Bullhead City International Airport
Encyclopedia
Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport , also known as Bullhead City International Airport, is a public airport
located one mile (2 km) north of the central business district
of Bullhead City
, in Mohave County
, Arizona
, USA
. The airport is across the Colorado River
and one block away from the community of Laughlin, Nevada
. Many of the rooms at Laughlin's casino-hotels offer a view of the chartered and private flights that utilize the airport. No larger commercial airlines currently serve the airport. It was named 2011 Airport of the Year by the Arizona Department of Transportation.
's Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino
, many other hotels began to open franchises in Laughlin. With booming Bullhead City, Arizona
, lying directly across the Colorado River, a regional airport was deemed necessary by Nevada and Arizona authorities. Previously, Las Vegas
had operated the nearest international airport 90 miles to the north.
Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport used to be known simply as the "Bullhead City Airport" until the 1990s, when such airlines as Air Laughlin, Vanguard Airlines
, Viscount Air Services and others offered Boeing 737
and McDonnell Douglas DC-9 flights from Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix
. Reno Air
offered McDonnell Douglas MD-80 service there briefly in 1995 and 1996 serving San Jose International Airport
and Los Angeles International Airport
. Most of this air service would be accompanied by hotel packages. For a short period, USAir Express operated DH-8 service to Los Angeles International Airport
. FedEx Express became the airport's main cargo airline
also during that decade.
In 2002, Sun Country decided to start service to Bullhead City from Minneapolis
. The airline ultimately decided to make Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport a hub for the American
Southwestern region. In 2004, Ryan International Airlines
returned the jet services from the Phoenix area, beginning to fly to Bullhead City from Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport
, using MD-82 airplanes. There was service on Western Express Air
to Phoenix Deer Valley Airport
(Arizona) and Riverside Municipal Airport
(California) but that was discontinued when that airline ceased operations at the end of May 2007.
The Airport was featured in the 2003 film 'View from the Top
' in which it was used for the setting of the fictional Sierra Airlines based there. The film stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Christina Applegate and Kelly Preston.
In 2008, the airport underwent a multi-million-dollar expansion, which increased passenger capacity, and a heightened security system. In the same year, the largest aircraft to visit the airport, a Boeing 747-SP, landed on the recently expanded runway. http://www.airliners.net/photo/Untitled/Boeing-747SP-31/1459196/L/
In March 2010 the airport hosted "Legends Over the Colorado", an air show with additional displays of an original B-17 from World War II
. The plane is part of the Commemorative Air Force Arizona Wing of the Commemorative Air Force
, a Texas-based nonprofit organization that has fully restored the B-17, Sentimental Journey
. Also on display was a T-6 Texan
and 4 other warbirds
.
More than 115,000 people flew in to Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport on casino-sponsored chartered flights in 2010, however, no larger established commercial airlines are currently utilizing the Laughlin/Bullhead City airport.
On April 9-10, 2011, Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport held the second annual "Legends Over The Colorado". The main attraction was "FIFI", the only flying B-29 in the world along with two P-51 Mustangs, a Japanese Zero, and several other World War II
era warbirds
.
On July 20th, 2011 marked the grand opening of the new baggage claim building connected to the main terminal.
In 2012, the process will begin for the runway to be extended another 1,000 feet to the south, for a total of 8,500 feet. Paid for by grants, actual site preparation will begin in 2013, and the date of completiion is set for some time in 2013.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located one mile (2 km) north of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Bullhead City
Bullhead City, Arizona
Bullhead City is a city located on the Colorado River in Mohave County, Arizona, USA, roughly south of Las Vegas, Nevada, and directly across the Colorado River from Laughlin, Nevada, whose casinos and ancillary services supply much of the employment for Bullhead City...
, in Mohave County
Mohave County, Arizona
Mohave County is located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2010 census, its population was 200,186, an increase of 45,154 people since the 2000 census count of 155,032. The county seat is Kingman...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The airport is across the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
and one block away from the community of Laughlin, Nevada
Laughlin, Nevada
Laughlin is a census-designated place in Clark County, Nevada, United States, and a port located on the Colorado River. Laughlin is south of Las Vegas, located in the far southern tip of Nevada. It is best known for its gaming, entertainment, and water recreation. As of the 2010 census, the...
. Many of the rooms at Laughlin's casino-hotels offer a view of the chartered and private flights that utilize the airport. No larger commercial airlines currently serve the airport. It was named 2011 Airport of the Year by the Arizona Department of Transportation.
History and Expansion
Beginning with Don LaughlinDon Laughlin
Donald J. Laughlin is a gambling entrepreneur, hotelier and rancher for whom the town of Laughlin, Nevada, is named.A native of Owatonna, Minnesota, Laughlin worked winters during his youth as a fur trapper. He took the profits and used them to purchase slot machines for installation in hunting...
's Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino
Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino
Don Laughlin's Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino is located in Laughlin, Nevada, ]]USA]], on the Colorado River.-History:Laughlin bought the southern tip of Nevada in 1964 . Laughlin operated the 101 Club in Las Vegas...
, many other hotels began to open franchises in Laughlin. With booming Bullhead City, Arizona
Bullhead City, Arizona
Bullhead City is a city located on the Colorado River in Mohave County, Arizona, USA, roughly south of Las Vegas, Nevada, and directly across the Colorado River from Laughlin, Nevada, whose casinos and ancillary services supply much of the employment for Bullhead City...
, lying directly across the Colorado River, a regional airport was deemed necessary by Nevada and Arizona authorities. Previously, Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
had operated the nearest international airport 90 miles to the north.
Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport used to be known simply as the "Bullhead City Airport" until the 1990s, when such airlines as Air Laughlin, Vanguard Airlines
Vanguard Airlines
Vanguard Airlines was an airline based out of Kansas City, Missouri. For a time, Vanguard also had significant operations at Chicago Midway International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, until late 2000. It ceased operations on July 29, 2002, after filing for bankruptcy...
, Viscount Air Services and others offered Boeing 737
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
and McDonnell Douglas DC-9 flights from Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
. Reno Air
Reno Air
Reno Air was a scheduled passenger airline headquartered in Reno, Nevada, United States.Reno Air provided service from its hubs at Reno/Tahoe International Airport in Reno, Nevada and San Jose International Airport in San Jose, California to destinations throughout the western United States, Canada...
offered McDonnell Douglas MD-80 service there briefly in 1995 and 1996 serving San Jose International Airport
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
and Los Angeles International Airport
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Most of this air service would be accompanied by hotel packages. For a short period, USAir Express operated DH-8 service to Los Angeles International Airport
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. FedEx Express became the airport's main cargo airline
Cargo airline
Cargo airlines are airlines dedicated to the transport of cargo. Some cargo airlines are divisions or subsidiaries of larger passenger airlines.-Logistics:...
also during that decade.
In 2002, Sun Country decided to start service to Bullhead City from Minneapolis
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
. The airline ultimately decided to make Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport a hub for the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Southwestern region. In 2004, Ryan International Airlines
Ryan International Airlines
Ryan International Airlines, Inc. is an American FAR 121 airline with domestic, flag, and supplemental authority.Based in Rockford, Illinois, the US Postal Service was once the airline's main customer, flying Boeing 727 aircraft on scheduled cargo flights...
returned the jet services from the Phoenix area, beginning to fly to Bullhead City from Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport , formerly Williams Gateway Airport and Williams Air Force Base , is a commercial airport located in the southeastern area of the city of Mesa, Arizona, and southeast of Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. The airport is owned and operated by the...
, using MD-82 airplanes. There was service on Western Express Air
Western Express Air
Western Express Air was a regional airline in Bullhead City, Arizona that is owned and operated by Falcon Executive Aviation. It discontinued all scheduled operations at the end of May 2007.-Former destinations:*Arizona...
to Phoenix Deer Valley Airport
Phoenix Deer Valley Airport
Phoenix Deer Valley Airport is a public use airport located 15 nautical miles north of the central business district of Phoenix, a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It is owned by the City of Phoenix...
(Arizona) and Riverside Municipal Airport
Riverside Municipal Airport
Riverside Municipal Airport , also known as Riverside Airport , is a public airport located four miles southwest of the central business district of Riverside, the county seat of Riverside County, California, United States...
(California) but that was discontinued when that airline ceased operations at the end of May 2007.
The Airport was featured in the 2003 film 'View from the Top
View from the Top
View from the Top is a 2003 romantic comedy film about a young woman from a small town who sets out to fulfill her dream of becoming a flight attendant...
' in which it was used for the setting of the fictional Sierra Airlines based there. The film stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Christina Applegate and Kelly Preston.
In 2008, the airport underwent a multi-million-dollar expansion, which increased passenger capacity, and a heightened security system. In the same year, the largest aircraft to visit the airport, a Boeing 747-SP, landed on the recently expanded runway. http://www.airliners.net/photo/Untitled/Boeing-747SP-31/1459196/L/
In March 2010 the airport hosted "Legends Over the Colorado", an air show with additional displays of an original B-17 from World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The plane is part of the Commemorative Air Force Arizona Wing of the Commemorative Air Force
Commemorative Air Force
The Commemorative Air Force , formerly known as the Confederate Air Force, is a Texas-based non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and showing historical aircraft at airshows primarily throughout the U.S. and Canada...
, a Texas-based nonprofit organization that has fully restored the B-17, Sentimental Journey
Sentimental Journey (aircraft)
Sentimental Journey is the nickname of a B-17G Flying Fortress bomber. It is housed at the museum at Falcon Field, Arizona by the Commemorative Air Force. The aircraft is regularly flown to airshows around the country....
