General Mitchell International Airport
Encyclopedia
General Mitchell International Airport is a county-owned public airport
located five miles (8 km) south of the central business district
of Milwaukee
, a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
, United States
.
It is named after United States Army Air Service
General Billy Mitchell, who was raised in Milwaukee and is often regarded as the father of the United States Air Force
. The airport is a hub for AirTran Airways
and Frontier Airlines
. Along with being the primary airport for Milwaukee, Mitchell International has sometimes been described as Chicago
's third airport, as many Chicago travelers use it as an alternative to Chicago O'Hare
and Chicago Midway. It is also used by travellers throughout Wisconsin
and Northern Illinois
. An Amtrak
railway station opened at the airport in 2005. The station is served by the Hiawatha Service
line running between Chicago and Milwaukee several times daily.
on August 31, 1929. A passenger terminal was later constructed in 1940, and on March 17, 1941, the airport was renamed General Mitchell Field after Milwaukee's military airpower advocate, Brigadier General William "Billy" Mitchell. On January 4, 1945, Mitchell Field was leased to the War Department for use as a World War II
prisoner-of-war camp. Over 3,000 prisoners and 250 enlisted men stayed at the work camp. Escaped German prisoners were often surprised to find a large German and Polish population just beyond the fence. The present terminal
opened in 1955 and was expanded significantly between 1984 and 1990. On June 19, 1986, the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors officially renamed Mitchell Field to General Mitchell International Airport.
The airport is still owned and operated by Milwaukee County; however, some Milwaukee business leaders and politicians have advocated privatization
or leasing Mitchell Field to a third party for financial reasons.
poll ranked Milwaukee County’s General Mitchell International Airport fourth in the nation using categories of Location and Access, Design, Customs and Baggage, Perceived Safety and Security, as well as Food, Shops and Amenities.
and concrete
paved runway
s ranging in length from 4,183 to 9,690 ft (1,463 to 2,954 m). The 07R/25L runway has an overpass with Wisconsin State Trunk Highway 38 (Howell Avenue locally) running underneath. For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2005, the airport had 219,114 aircraft operations, an average of 600 per day: 56% air taxi
, 32% scheduled commercial, 10% general aviation
and 1% military. The main building houses the Mitchell Gallery of Flight
, a non-profit museum on the concession level; the usual retail outlets, including a small food court
; and a branch of Renaissance Books
which is believed to be the world's first used book
store in an airport. An observation lot along the northern edge of the airport is open to the public, and tower communications are rebroadcast using a low-power FM
transmitter for visitors to tune in on their car radios. A Wisconsin historical marker
documenting the airport's history is also located there.
Frontier Airlines
maintains a local office on the airport property.
Airports Council International reported that during the 2nd Quarter 2010, Mitchell was the third fastest-growing airport in the world, exceeded only by airports in Istanbul, Turkey and Moscow, Russia. Mitchell was the only U.S. airport among the top 30 fastest growing airports worldwide.
The airport is owned and operated by Milwaukee County. Mitchell's 10 airlines offer over 200 daily departures. Over 50 airports are served nonstop or direct from Mitchell International. It is the largest airport in Wisconsin. The airport terminal is open 24 hours a day.
. According to the FAA, most airports are encouraged to have a runway safety area no shorter than 1000 feet (305 m), although many airports do not meet this requirement.
Construction to provide this runway safety area began at the end of the summer of 2009. Current plans call for the completion by the summer of 2011. Work is being done to the west of the airport (6th Street) to move the road to allow enough room. Work is also being done to the south of the airport. College Avenue will be rebuilt to travel through a tunnel to allow a runway safety area over the road. This is similar to work already in place to the west on Howell Avenue.
There is also a "Master Plan" idea to significantly increase terminal area by either stretching the existing terminal (in some cases, to almost double the size) or begin construction of an entirely separate terminal
. Nearly all cases will involve major reconstruction on the airport itself, and will have a huge impact on the airport's future traffic.
According to the Fall 2007 Newsletter, the proposed Concourses F and G would be built just below the Concourse E stem. Concourse F is proposed to be built by 2012, and have a total of 7 gates; while Concourse G is proposed to be completed by 2021, adding an additional 12 gates, including international arrivals.
General Mitchell International Airport has 48 gates and 40 jetbridges on 3 concourses in one terminal. All international arrivals lacking border preclearance must pass through the International Arrivals Building.
