About Drake Field

Fayetteville Executive Airport, Drake Field, is owned and operated by the City of Fayetteville and is located just 3 miles south of the town center. In 1929 Drake Field was established with the help of Dr. Noah Drake, Professor of Geology at the University of Arkansas, who donated $3,500.00 to purchase land that was used to construct an airport for the City. In 1936 the residents of Fayetteville approved a $20,000 bond to buy a half mile square plot of land one mile South of the original location, and construct the airport on its present site. On April 14th, 1947, the airfield was officially named Drake Field in honor of Dr. Drake.

For half a century, Drake Field ably served the citizens of Northwest Arkansas with commercial airline service. In 1999, Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport, a larger, modern, commercial airline facility, was opened to accommodate the needs of the rapidly growing Northwest corner of the state. Today, Drake Field serves the General Aviation community of Fayetteville, Northwest Arkansas, and the world, as a first class business and recreational airport. Drake Field has gracefully matured into a beautiful and superior airfield which honors the aviation traditions of its past, but also has its compass aimed unswervingly toward a bright future. 

Since 2000, the airport has undergone a program of reorientation as a premiere general aviation facility. Additional aircraft parking aprons and hangars have been constructed and others are under construction or in the planning stages. A new Fixed Base Operation storage hangar was completed in 2003 on a recently constructed executive apron. In 2004, the east-side parallel taxiway "A" was extended south to serve the USDA Forest Service Fire Fighting Airbase apron and loading facility. A 9600 sq ft Corporate Hangar for the University of Arkansas aviation department was also completed in 2004. In 2005 another eight-unit T Hangar was constructed. The airport recently broke ground on two corporate-sized hangars and two others are in the planning stages. 

Million Air Fayetteville provides aircraft fuel and aviation customer services from an elegantly renovated Terminal Building. Features of the Terminal, sure to please pilots and their passengers, include a spacious lounge with complimentary refreshments, media room, sleep room, and flight planning area. The Customer Service Desk in the main lobby oversees all visitors to the airport and provides a complete array of services including rental cars, hotel rooms, catering, reservations for next stop, and valet of personal vehicles.

With the many new facilities and services, our airport continues to grow and thrive. All can agree that Fayetteville Executive Airport, Drake Field, has indeed achieved her new role as the premiere General Aviation airport in Northwest Arkansas.