. Also on display was a T-6 Texan
T-6 Texan
The North American Aviation T-6 Texan was a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1950s...
and 4 other warbirds
Warbirds
Warbirds is an extended play by American hardcore punk band This Is Hell. The album was released on August 18, 2009 through Think Fast! Records. Similar to This Is Hell's 2007 extended play, Cripplers, this release features unreleased new material in addition to cover songs...
.
More than 115,000 people flew in to Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport on casino-sponsored chartered flights in 2010, however, no larger established commercial airlines are currently utilizing the Laughlin/Bullhead City airport.
On April 9-10, 2011, Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport held the second annual "Legends Over The Colorado". The main attraction was "FIFI", the only flying B-29 in the world along with two P-51 Mustangs, a Japanese Zero, and several other World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
era warbirds
Warbirds
Warbirds is an extended play by American hardcore punk band This Is Hell. The album was released on August 18, 2009 through Think Fast! Records. Similar to This Is Hell's 2007 extended play, Cripplers, this release features unreleased new material in addition to cover songs...
.
On July 20th, 2011 marked the grand opening of the new baggage claim building connected to the main terminal.
Rental Car Companies
The airport is home to three car rental companies: Avis, Enterprise, and Hertz.Facilities
Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport has two runways, each measuring 7,500' X 150', and a taxiway measuring 7,500' X 75'.In 2012, the process will begin for the runway to be extended another 1,000 feet to the south, for a total of 8,500 feet. Paid for by grants, actual site preparation will begin in 2013, and the date of completiion is set for some time in 2013.
Airport Fire Department
In October 1991, Station 4 at the Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport was opened and was manned full time by Bullhead City Fire Department. In 1997, the airport authority established its own fire department. There are six firefighters employed by the airport, and the station is manned twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. As of July 2011, a design is being completed for a newly constructed airport fire station. In September 2011, the Mohave County Airport Authority was awarded two airport improvement grants totaling $7.6 million from the Federal Aviation Administration. One of the grants is for construction of a new facility for aircraft rescue and fire fighting operations and purchase of a new fire truck.Airlines and destinations
Top destinations
| Rank | City | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Minneapolis, MNMinneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in the five-state upper Midwest region of Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.-Overview:... |
13,000 | Sun Country |
| 2 |  Seattle, WASeattle-Tacoma International Airport The Seattle–Tacoma International Airport , also known as Sea–Tac Airport or Sea–Tac , is an American airport located in SeaTac, Washington, at the intersections of State Routes 99 and 509 and 518, about west of Interstate 5... |
2,000 | - |
| 3 |  Dallas, TX |
2,000 | - |
| 4 | Bellingham, WA Bellingham International Airport Bellingham International Airport is a public airport located three miles northwest of Bellingham, in Whatcom County, Washington, USA. The airport has a single runway. Due to the close proximity to British Columbia, the Bellingham International Airport functions somewhat as a reliever airport to... |
2,000 | - |
| 5 |  Portland, ORPortland International Airport Portland International Airport is a joint civil-military airport and the largest airport in the U.S. state of Oregon, accounting for 90% of passenger travel and more than 95% of air cargo of the state. It is located within Portland's city limits just south of the Columbia River in Multnomah... |
2,000 | - |
| 6 |  La Crosse, WILa Crosse Municipal Airport -Top Destinations:-Unusual History:The La Crosse Airport can accommodate the world's largest aircraft in service today. One of the world's largest passenger jumbo jets, the Boeing 747 Air Force One , has made overnight trips to this airport with every U.S... |
1,000 | - |
| 7 | Green Bay, WI Austin Straubel International Airport Austin Straubel International Airport is a county-owned public-use airport in Brown County, Wisconsin, United States. The airport is located seven nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Green Bay, in the village of Ashwaubenon. It sits on portions of land encompassing Green... |
1,000 | - |
| 8 | Eau Claire, WI Chippewa Valley Regional Airport Chippewa Valley Regional Airport is a public-use airport located in Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States. It is three nautical miles north of the central business district of Eau Claire and is owned by Eau Claire County.... |
1,000 | - |
| 9 |  Denver, CODenver International Airport Denver International Airport , often referred to as DIA, is an airport in Denver, Colorado. By land size, at , it is the largest international airport in the United States, and the third largest international airport in the world after King Fahd International Airport and Montréal-Mirabel... |
1,000 | - |
| 10 | Harlingen, TX Valley International Airport Valley International Airport is an airport located in northeast Harlingen, Texas, United States. The airport has three runways and is also known as Rio Grande Valley International Airport... |
1,000 | - |
External links
- http://www.laughlinbullheadintlairport.com (Airport web site)
- Laughlin ~ Bullhead City International Airport (IFP) at Arizona DOT airport directory