AirTran Airways is the largest carrier at the airport. Frontier Airlines and Delta Air Lines also have sizable presences.
, home to the 128th Air Refueling Wing
(128 ARW), an Air Mobility Command
(AMC)-gained unit of the Wisconsin Air National Guard
flying the KC-135R Stratotanker. The wing performs both Federal and State missions and consists of approximately 1000 Air National Guard
personnel, both full-time Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) and Air Reserve Technicians (ART), as well as traditional part-time guardsmen, available for worldwide deployment in support of Air Mobility Command and combatant commander tasking. The wing also maintains a KC-135 flight simulator, providing training profciency for its own crews as well as other KC-135 flight crews in other air refueling wings and air mobility wings in the Regular U.S. Air Force, the Air Force Reserve Command
and the Air National Guard
.
Prior to 2007, the military installation was known as General Mitchell Air Reserve Station and was also home to the 440th Airlift Wing
(440 AW), an Air Mobility Command
(AMC)-gained unit of the Air Force Reserve Command
(AFRC) flying the C-130H Hercules. While based at General Mitchell ARS, the 440 AW numbered in excess of 1500 full-time AGR, ART and part-time traditional reservists. Pursuant to Base Realignment and Closure
(BRAC) 2005 action, the 440 AW relocated to Pope AFB, North Carolina in 2007 and the former AFRC facilities were turned over to the Air National Guard, resulting in the installation's renaming.
A Northwest Airlines
DC-9, Northwest Airlines Flight 1726 skidded 400 feet (121.9 m) off the end of a snowy runway
7R on January 21, 2007, at Milwaukee International Airport. The accident was due to an explosion in one of the engines, forcing the pilot to abort takeoff. The aircraft was headed for Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
and was to continue on to Buffalo Niagara International Airport
. Amongst the 104 people aboard, only one back injury was reported.
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 five miles (8 km) south 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 Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
It is named after United States Army Air Service
United States Army Air Service
The Air Service, United States Army was a forerunner of the United States Air Force during and after World War I. It was established as an independent but temporary wartime branch of the War Department by two executive orders of President Woodrow Wilson: on May 24, 1918, replacing the Aviation...
General Billy Mitchell, who was raised in Milwaukee and is often regarded as the father of the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
. The airport is a hub for AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of the Dallas, Texas-based Southwest Airlines, is an American low-cost airline headquartered in Orlando, Florida. AirTran operates over 650 daily flights , primarily in the eastern and midwestern United States...
and Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines, Inc., is an American airline headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The carrier, which is a subsidiary and operating brand of Republic Airways Holdings, operates flights to 83 destinations throughout the United States, Mexico, and Costa Rica and maintains hubs at...
. Along with being the primary airport for Milwaukee, Mitchell International has sometimes been described as Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
's third airport, as many Chicago travelers use it as an alternative to Chicago O'Hare
O'Hare International Airport
Chicago O'Hare International Airport , also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago Airport, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is a major airport located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States, northwest of the Chicago Loop...
and Chicago Midway. It is also used by travellers throughout Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
and Northern Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. An Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
railway station opened at the airport in 2005. The station is served by the Hiawatha Service
Hiawatha (Amtrak)
Hiawatha Service, or Hiawatha, is the name of an train route operated by Amtrak on the western shore of Lake Michigan, although the name was historically applied to several different routes that extended across the Midwest and out to the Pacific Ocean...
line running between Chicago and Milwaukee several times daily.
History
The original airfield was established in 1920 as Hamilton Airport by business owner Thomas Hamilton. Milwaukee County purchased the land on October 19, 1926, for the Milwaukee County Airport. Kohler Aviation Corporation began providing passenger service across Lake MichiganLake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
on August 31, 1929. A passenger terminal was later constructed in 1940, and on March 17, 1941, the airport was renamed General Mitchell Field after Milwaukee's military airpower advocate, Brigadier General William "Billy" Mitchell. On January 4, 1945, Mitchell Field was leased to the War Department for use as a 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...
prisoner-of-war camp. Over 3,000 prisoners and 250 enlisted men stayed at the work camp. Escaped German prisoners were often surprised to find a large German and Polish population just beyond the fence. The present terminal
Airport terminal
An airport terminal is a building at an airport where passengers transfer between ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board and disembark from aircraft....
opened in 1955 and was expanded significantly between 1984 and 1990. On June 19, 1986, the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors officially renamed Mitchell Field to General Mitchell International Airport.
