase in jet noise and the removal of homes and businesses adjacent to the airport to accommodate the project.

Several terminal expansion programs were fueled by the boom in air travel during the 1960s. American Airlines expanded their concourse in 1968 and Braniff opened its "Terminal of the Future." The expansion, showcasing Alexander Girard, Herman Miller and Ray and Charles Eames designs, featured the first rotunda concourse, jet bridges and several airport innovations. Braniff connected their new terminal to new remote parking lots with the Jetrail monorail system in 1970. Texas International expanded their concourse in 1969, and Delta's concourse was expanded in 1970.

In 1972 Love Field saw an hijacking incident. On 12 January, Billy Gene Hurst, Jr., a resident of Houston, Texas, hijacked Braniff Flight 38, a Boeing 727 airliner, as it departed William P. Hobby Airport in Houston bound for Dallas. After the plane landed at Love Field, Hurst allowed all 94 passengers to deplane, but continued to hold the 7 crewmembers hostage. Hurst insisted on flying to South America and made a variety of other demands, including food, cigarettes, parachutes, jungle survival gear, US$2 million, and a handgun. After a 6-hour standoff, police gave Hurst a package containing parachutes and some other items, and the hostages escaped while he was distracted examining the package's contents. Police stormed the craft soon afterwards and arrested him without serious incident. He was later sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Needing a larger airport, Dallas and Fort Worth agreed to build Dallas/Fort Worth Regional Airport (the original name of the current Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport). It was agreed that to protect the new airport, each city would restrict its own passenger-service airports from air-carrier operations.

Southwest Airlines, founded in 1971 and headquartered at Love Field, built its business on selling quick, no-frills trips between Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. The company felt that the notion of a quick trip would be destroyed by a long drive to the new airport. Prior to the opening of DFW, Southwest Airlines sued for the right to remain at Love Field.^{[citation needed]}

In 1973 the courts ruled that the City of Dallas could not restrict Southwest Airlines from operating out of Love Field, so long as it remained open as an airport. This ruling effectively granted Southwest the right to continue to operate its existing intrastate service out of Love Field. The airlines operating from Love Field at the time DFW was conceived executed agreements with DFW stipulating that no airline could operate at the new airport if it continued to operate any flights out of Love Field. Southwest, created after the other carriers had signed on to the DFW operating agreements, was not a signatory and remained as the only airline operating at Love Field.

1973 saw Love Field, which had more than 70 gates and saw frequent Boeing 747 service, reach record enplanements at 6,668,398 as the eighth busiest airport in the United States. On January 13, 1974 DFW Airport opened, ending most passenger service at Love Field.

1974 through 1999

With the drastic reduction in flights and only 467,212 enplanements in 1975, Love Field decommissioned several of its concourses. The city of Dallas attempted to make use of these dormant facilities by leasing some of them to an entrepreneur who opened the "Llove Entertainment Complex" in November 1975. The main lobby at the front of a former terminal was transformed into movie theaters, ice rink, roller rink, huge video arcades, restaurants and bowling alley. Llove seemed especially suited for the pre-teen and teen crowd, who could spend the day for a single admission charge of about $3.50. Llove closed in May 1978.^{[citation needed]} Several of the concourses were remodeled into support and training buildings for Southwest Airlines.

After deregulation of the U.S. airline industry in 1978, Southwest Airlines was able to enter the larger passenger markets and announced plans to start providing interstate service in 1979. This angered the City of Fort Worth and DFW International Airport, which resented expanded air service at Love Field. Therefore, Fort Worth-based U.S. Representative (later Speaker of the House) Jim Wright helped get a "compromise" law through Congress that restricted air service at Love Field. Using the pretext of protecting DFW, the Wright Amendment restricted passenger air traffic out of Love Field in the following ways: Passenger service on regular mid-sized and large aircraft could only be provided from Love Field to locations within Texas and the four neighboring states (Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico). Long-haul service to other states was possible, but only on commuter aircraft with no more capacity than 56 passengers.

