Tuscaloosa National Airport is 3.5 miles northwest of Tuscaloosa, in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. The airport is owned and operated by the City of Tuscaloosa. The FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2019–2023 categorized the airport as a general aviation facility. The City of Tuscaloosa changed the name of the airport that had formerly operated under the name Tuscaloosa Regional Airport, in March 2019, to reflect the FAA's official designation as a national airport, one of only 89 in the nation. Tuscaloosa National Airport had 2,400 commercial passenger boardings (enplanements) in calendar year 2017. Most of this traffic was athletic charters from the University of Alabama. The Tuscaloosa Industrial Park is next to the airport. Much of the airport property is bordered by the city limits of Northport, Alabama. In fact, the airport and the neighboring Industrial Park are the only areas included in the Tuscaloosa city limits west of Alabama Highway 69 and north of the Black Warrior River. Facilities Tuscaloosa National Airport covers at an elevation of 170 feet (52 m). It has two asphalt runways: 4/22 is 6,499 by 150 feet (1,981 x 46 m) and 11/29 is 4,001 by 100 feet (1,220 x 30 m). Runway 4 has an Instrument Landing System and approach lights, allowing landings in visibility as low as a half mile. In 2010 the airport had 55,763 aircraft operations, average 152 per day: 71% general aviation, 27% military, 2% air taxi, and <1% airline. 76 aircraft were then based at the airport: 60% single-engine, 24% multi-engine, 8% jet and 8% helicopter. The airport has two full-service FBOs: Hawthorne Global Aviation Services and Dixie Air Services. History Origins In 1939 Oliver Parks was brought to Alabama to set up a Civilian Pilot Training Program, CPTP, for the University of Alabama. A brick hangar was built on the property and the first class of students were licensed before the end of 1939. The airport was opened in April 1940 as Van De Graaff Field. It originally consisted of four turf runways: 00/18 (2500 by 500 feet), 04/22 (3777 by 600 feet), 09/27 (4082 by 600 feet), 13/31 (5208 by 600 feet). World War II During World War II, the field was revamped to include a single main runway (the current 11/29). The rest of the field was usable as an all-way field. The Civil Aeronautics Administration designated van de Graff Field as an