The airport is still owned and operated by Milwaukee County; however, some Milwaukee business leaders and politicians have advocated privatization
Privatization
Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
or leasing Mitchell Field to a third party for financial reasons.
Awards and recognition
In October 2008, a Condé Nast TravelerCondé Nast Traveler
Condé Nast Traveler is a US magazine published by Condé Nast. It has its origins in a mailing sent out by the Diners Club club beginning in 1953, listing locations that would take the card. It began taking advertising in 1955. In order to attract more advertisers, it became a full-fledged magazine,...
poll ranked Milwaukee County’s General Mitchell International Airport fourth in the nation using categories of Location and Access, Design, Customs and Baggage, Perceived Safety and Security, as well as Food, Shops and Amenities.
Facilities and operations
General Mitchell International Airport covers an area of 2180 acres (882.2 ha) which contains five asphaltAsphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
and concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
paved runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
s ranging in length from 4,183 to 9,690 ft (1,463 to 2,954 m). The 07R/25L runway has an overpass with Wisconsin State Trunk Highway 38 (Howell Avenue locally) running underneath. For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2005, the airport had 219,114 aircraft operations, an average of 600 per day: 56% air taxi
Air taxi
An air taxi is an air charter passenger or cargo aircraft which operates on an on-demand basis.-Regulation:In the United States, air taxi and air charter operations are governed by Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations , unlike the larger scheduled air carriers which are governed by more...
, 32% scheduled commercial, 10% general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
and 1% military. The main building houses the Mitchell Gallery of Flight
Mitchell Gallery of Flight
The Mitchell Gallery of Flight is an aviation museum located inside General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the United States.- Description :...
, a non-profit museum on the concession level; the usual retail outlets, including a small food court
Food court
A food court is generally an indoor plaza or common area within a facility that is contiguous with the counters of multiple food vendors and provides a common area for self-serve dining. Food courts may be found in shopping malls and airports, and in various regions may be a standalone development...
; and a branch of Renaissance Books
Renaissance Books
Renaissance Books is a large independent bookstore in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, specializing in used books. Founded in the early 1960s by George John and Erwin Just, it is now owned by Robert John, George's younger brother...
which is believed to be the world's first used book
Used book
A used book or secondhand book is a book which has been owned before by an owner other than the publisher or retailer, usually by an individual or library....
store in an airport. An observation lot along the northern edge of the airport is open to the public, and tower communications are rebroadcast using a low-power FM
Frequency modulation
In telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant...
transmitter for visitors to tune in on their car radios. A Wisconsin historical marker
Historical marker
A historical marker or historic marker is an indicator such as a plaque or sign to commemorate an event or person of historic interest and to associate that point of interest with a specific locale one can visit.-Description:...
documenting the airport's history is also located there.
Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines, Inc., is an American airline headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The carrier, which is a subsidiary and operating brand of Republic Airways Holdings, operates flights to 83 destinations throughout the United States, Mexico, and Costa Rica and maintains hubs at...
maintains a local office on the airport property.
Statistics
U.S. Department of Transportation data for 2nd Quarter 2010 (most recent) show that the average airfare out of Milwaukee dropped lower than the average at 93 other U.S. airports. Mitchell's average fare was $93 less than O'Hare's, $78 less than the nation's average and $10 less than Midway's. Out of the nation's top 100 airports, Mitchell was one of only three at which average 2nd Quarter airfares were lower in 2010 than in 2009.Airports Council International reported that during the 2nd Quarter 2010, Mitchell was the third fastest-growing airport in the world, exceeded only by airports in Istanbul, Turkey and Moscow, Russia. Mitchell was the only U.S. airport among the top 30 fastest growing airports worldwide.
The airport is owned and operated by Milwaukee County. Mitchell's 10 airlines offer over 200 daily departures. Over 50 airports are served nonstop or direct from Mitchell International. It is the largest airport in Wisconsin. The airport terminal is open 24 hours a day.
Expansion
Mitchell International is expanding the runway safety area on their runways after an accident on January 21, 2007, when Northwest Airlines Flight 1726 skidded off the runway after aborting takeoffTakeoff
Takeoff is the phase of flight in which an aerospace vehicle goes from the ground to flying in the air.For horizontal takeoff aircraft this usually involves starting with a transition from moving along the ground on a runway. For balloons, helicopters and some specialized fixed-wing aircraft , no...