While the Wright Amendment prevented any other major airlines from starting service out of Love Field, it did not deter Southwest. Based on short trips to begin with, Southwest continued to flourish as it used multiple shorthaul flights to build its Love Field operation. Some people managed to "work the system" and get around the Wright Amendment's restrictions. For example, a person could fly from Dallas to Houston or Albuquerque, change planes, and then fly to any city Southwest served — although he or she had, at the time, to do so on two tickets in each direction, since the Wright Amendment specifically barred airlines from issuing tickets that violated the law's provisions. This work around was also problematic due to the fact that between flights checked baggage had to be collected and checked onto the next flight. This had the effect of creating mini-hubs at Houston/Hobby Airport and the Albuquerque International Sunport. Southwest continued to grow and became one of the most successful and profitable airlines in the United States.^{[citation needed]}

Due to the success of Southwest Airlines, other airlines began considering the use of Love Field for short haul trips. Southwest co-founder Lamar Muse started Muse Air, a short haul competitor using DC-9s and MD-80s between Love Field and Houston in 1982. Muse Air was unable to operate profitably against Southwest at Love Field, and was purchased by Southwest in 1985 and renamed TranStar Airlines. Southwest ceased Transtar operations in 1987. Continental Airlines expressed its intent to fly out of Love Field in 1985, which led to years of court battles over the interpretation of the Wright Amendment as Fort Worth and DFW International Airport continued to try to prevent expansion at Love Field. Seeing the benefit of increased air traffic at Love Field, the City of Dallas began to actively lobby for the repeal of the Wright Amendment restrictions in 1992. In 1997 the Shelby Amendment passed through Congress, amending the Wright Amendment. A compromise of sorts, the Shelby Amendment allowed Love Field flights to three more states, Kansas, Mississippi, and Alabama. It amended the definition of 56-passenger jets that could fly to other states to include any aircraft weighing less than 300,000 pounds with 56 or fewer seats.

The Shelby Amendment caused several airlines to consider flying 56-passenger jets out of Love Field, including Continental, Delta, and a new airline, Legend. The City of Fort Worth immediately sued the City of Dallas to try to prevent the Shelby Amendment from going into effect. American, headquartered at DFW, joined the lawsuits against Dallas, but also said that if other airlines were allowed to fly out of Love Field, it would have no choice but to offer competing service. In 1998, after a year of legal decisions and appeals, Continental Express became the first major airline other than Southwest to fly out of Love Field since 1974. American began service out of Love Field shortly thereafter, but continued to sue to stop the service. Fort Worth and American Airlines eventually sued the DOT to stop allowing more flights out of Love Field.

2000 to present

In 2000, several federal appeals court decisions finally struck down all lawsuits against the Shelby Amendment. Fort Worth and American Airlines appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which refused to review the case. These legal decisions opened the door to increased long haul flights out of Love Field using 56-passenger jets, including new service by Delta and Legend. The majority of this 56-passenger jet market was composed of business travelers making day trips to other cities.

In 2001, the September 11, 2001, attacks and the subsequent recession greatly reduced the demand for air travel in the U.S., especially within the business traveler market. As a result, most of the airlines providing long haul 56-passenger flights stopped service and pulled out of Love Field. By 2003, Southwest and Continental Express were the only two major commercial airlines operating out of Love Field. However, due to Southwest's success and the possibility of other airlines returning in the future, the airport has completed an expansion of its parking facilities and is redeveloping one of its terminals.

New parking facilities in a 2,400-space garage opened in 2002 and 2003, connected to the terminal with a climate controlled walkway. The East Concourse, formerly Braniff's "Terminal of the Future," was demolished as part of the Love Field Modernization Program.

Love Field celebrated 85 years in the aviation industry in 2002 and was designated as a Texas State Historical Site in 2003.

The Frontiers of Flight Museum, which had been located inside the airport terminal since 1988, moved to the north side of the airport in a separate facility.

