Gerald R. Ford International Airport (IATA: GRR, ICAO: KGRR, FAA LID: GRR) is a commercial airport about 13 mi (21 km) southeast of Grand Rapids, Michigan in Cascade Township. Originally called Kent County Airport and later Kent County International Airport; in December 1999 the airport was renamed for former resident Gerald R. Ford, the 40th Vice President and the 38th President of the United States.
GERALD R. FORD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT HISTORY
Grand Rapids’ first airport broke ground in November 1919, four miles (6.4 km) south of downtown. This was eight years after the area witnessed its first airplane landing which was a Wright biplane at Comstock Park State Fairgrounds on September 10, 1911. The airport was operated by the Kent County Board of Supervisors.
The first scheduled air service in the United States was between Grand Rapids and Detroit (actually Dearborn’s Ford Airport) on a Ford-Stout monoplane named Miss Grand Rapids, which started July 26, 1926. Circa 1940 the airport was between 32nd and 36th St, from Jefferson Ave east to the railroad; the west end was soon extended south to just north of Himes St and in the 1950s one 5700-ft runway reached south to 44th St.
GERALD R. FORD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LOCATION
GERALD R. FORD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT FACTS
ICAO/IATA: GRR/KGRR
Lat: 42°52′51″N
Long: 85°31′22″W
Elevation: 794 ft.
Runway length available: 08R/26L 10000×150 ft. :: 08L/26R 5000×100 ft. :: 17/35 8501×150 ft.