. According to the FAA, most airports are encouraged to have a runway safety area no shorter than 1000 feet (305 m), although many airports do not meet this requirement.
Construction to provide this runway safety area began at the end of the summer of 2009. Current plans call for the completion by the summer of 2011. Work is being done to the west of the airport (6th Street) to move the road to allow enough room. Work is also being done to the south of the airport. College Avenue will be rebuilt to travel through a tunnel to allow a runway safety area over the road. This is similar to work already in place to the west on Howell Avenue.
There is also a "Master Plan" idea to significantly increase terminal area by either stretching the existing terminal (in some cases, to almost double the size) or begin construction of an entirely separate terminal
Airport terminal
An airport terminal is a building at an airport where passengers transfer between ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board and disembark from aircraft....
. Nearly all cases will involve major reconstruction on the airport itself, and will have a huge impact on the airport's future traffic.
According to the Fall 2007 Newsletter, the proposed Concourses F and G would be built just below the Concourse E stem. Concourse F is proposed to be built by 2012, and have a total of 7 gates; while Concourse G is proposed to be completed by 2021, adding an additional 12 gates, including international arrivals.
Airlines and destinations
AirTran Airways is the largest carrier at the airport. Frontier Airlines and Delta Air Lines also have sizable presences.
Top destinations
| Rank | Airport | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Minneapolis/St. Paul, MinnesotaMinneapolis-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:... |
411,000 | AirTran, Delta |
| 2 | .svg.png) Atlanta, Georgia |
399,000 | AirTran, Delta |
| 3 |  Denver, ColoradoDenver 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... |
285,000 | AirTran, Frontier, United |
| 4 |  New York (LaGuardia), New YorkLaGuardia Airport LaGuardia Airport is an airport located in the northern part of Queens County on Long Island in the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally... |
259,000 | AirTran, Frontier |
| 5 |  Las Vegas, NevadaMcCarran International Airport McCarran International Airport is the principal commercial airport serving Las Vegas and Clark County, Nevada, United States. The airport is located five miles south of the central business district of Las Vegas, in the unincorporated area of Paradise in Clark County. It covers an area of and... |
245,000 | AirTran, Frontier, Southwest |
| 6 |  Orlando, FloridaOrlando International Airport Orlando International Airport is a major international airport located southeast of the central business district of Orlando. It is the second busiest airport in Florida, after Miami International Airport... |
223,000 | AirTran, Frontier, Southwest |
| 7 |  Phoenix, ArizonaPhoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located southeast of the central business district of the city of Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States... |
217,000 | AirTran, Frontier, Southwest, US Airways |
| 8 |  Washington (National), D.C.Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is a public airport located south of downtown Washington, D.C., in Arlington County, Virginia. It is the commercial airport nearest to Washington, D.C. For many decades, it was called Washington National Airport, but this airport was renamed in 1998 to... |
193,000 | AirTran, Frontier |
| 9 |  Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas |
189,000 | American, Frontier |
| 10 |  Boston, MassachusettsLogan International Airport General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport is located in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . It covers , has six runways, and employs an estimated 16,000 people. It is the 19th busiest airport in the United States.Boston serves as a focus city for JetBlue Airways... |
176,000 | AirTran, Frontier |
Cargo carriers
Military presence
The airport also hosts the General Mitchell Air National Guard BaseGeneral Mitchell Air National Guard Base
General Mitchell Air National Guard Base is the home base of the Wisconsin Air National Guard 128th Air Refueling Wing.-Overview:The 128th Air Refueling Wing, Wisconsin Air National Guard, has had a long and illustrious record of service to the State of Wisconsin and the United States of America...
, home to the 128th Air Refueling Wing
128th Air Refueling Wing
The United States Air Force's 128th Air Refueling Wing is an Air Mobility Command located at General Mitchell International Airport, Wisconsin...
(128 ARW), an Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
(AMC)-gained unit of the Wisconsin Air National Guard
Wisconsin Air National Guard
The Wisconsin Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is, along with the Wisconsin Army National Guard, an element of the Wisconsin National Guard...
flying the KC-135R Stratotanker. The wing performs both Federal and State missions and consists of approximately 1000 Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
personnel, both full-time Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) and Air Reserve Technicians (ART), as well as traditional part-time guardsmen, available for worldwide deployment in support of Air Mobility Command and combatant commander tasking. The wing also maintains a KC-135 flight simulator, providing training profciency for its own crews as well as other KC-135 flight crews in other air refueling wings and air mobility wings in the Regular U.S. Air Force, the Air Force Reserve Command
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
and the Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
.