In November 2004, at a breakfast sponsored by the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce, Southwest announced their active opposition to the Wright Amendment, claiming that the law is anti-competitive and outdated. On November 30, 2005, Missouri was added to the list of states exempted from the Wright Amendment by an amendment written by Sen. Kit Bond. Southwest began nonstop flights to Kansas City and St. Louis on December 13. American Airlines and American Eagle began flights from Love to St. Louis, Kansas City, Austin, and San Antonio on March 2, 2006, although American Airlines subsequently pulled out of the market, leaving American Eagle to offer a reduced service to Austin and Kansas City alone. In 2008, American decided to terminate the Austin and Kansas City service and replace it with service to O'Hare International Airport (which Southwest does not serve) using 50-passenger regional jets in compliance with the Wright provisions regarding aircraft size, although American Eagle recently stopped service from Love field altogether.

On June 15, 2006, it was announced that American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth had all agreed to seek full repeal of the Wright Amendment, with several conditions. Among them: the ban on nonstop flights outside the Wright zone would stay in place until 2014; through-ticketing to domestic airports (connecting flights to long-haul destinations) would be allowed immediately; Love Field's maximum gate capacity would be lowered from 32 to 20 gates; and Love Field would handle only domestic flights non-stop. Southwest will be able to operate from 16 gates, American 2 gates, and Continental 2 gates. JetBlue and Northwest Airlines have claimed that the gate cap will effectively bar any airlines not named in the compromise to ever operate from Love Field, even though the agreement calls for Southwest, American and Continental to share gates with new airlines that desire to serve the airport. The cap of 20 gates would effectively restrict the purpose of the 2014 lifting of the ban on nonstop flights outside the Wright zone.

After extensive negotiations with the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, the compromise bill passed both Houses of Congress on Friday, September 29, just before the 109th Congress adjourned for the November elections. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison led the effort to pass the bill in the Senate while Rep. Kay Granger led a bipartisan Texas House coalition to see the bill through to a successful conclusion in the House. President George W. Bush signed the bill into law on October 13, 2006. Southwest and American Airlines then required approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to begin one-stop flights from Love Field to destinations outside the Wright limits.

On October 17, 2006, Southwest Airlines announced that it would begin one-stop or connecting service between Love Field and 25 destinations outside the Wright zone on October 19, 2006. American Airlines made travel between Love Field and locations outside the Wright zone available by October 18, 2006.

In 2008 the airport handled 8,060,792 passengers.

The airport became embroiled in a controversy over concessions contracts when Dallas mayor Tom Leppert, during a March 3, 2010, City Council meeting, abruptly withdrew support for no-bid contracts with current airport food vendor Star Concessions Ltd. and newspaper and book vendor Hudson Retail Dallas, insisting that the contracts should be opened to public bidding instead. At a February 22, 2010, meeting, the City Council recommended that the existing contracts, set to expire in June 2011, be extended until 2026 with an additional three-year option and exclusive rights to 54 percent of vending space in a new terminal scheduled to open in 2014. After several abortive attempts to resolve the issue, the City Council voted on August 18, 2010, to open all concessions space in the new terminal for public bidding; city staff would attempt to reach a deal with Star and Hudson to operate existing concessions space from 2011 to 2014, otherwise it would also be opened for public bidding.

At 3:25 PM on August 19, 2010, an hour-long police chase ended at Love Field when Dallas police vehicles rammed a truck driven by carjacking suspect Michael Browne, who had driven through an airport perimeter fence and onto an active runway in an attempt to evade pursuing officers. Flight operations were briefly disrupted but no aircraft were directly endangered. Transportation Security Administration officials announced that a review of airport security measures would be conducted due to the incident.

On April 28, 2013, a man entered the airfield at Dallas Love Field in a truck and sped down Taxiway Alpha at speeds exceeding 100 miles an hour. He originally was thought to have been shouting "Jihad", probably caused by paranoia over the Boston Marathon bombing that occurred weeks before, but he was later found to have been yelling "Jesus!" He was arrested after dropping his keys, a wallet, and a Bible.

