Allegheny County Airport
Encyclopedia
Allegheny County Airport is located in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania
, four miles (6 km) southeast of the city of Pittsburgh
. It is the fifth busiest airport in Pennsylvania following Philadelphia
, Pittsburgh
, Allentown
, and Harrisburg
. The airport is owned by the Allegheny County Airport Authority
and serves as the primary FAA designated reliever airport for Pittsburgh International Airport
.
The Allegheny County Airport dedication took place on September 11, 1931. When it was completed, it was third largest airport in the country, as well as the only hard-surface airport in the country. It was historically the main entrance to metro Pittsburgh via air from its inception up until June, 1952 when Pittsburgh International opened for commercial aviation. Like many other historic "municipal" fields throughout the country, Allegheny serves small and mid-sized private, corporate and commercial traffic well, but was not built to handle the constant traffic of international "heavy jet" service that arrived by the late 1960's.
The airport is popular among business travelers because of its closer proximity to downtown than Pittsburgh International Airport. It is also much closer to the densely populated South Hills, Monroeville area and Monongahela Valley
than Pittsburgh International.
The airport also enjoys a Hollywood big screen moment in 2004's The Mothman Prophecies
, serving as the small "Pt. Pleasant" airport where the governor and Richard Gere
debate how serious the impending crisis is in the river town. Also the Airport and Terminal were used in the 1986 movie Gung Ho
starring Michael Keaton
.
in 1936. Aiming for a more modern design
for the building, it was designed in white brick with touches of black, silver, and green. Hornbostel continued with these colors for his additions. Above the stainless-steel canopy is a semi-hexagonal doorhead. To each side is an Art Deco
urn with medallions containing images of flight by both humans and animals. Although it no longer services major commercial traffic, the airport can still accommodate aircraft up to the size of a DC-9.
Allegheny County Airport covers 432 acres (1.7 km²) and has two active runways and one helipad:
added the Allegheny County Airport to their List of Historic Landmarks.
West Mifflin, Pennsylvania
West Mifflin is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, located southeast of downtown Pittsburgh. The population was 20,313 at the 2010 census....
, four miles (6 km) southeast of the city of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. It is the fifth busiest airport in Pennsylvania following Philadelphia
Philadelphia International Airport
Philadelphia International Airport is a major airport in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, and is the largest airport in the Delaware Valley region and in Pennsylvania...
, Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport , formerly Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Greater Pittsburgh International Airport and commonly referred to as Pittsburgh International, is a joint civil–military international airport located in the Pittsburgh suburb of Findlay Township, approximately west of...
, Allentown
Lehigh Valley International Airport
Lehigh Valley International Airport , formerly Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton International Airport, is a public airport in Hanover Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania....
, and Harrisburg
Harrisburg International Airport
-Statistics:-Air cargo:Harrisburg International Airport is well positioned with freight-forwarding capabilities. The airport is located adjacent to I-76 , I-83, and I-81, allowing for fast air-to-ground transfer of goods and commodities...
. The airport is owned by the Allegheny County Airport Authority
Allegheny County Airport Authority
Allegheny County Airport Authority is a Municipal Authority in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania that oversees and maintains the Allegheny County airport system. These include management of Pittsburgh International Airport as well as Allegheny County Airport...
and serves as the primary FAA designated reliever airport for Pittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport , formerly Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Greater Pittsburgh International Airport and commonly referred to as Pittsburgh International, is a joint civil–military international airport located in the Pittsburgh suburb of Findlay Township, approximately west of...
.
The Allegheny County Airport dedication took place on September 11, 1931. When it was completed, it was third largest airport in the country, as well as the only hard-surface airport in the country. It was historically the main entrance to metro Pittsburgh via air from its inception up until June, 1952 when Pittsburgh International opened for commercial aviation. Like many other historic "municipal" fields throughout the country, Allegheny serves small and mid-sized private, corporate and commercial traffic well, but was not built to handle the constant traffic of international "heavy jet" service that arrived by the late 1960's.
The airport is popular among business travelers because of its closer proximity to downtown than Pittsburgh International Airport. It is also much closer to the densely populated South Hills, Monroeville area and Monongahela Valley
Monongahela River
The Monongahela River is a river on the Allegheny Plateau in north-central West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania in the United States...
than Pittsburgh International.
The airport also enjoys a Hollywood big screen moment in 2004's The Mothman Prophecies
The Mothman Prophecies (film)
The Mothman Prophecies is a 2002 psychological horror film directed by Mark Pellington, based on the 1975 book of the same name by parapsychologist and Fortean author John Keel. The screenplay was written by Richard Hatem...
