Greater Rochester International Airport

Greater Rochester International Airport
IATA: ROC ICAO: KROC FAA LID: ROC
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	County of Monroe
Operator	Monroe County Airport Authority
Serves	Rochester, New York
Elevation AMSL	559 ft / 170 m
Coordinates	43°7′8″N 077°40′21″W / 43.11889°N 77.67250°W / 43.11889; -77.67250Coordinates: 43°7′8″N 077°40′21″W / 43.11889°N 77.67250°W / 43.11889; -77.67250
Website	www.monroecounty.gov/airport-index.php
Map
ROC Show map of New York ROC Show map of the US Location of airport in New York / United States
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 4/22 8,001 2,439 Concrete 7/25 4,000 1,219 Asphalt 10/28 6,401 1,951 Asphalt
Statistics (2006, 2014)
Aircraft operations (2006) 137,601 Based aircraft (2006) 94 Passengers (2014) 2,339,000
Sources: airport website and FAA,ACI

Greater Rochester International Airport (IATA: ROC, ICAO: KROC, FAA LID: ROC) is three miles (6 km) southwest of downtown Rochester, in Monroe County, New York. It is owned and operated by Monroe County. The largest airline that serves the airport is Delta Air Lines with 30% of passengers flying on Delta. The airport is home to the 642nd Aviation Support Battalion, part of the 42nd Infantry Division.

A 1910 newspaper article cited "a site near Scottsville Road", along with the Baker Farm in Genesee Valley Park, as possible locations for 'airships' to fly from Rochester to Toronto. The Baker Farm was located south of the original Genesee Valley Park, and was donated to the Parks Department of the City of Rochester in 1908. The golf course at Genesee Valley Park was extended to include the Baker Farm in 1914. During World War I, the Baker Farm area of the park, renamed "Baker Field" was used for military purposes. The United States School of Aerial Photography had been created at Kodak Park in Rochester, and Baker Field was the airfield associated with the project. Military use of the field ceased in 1918. Baker Field continued to be used as an airfield for a year or two thereafter, but flood conditions made it unsuitable for airfield use in the long run. Britton Field, located just west of Baker Field, became the primary airport for the Rochester area.

The site of the Greater Rochester International Airport, originally known as Britton Field, was used for aviation purposes as early as 1919. The Rochester Aircraft Corporation launched its first passenger flight from Britton Field August 18, 1919. The Curtiss JN-4 was piloted by Earl F. Beers. At the time, the only way to get to the field was either by car or by taking the Genesee Street car line to the end, and walking the remaining distance. Beers, a Rochester aviation pioneer, urged the local government to purchase Britton Field for a municipal airport. In 1919, Beers offered passenger flights out of Britton Field, charging $1.00 per minute.