Accidents and incidents

Airport operations

The following occurred at the airfield itself, immediately after takeoff, during the final landing approach, and/or during an attempted go-around:

• December 23, 1936: A Braniff Airways Lockheed Model 10 Electra airliner, registration number NC-14905, suffered an engine failure during a go-around while conducting a non-scheduled test flight; the pilot tried to turn back towards Love Field but lost control, causing the craft to spin into the northern shore of Bachman Lake. Its six occupants, all Braniff employees, died in the crash and ensuing fire.
• November 29, 1949: American Airlines Flight 157, a Douglas DC-6, was on final approach to Runway 36 when the flight crew lost control, causing the airliner to slide off the runway and strike a parked airplane, a hangar, and a flight school before crashing into a business across the street from the airport. 26 passengers and two flight attendants died in the crash and ensuing fire; the pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer, and 15 others survived.
• June 28, 1952: A Temco Swift private plane collided with American Airlines Flight 910, a Douglas DC-6 on final approach to Love Field from San Francisco, California; the DC-6 landed safely with no injuries to the 55 passengers and five crew. Both occupants of the Swift died on impact with the ground.
• May 15, 1953: A Braniff International Airways Douglas DC-4 carrying 48 passengers and five crew slid off the end of Runway 36, crossed Lemmon Avenue, and plowed into an embankment. Despite reportedly heavy automobile traffic on the busy street, no vehicles were struck, and nobody aboard the airliner was seriously injured. The crash was attributed to poor braking action on the rain-slicked runway.
• July 9, 1953: A Southern Air Transport Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando cargo transport, carrying a crew of two, skidded off the runway and flipped over after a hard landing. The pilot suffered significant injuries; the co-pilot escaped safely.
• May 14, 1960: The pilot of a Beechcraft Bonanza private plane suffered an apparent heart attack and fell unconscious while en route from Fort Worth to Dallas. The pilot's wife and sole passenger, who was not a trained pilot, managed to guide the Bonanza to Love Field but crashed while attempting to land. Both occupants suffered severe injuries and the pilot was pronounced dead, but it is unclear whether his death resulted from the heart attack or from injuries sustained during the crash.
• September 14, 1960: An airline maintenance inspector lost control of a Braniff International Airways Douglas DC-7 during a taxi test and crashed into a hangar at high speed. The inspector died and five of the six mechanics aboard were injured.
• April 18, 1962: A Douglas DC-3 operated by an aviation company affiliated with Purdue University, registration number N3588, crashed immediately after taking off to test a newly installed engine. The craft exploded into flames, killing all three people aboard. The crash was attributed to insufficient airspeed at takeoff, and the National Transportation Safety Board noted that the pilot was not properly qualified to fly a DC-3.
• April 19, 1963: A Beechcraft Bonanza private plane crashed short of the runway on final approach, killing both occupants.
• January 29, 1966: A Piper Cherokee Six air taxi, registration number N3246W, suffered an engine failure on final approach to Love Field and struck trees while the pilot was attempting an emergency landing on a nearby street. The pilot and five passengers were injured; the engine failure was attributed to carburetor icing.
• February 10, 1967: A Beechcraft D18S, registration number N7388, crashed at Love Field after a propeller blade separated during takeoff; the pilot and both passengers died.