Prior to 2007, the military installation was known as General Mitchell Air Reserve Station and was also home to the 440th Airlift Wing
440th Airlift Wing
The 440th Airlift Wing is a United States Air Force Reserve unit assigned to Twenty-Second Air Force. It is stationed at Pope Field, part of Fort Bragg in North Carolina....
(440 AW), an Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
(AMC)-gained unit of the Air Force Reserve Command
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
(AFRC) flying the C-130H Hercules. While based at General Mitchell ARS, the 440 AW numbered in excess of 1500 full-time AGR, ART and part-time traditional reservists. Pursuant to Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
(BRAC) 2005 action, the 440 AW relocated to Pope AFB, North Carolina in 2007 and the former AFRC facilities were turned over to the Air National Guard, resulting in the installation's renaming.
Ground transportation
- Badger Coach has frequent trips between Mitchell Airport, Downtown Milwaukee, Madison, Johnson Creek, and Goerkes Corners.
- Airport Connection has routes from the Airport to the Amtrak Station, the Milwaukee Airport Rail StationMilwaukee Airport Rail StationThe Milwaukee Airport Railroad Station is an Amtrak railway station which opened for service on January 18, 2005. It is located at 5601 South 6th Street, just south of Wisconsin Highway 119, near the western edge of General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States...
(MKA), parking lots, Sheboygan, and the Fox Valley Area. - Milwaukee County Transit SystemMilwaukee County Transit SystemThe Milwaukee County Transit System is the largest transit agency in Wisconsin, and is the primary transit provider for Milwaukee county. It ranks among the top 50 transit agencies in the United States...
Route 80 serves the Airport with a $2.25 fare to anywhere in the county. - AmtrakAmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
has a stationMilwaukee Airport Rail StationThe Milwaukee Airport Railroad Station is an Amtrak railway station which opened for service on January 18, 2005. It is located at 5601 South 6th Street, just south of Wisconsin Highway 119, near the western edge of General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States...
3/4 of a mile from the airport and uses the Hiawatha Service. Free shuttle buses go between the train station and the baggage claim. - Wisconsin Coach LinesWisconsin Coach LinesWisconsin Coach Lines is a commuter bus service, intercity carrier, and school bus company based in Waukesha, Wisconsin. WCL, founded in 1941 as Waukesha Transit Lines, is a subsidiary of Coach USA.- Overview :...
as Airport Express operates frequently to O'Hare Airport (ORD), Midway Airport (MDW) and General Mitchell Airport (MKE) from Waukesha, Milwaukee(Downtown Amtrak/Greyhound Station), Racine, and Kenosha.
Incidents and accidents
- On August 4, 1968, a Convair CV-580Convair 240The Convair CV-240 was an American airliner produced by Convair from 1947 to 1954, initially as a possible replacement of the ubiquitous Douglas DC-3. While featuring a more modern design, the 240 series was able to make some inroads as a commercial airliner and also had a long development cycle...
, flying as North Central AirlinesNorth Central AirlinesNorth Central Airlines was founded as Wisconsin Central Airlines in 1944 in Clintonville, Wisconsin. It was headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.-Early history:...
flight 261, collided in mid-air with a privately owned Cessna 150Cessna 150The Cessna 150 is a two-seat tricycle gear general aviation airplane, that was designed for flight training, touring and personal use.The Cessna 150 is the seventh most produced civilian plane ever, with 23,839 aircraft produced...
. The Cessna cabin remained attached to the Convair's forward baggage compartment. The Convair made a safe emergency landing at Milwaukee. The 3 Cessna occupants were killed. The Cessna was on a VFRVisual flight rulesVisual flight rules are a set of regulations which allow a pilot to operate an aircraft in weather conditions generally clear enough to allow the pilot to see where the aircraft is going. Specifically, the weather must be better than basic VFR weather minimums, as specified in the rules of the...
flight from Lombard, IllinoisLombard, IllinoisLombard, "The Lilac Village", is a suburb of Chicago in DuPage County, Illinois. The population was 42,322 at the 2000 census. The United States Census Bureau estimated the population in 2004 to be 42,975.-History:...
to Sheboygan County Memorial AirportSheboygan County Memorial AirportSheboygan County Memorial Airport is a public, non-towered airport located in the Town of Sheboygan Falls in Sheboygan County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, three miles northwest of Sheboygan...
in Sheboygan FallsSheboygan Falls, WisconsinSheboygan Falls is a city in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, United States whose population was 6,772 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Sheboygan, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
. It was determined that the inability of the Convair 580 flight crew to detect the Cessna 150 visually in sufficient time to take evasive action, despite having been provided with three radar traffic advisories caused the crash. Visual detection capabilities were reduced by the heavy accumulation of insect smears on the windows of the Convair. Visibility was further reduced by haze, smoke and sunglare, and by the inconspicuous colour and lack of relative motion of the Cessna.