, serving as the small "Pt. Pleasant" airport where the governor and Richard Gere
Richard Gere
Richard Tiffany Gere is an American actor. He began acting in the 1970s, playing a supporting role in Looking for Mr. Goodbar, and a starring role in Days of Heaven. He came to prominence in 1980 for his role in the film American Gigolo, which established him as a leading man and a sex symbol...
debate how serious the impending crisis is in the river town. Also the Airport and Terminal were used in the 1986 movie Gung Ho
Gung Ho (film)
Gung Ho is a 1986 Ron Howard comedy film, released by Paramount Pictures, and starring Michael Keaton and Gedde Watanabe. The film's story portrayed the takeover of an American car plant by a Japanese corporation...
starring Michael Keaton
Michael Keaton
Michael John Douglas , better known by the stage name Michael Keaton, is an American actor known for his early comedic roles, most notably his performance as the title character of Tim Burton's Beetlejuice . Keaton is also famous for his dramatic portrayal of Bruce Wayne/Batman in Tim Burton's...
.
Facilities
The main terminal was built in 1931 by Stanley L. Roush, with later additions by Henry HornbostelHenry Hornbostel
Henry Hornbostel was an American architect.He designed more than 225 buildings, bridges, and monuments in the United States; currently 22 are listed on the National Register of Historic Places....
in 1936. Aiming for a more modern design
Modern architecture
Modern architecture is generally characterized by simplification of form and creation of ornament from the structure and theme of the building. It is a term applied to an overarching movement, with its exact definition and scope varying widely...
for the building, it was designed in white brick with touches of black, silver, and green. Hornbostel continued with these colors for his additions. Above the stainless-steel canopy is a semi-hexagonal doorhead. To each side is an Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
urn with medallions containing images of flight by both humans and animals. Although it no longer services major commercial traffic, the airport can still accommodate aircraft up to the size of a DC-9.
Allegheny County Airport covers 432 acres (1.7 km²) and has two active runways and one helipad:
- Runway 10/28: 6,501 x 150 ft (1,982 x 46 m), Surface: Concrete
- Runway 13/31: 3,825 x 100 ft (1,166 x 30 m), Surface: Concrete
- Helipad H1: 47 x 45 ft (14 x 14 m), Surface: Concrete
Future Improvements
The Allegheny County Airport Authority has received $2 million from the federal stimulus bill for construction at the Allegheny County airport. The money will be used to renovate four taxiways. It will also be used to reconfigure aircraft apron areas. This will allow for future construction on aircraft maintenance hangars and ramp space associated for the maintenance areas. Construction was scheduled to begin July 20, 2009. The airport expected 40 new jobs to be created with the project but says it is the gateway for more jobs when the aircraft maintenance facility construction starts. The construction will help improve the layout of the airfield.FBO Airlines
Incidents
| Date | Flight/Airplane | Description |
|---|---|---|
| April 5, 2010 | Small private plane | Caught fire while taxing, no one injured. |
| January 31, 1956 | U.S. Air Force
|
North American TB-25N Mitchell B-25 Mitchell The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named... 44-29125, on cross country flight from Nellis AFB, Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its... to Olmsted AFB, Pennsylvania Pennsylvania The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to... , after departing Selfridge AFB, Michigan Michigan Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake".... suffers fuel starvation NE of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States... in mid-afternoon, attempts to divert to Greater Pittsburgh AFB, ditches in the Monongahela River Monongahela River The Monongahela River is a river on the Allegheny Plateau in north-central West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania in the United States... at the 4.9 miles (7.9 km) marker, west of the Homestead High-Level Bridge, drifts ~1.5 miles (2.4 km) downstream in 8–10 knots. current, remaining afloat for 10–15 minutes. All six crew evacuate but two are lost in the 35 °F (1.7 °C) water before rescue. Search for sunken bomber suspended 14 February with no success – aircraft is thought to have possibly settled in submerged gravel pit area in 32 feet (9.8 m) of water, ~150 feet (45.7 m) from shore, possibly now covered by 10–15 feet of silt. This crash remains one of the Pittsburgh region's unsolved mysteries. |
| December 22, 1954 | DC-3 Military Charter | http://www3.gendisasters.com/pennsylvania/4117/pittsburgh%2C-pa-plane-crashes-river%2C-dec-1954 |
| April 7, 1936 | TWA Twa The Twa are any of several hunting peoples of Africa who live interdependently with agricultural Bantu populations, and generally hold a socially subordinate position: They provide the farming population with game in exchange for agricultural products.... |
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,848531,00.html |
| January 26, 1935 | TWA Twa The Twa are any of several hunting peoples of Africa who live interdependently with agricultural Bantu populations, and generally hold a socially subordinate position: They provide the farming population with game in exchange for agricultural products.... |
Crashed in an adjacent slag mound, 10 minutes after taking off in the early morning hours en route to Columbus, killing the pilot, it was carrying a cargo of mail only at the time. |
| May 21, 1928 | Hot Air Balloon | At the National Balloon Races Championship at adjacent "Bettis Field" a balloon crashes with 100,000 spectators, both operators die. |
Historic Landmark Status
In 1981, the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks FoundationPittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation
The Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded in 1964 to support the preservation of historic buildings and neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA....
added the Allegheny County Airport to their List of Historic Landmarks.