• September 27, 1967: All seven occupants of an Aero Commander 560E, registration number N3831C, died after the left-hand wing broke during the landing approach, sending the plane plummeting into Mockingbird Lane in Highland Park, Texas. Wreckage tore through the playground of Bradfield Elementary School. The school was not in session and nobody on the ground was seriously harmed.
• September 29, 1970: After a scheduled flight from Denver, Colorado, the landing gear of a Braniff International Airways Boeing 720, registration number N7080, collapsed during landing. The automatic gear extension mechanism had failed in flight and the flight crew manually lowered the gear but neglected to lock it in the "Down" position. The airliner slid to a halt on the runway, suffering significant damage. There were no injuries to the 47 passengers and seven crew.
• June 7, 1971: A Dallas Police Department Bell 47G-5 helicopter, registration number N2022W, was destroyed when heavy winds blew the craft into an airfield fence during landing; the observer suffered minor injuries and the pilot escaped safely.
• December 26, 1973: The pilot of a Tricon International Airlines Beechcraft C-45H cargo transport, registration number N118X, lost control while circling Love Field for a precautionary landing after being unable to raise the landing gear during takeoff. The C-45 struck two houses southeast of the airport, killing the pilot and injuring a person on the ground. The crash was attributed to insufficient airspeed and improper loading.
• April 18, 1975: A Cessna 310F, registration number N5818X, ran off the end of the runway, struck a fence, and burned after losing engine power during takeoff. The craft's two occupants, a student pilot and flight instructor, escaped with minor injuries. The crash was attributed to fuel starvation: the student pilot had mishandled the fuel control valve (known as the fuel selector) and taken off with the fuel tanks disconnected from the engines.
• June 8, 1976: The pilot of a Cessna 175, registration number N9259B, executed an emergency landing on nearby Mockingbird Lane soon after takeoff from Love Field, striking a telephone pole and a moving automobile. The aircraft was substantially damaged, but there were no serious injuries to the aircraft's four occupants or to the driver of the car. The crash was attributed to insufficient airspeed and overloading.
• January 27, 2000: After its tailplane deicing system failed during the landing approach, a Misubishi MU-300 business jet, registration number N900WJ, touched down on Runway 31R at higher-than-normal speed as recommended for such a situation. When it became evident that the aircraft was going to overrun the runway due to the high speed and poor braking action on the slush-covered pavement, the pilot purposefully steered the jet into an embankment to avoid striking light poles past the far end of the runway. There were no injuries to the four passengers or two crew, but the aircraft was written off.
• March 1, 2009: A Southwest Airlines (SWA) Boeing 737-7H4, registration number N741SA, carrying 132 passengers and five crew, was taxiing to a gate after landing when it collided with a stationary SWA Boeing 737-3H4, registration number N652SW, which had just departed from another gate carrying 102 passengers and five crew. The winglet of N741SA became embedded in the horizontal stabilizer of N652SW, causing minor damage to both. There were no injuries; the incident was attributed to the failure of the pilot of N741SA to correctly judge the clearance between the two airliners. The winglet has been framed and prominently displayed at the SWA pilot training center as a visual reminder to exercise caution.

