Thompson–Robbins Airport is six miles northwest of Helena-West Helena, in Phillips County, Arkansas, United States. It is owned by the City of Helena-West Helena.The FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 called it a general aviation airport.FacilitiesThompson–Robbins Airport covers 610 acres (247 ha) at an elevation of 242 feet (74 m). It has two asphalt runways: 17/35 is 5,000 by 96 feet (1,524 x 29 m) and 8/26 is 3,009 by 60 feet (917 x 18 m).In the year ending July 31, 2009 the airport had 35,000 aircraft operations, average 95 per day: 97.1% general aviation, 1.4% air taxi, and 1.4% military. Forty-two aircraft were then based at the airport: 79% single-engine, 17% multi-engine, 2% jet, and 2% helicopter.HistoryWorld War IIIn preparation for the eventual U.S. entry into World War II, the United States Army Air Corps sought to expand the nation's combat air forces by asking civilian flight schools to provide the primary phase of training for air cadets. The Army Air Corps flying school at Randolph Field, Texas could only graduate 500 pilots a year, and most of the current Air Corps pilots did not have enough flying hours to be instructors.
