|
In 1969, Arby Alper created a new general aviation
airport located in the Las Vegas valley, south of the major population center. The
airport served both general and corporate flyers, as well as some Grand Canyon sightseeing
airlines. Slow, steady growth made Sky Harbor a small, but active airport
throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Alper built new hangars and added new services when
possible in support of the aviation industry in the valley, including some aircraft
rebuilding. Sky Harbor’s location away from heavily populated areas
made it popular with private pilots and general aviation enthusiasts.
In 1996, the Clark County Department of Aviation purchased Sky Harbor
as part of an ongoing effort to meet the future aviation needs of Southern Nevada
and the rapidly growing local population. At that time, the airport had one 5,000-foot
runway, a single terminal building with a control tower, several large hangars,
ten T-hangars and a handful of trailers. The name was changed to the Henderson Executive
Airport, and work began on expansion plans.
Since then, the Department of Aviation has invested more than $30 million
to create a premier corporate aviation airport. The new and improved Henderson Executive
Airport caters to business aviation while continuing to meet the needs of the general
aviation community. By developing Henderson Executive Airport as an attractive,
convenient and economical alternative to McCarran, Department of Aviation officials
hope to increase capacity at the nation’s fifth busiest airport by attracting
corporate flyers to the new, first-class facility.
Several major projects have been completed, including the construction
of two parallel runways, the longest being 6,500 feet. In addition, substantial
utility infrastructure, a new maintenance building and 15 acres of aircraft parking
ramp with three shade hangars are also a part of the general aviation facility.
The original control tower was built in the 1940s and was salvaged from
Nellis Air Force Base in 1974. A new tower was constructed in 2006 as part of the
rebuilding and expansion of Henderson Executive Airport after its acquisition by
Clark County.
As the Las Vegas valley has continued to grow, Henderson Executive Airport
is now located near the thriving community of Henderson and is only miles from the
south end of the popular Las Vegas Strip. With new runways and buildings, Henderson
Executive Airport is poised to become a first-class reliever for McCarran International
Airport and an integral part of the Clark County Airport System which also includes
North Las Vegas, Jean Sport Aviation Center and Overton/Perkins Field. Henderson
Executive Airport continues the tradition of friendly and personal service.
|