Annapolis Regional Airport

Annapolis Regional Airport
Name	Annapolis Regional Airport
Nativename	Lee Airport
Iata	none
Icao	none
Faa	ANP
Type	Public
Owner	Anne Arundel County, Maryland
City-served	Annapolis, Maryland
Location	Parole, Maryland
Elevation-f	18
Runway1 number	16/34
Runway1 length ft	4,400
Runway1 surface	Asphalt
Stat-year	2023
Stat1-header	Aircraft operations
Stat1-data	70,000
Stat2-header	Based aircraft
Stat2-data	130

Annapolis Regional Airport

Annapolis Regional Airport is a public-use general aviation airport located near Annapolis, Maryland in Anne Arundel County, Maryland serving the United States Naval Academy, the city of Baltimore, and the Washington metropolitan area. The airport, also known historically as Lee Airport, hosts fixed-wing and rotorcraft activity and supports flight training, air taxi, and corporate aviation. Its proximity to US Route 50, Maryland Route 2, and the Chesapeake Bay makes it a strategic reliever for larger airports such as Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

History

The airfield originated in the early 20th century as a grass strip near Parole, Maryland and expanded through the interwar period with influences from regional aviation growth tied to Annapolis commerce and the expansion of the United States Naval Academy's aviation support. Post-World War II municipal investments mirrored trends seen at Teterboro Airport and Dulles International Airport in adapting small fields for civil use. In the 1960s and 1970s the airport underwent runway improvements influenced by Federal Aviation Administration guidance and state-level transportation planning aligned with Maryland Department of Transportation. Community debates in the 1980s and 1990s mirrored controversies at Los Angeles International Airport and London Heathrow Airport over noise abatement and land use. In the 21st century, modernization projects paralleled initiatives at Small Community Airports across the United States, with local elected officials from Anne Arundel County, Maryland overseeing capital improvements.

Facilities and Aircraft

The airport has a single asphalt runway 16/34 measuring approximately 4,400 by 75 feet suitable for light single-engine and twin-engine aircraft, mirroring facilities found at College Park Airport and Easton/Newnam Field. Aircraft parking includes tiedowns and hangar space occupied by fixed-base operators such as independent flight schools and charter services similar to operations at Signature Flight Support locations. The field provides aviation fuel services, a control advisory frequency analogous to procedures at Leesburg Executive Airport, and maintenance facilities servicing airframes like Cessna 172, Piper PA-28, and Beechcraft Baron. Navigation and safety infrastructure includes segmented circles, pilot-controlled lighting, and proximity to instrument procedures coordinated with the Federal Aviation Administration centralized air traffic control and the regional Potomac Terminal Radar Approach Control.

Airlines and Destinations

Annapolis Regional Airport does not host scheduled commercial airlines comparable to Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, or Southwest Airlines operations at major hubs; instead, it serves on-demand air taxi and charter operators akin to firms such as NetJets and regional helicopter providers that conduct flights to metropolitan centers and corporate destinations including Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and regional Northeast Corridor points. Corporate and general aviation clients utilize the field for point-to-point travel to business centers like Fort Meade and executive campuses in Columbia, Maryland.

Operations and Statistics

Annual operations approximate patterns seen at suburban reliever airports, with around 70,000 aircraft operations annually, including flight training sorties, transient general aviation, and air taxi movements similar to activity levels at Annapolis Capital Region feeder fields. Based aircraft total near 130, with a fleet mix of single-engine, multi-engine, rotorcraft, and light jets reflecting the composition reported by AOPA and regional airport surveys. Seasonal traffic peaks occur during summer months tied to Chesapeake Bay tourism and events at the United States Naval Academy and the Annapolis Boat Shows.

Accidents and Incidents

The airport's safety record includes a small number of general aviation accidents typical of community airports, often investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration when occurring. Incidents have involved light piston aircraft during training flights and mechanical failures similar to cases reviewed in NTSB reports across the United States. Local emergency response coordination involves Anne Arundel County Fire Department and Maryland Aviation Administration-affiliated resources.

Future Development

Planning documents from Anne Arundel County, Maryland and aviation stakeholders outline incremental improvements: apron expansions, hangar construction, and runway safety area enhancements in line with FAA Airport Improvement Program priorities and state transportation grants administered through the Maryland Department of Transportation. Community engagement processes mirror those used at Portland International Jetport and Wilmington Airport to address noise, environmental review under National Environmental Policy Act, and land-use compatibility with nearby residential neighborhoods and the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Category:Airports in Maryland Category:Buildings and structures in Anne Arundel County, Maryland