Flights departing from or bound for Love Field

The following did not occur near the airfield itself but involved flights originating from or bound for Love Field:

• October 16, 1942: B-25C-1 Mitchell, 41-13206, operated by the USAAF 5th Ferrying Group, Air Transport Command, piloted by James M. Treweek, was on a routine flight from Rosecrans Field, St. Joseph, Missouri to Dallas Love Field when bad weather closed the airfield, and controllers advised crew to divert. The pilot headed west, presumably bound for Meacham Field, flying below 500 ft (152 m) altitude to stay in visual conditions under a low cloud deck. As the bomber neared Grapevine, Texas, a wingtip and aileron were sliced off by a guy-wire of WFAA radio tower, causing the pilot to lose control; all 6 crewmembers died in the subsequent crash.
• September 29, 1959: Braniff International Airways Flight 542, a turboprop Lockheed L-188 Electra, suffered a mechanical failure and crashed southeast of Buffalo, Texas, while en route to Love Field from Houston, killing 29 passengers and 5 crewmembers. The Civil Aeronautics Board attributed the crash to the "whirl-mode" prop theory. [1]
• May 3, 1968: Braniff International Airways Flight 352, a Lockheed L-188 Electra, broke up in a thunderstorm near Dawson, Texas while en route from Houston, Texas to Love Field. All 80 passengers and 5 crewmembers died.
• November 6, 1972: An Aero Commander 680, registration number N6204D, crashed in a neighborhood near White Rock Lake minutes after takeoff from Love Field, killing both occupants; the crash was attributed to spatial disorientation in densely clouded IFR conditions.
• April 6, 1975: The pilot and passenger of a Bellanca 17-30A Super Viking, registration number N8293R, died on impact with terrain hidden by clouds in the Caprock Escarpment area of the Texas Panhandle while en route from Love Field to Amarillo, Texas; the crash was attributed to the pilot's decision to continue VFR flight into known IFR conditions.
• May 20, 1977: A Bell 47J Ranger helicopter, registration number N6736D, broke up over University Park, Texas while en route from the operator's North Dallas heliport to Love Field, killing its pilot and sole occupant; the crash was attributed to the failure of the pilot to maintain adequate rotor RPM, causing the rotor blades to strike the tail boom.
• October 1, 1985: All 4 occupants of a Cessna 441, registration number N400BG, and the sole occupant of a Cessna 152, registration number N5522L, were killed when the two aircraft collided nearly head-on over Southeast Dallas. The student pilot of N5522L was practicing solo maneuvers in an area about 14 mi (23 km) southeast of Love Field when air traffic controllers directed the pilot of N400BG to descend through the area inbound to Runway 31R. The collision was attributed to the failure of both pilots to watch for conflicting air traffic during VFR flight.
• December 31, 1985: The cabin of a Douglas DC-3, registration number N711Y, filled with dense smoke after the flight crew attempted to turn on a cabin heater while en route to Love Field from Guntersville, Alabama; the pilot initiated an emergency landing in a field near De Kalb, Texas, but the aircraft struck trees and utility poles, suffering severe damage and bursting into flames. The pilot and co-pilot escaped with serious injuries, but all 7 passengers were killed, including popular singer and actor Ricky Nelson. The NTSB was unable to verify the origin of the smoke, stating in the final report that "... the ignition and fuel source were not determined."
• January 3, 1986: The right-hand engine mount of a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-2H4, registration number N86SW, broke while the airliner was flying over southern Oklahoma en route from Love Field to Austin, Texas, causing the engine to hang from the wing at a steep angle; the flight crew shut down the engine and returned to Love Field, landing safely. The incident was attributed to improper installation of the rear engine mount bolt, causing the rear engine mount to fail as the aircraft encountered uneven pavement during the takeoff roll.
• December 5, 1987: After suffering an engine fire en route from Love Field to New York City, the flight crew of a Hawker Siddeley HS.125 business jet, registration number N400PH, touched down short of the runway while attempting an emergency landing at Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Kentucky. The jet crossed a highway and struck an automobile, utility poles, and 2 fences, killing the pilot and co-pilot, and injuring both passengers in the aircraft and 2 people in the automobile. The accident was attributed to the crew's inadvertent retraction of the aircraft's flaps, causing the jet to suddenly lose altitude.
• July 17, 1992: A Piper PA-28R-201T Arrow III, registration number N6959C, bound for Love Field from New Iberia, Louisiana, broke up in the thunderstorm near Tool, Texas, killing its pilot and sole occupant.
• October 25, 1999: In the 1999 South Dakota Learjet crash, a Learjet 35 private jet suffered an apparent loss of cabin pressure after departing Orlando, Florida bound for Love Field; the jet then drifted off course, running out of fuel and crashing near Aberdeen, South Dakota. Among the six occupants killed were golf star Payne Stewart and Bruce Borland, a highly regarded golf course architect.
• April 11, 2002: A Bell 206B helicopter, registration number N513FD, experienced a sudden loss of power over north Dallas while carrying 3 radio-station traffic reporters on a local flight from Love Field; the pilot executed a hard landing on nearby Midway Road under autorotation, substantially damaging the aircraft and injuring 1 passenger. The power loss was attributed to improper installation of critical engine parts.

See also

• List of Training Section Air Service airfields

References

Notes

Citations

External links

• Dallas Love Field (official site)
• DFW Tower.com
• Friends of Love Field
• FAA Airport Diagram (PDF), effective April 18, 2024