- On September 6, 1985, Midwest Express Flight 105Midwest Express Airlines Flight 105Midwest Express Airlines Flight 105 a Douglas DC-9-14 crashed just after takeoff on September 6, 1985 from General Mitchell Airport, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, en route to Hartsfield International in Atlanta. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and the post-crash fire...
, Midwest's first and only fatal accident, crashed upon takeoff from Milwaukee. One of the airline's Douglas DC-9s crashed while taking off, bound for Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport. According to NTSBNational Transportation Safety BoardThe National Transportation Safety Board is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. In this role, the NTSB investigates and reports on aviation accidents and incidents, certain types of highway crashes, ship and marine...
reports, the crash was caused by improper pilot reaction when the plane’s right engine failed due to stress corrosion cracking. The improper flight control inputs caused an uncommanded roll and accelerated stall. The 31 people on board died.
- On August 31, 2005, a Midwest AirlinesMidwest AirlinesMidwest Airlines was a U.S.-based airline and was also an operating brand of Republic Airways Holdings based in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. operating from Milwaukee's General Mitchell International Airport...
, Boeing 717Boeing 717The Boeing 717 is a twin-engine, single-aisle jet airliner, developed for the 100-seat market. The airliner was designed and marketed by McDonnell Douglas as the MD-95, a third-generation derivative of the DC-9. Capable of seating of up to 117 passengers, the 717 has maximum range of...
bumped a weed spraying truckTruckA truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
and damaged the plane’s left wing. No one was hurt in the incident.
A Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
DC-9, Northwest Airlines Flight 1726 skidded 400 feet (121.9 m) off the end of a snowy runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
7R on January 21, 2007, at Milwaukee International Airport. The accident was due to an explosion in one of the engines, forcing the pilot to abort takeoff. The aircraft was headed for Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport , usually called Detroit Metro Airport, Metro Airport locally, or simply DTW, is a major international airport covering in Romulus, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. It is Michigan's busiest airport....
and was to continue on to Buffalo Niagara International Airport
Buffalo Niagara International Airport
Buffalo Niagara International Airport is an airport located in Cheektowaga CDP, Town of Cheektowaga, in Erie County, New York, USA. It is named after the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The airport serves Buffalo, New York as well as Southern Ontario, Canada...
. Amongst the 104 people aboard, only one back injury was reported.
- On January 23, 2007, two Freight Runners ExpressFreight Runners ExpressFreight Runners Express is an American airline based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was established and started operations in 1985 and operates scheduled and on-demand air cargo services. Passenger air charter services are also operated under the Air Charter Express brand, using a Beechcraft B200...
cargo planes collided and burned on a taxiwayTaxiwayA taxiway is a path on an airport connecting runways with ramps, hangars, terminals and other facilities. They mostly have hard surface such as asphalt or concrete, although smaller airports sometimes use gravel or grass....
. Both pilots were able to escape without injury. The planes were a Cessna 402Cessna 402The Cessna 401 and 402 are series of 6 to 10 place, light twin, piston engine aircraft. This line was manufactured by Cessna from 1966 to 1985 under the name Utiliner and Businessliner...
and a Beech 99. An NTSB investigation determined both pilots and air traffic control were at fault for the accident.
- On June 4, 2007, a Cessna Citation II crashed on take off after reporting a runaway trim tab. The pilot issued a distress signal within five minutes after taking off from KMKE. The plane then crashed into Lake Michigan two miles (3 km) off shore. The plane was carrying an organ transplant team from the University of MichiganUniversity of MichiganThe University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
back to Willow Run AirportWillow Run AirportWillow Run Airport is an airport located in Van Buren Charter Township and in Ypsilanti Township, near Ypsilanti, Michigan, that serves freight, corporate, and general aviation clients...
. There was a crew of two and four passengers aboard. All six died.
- On November 13, 2007, a Midwest ConnectMidwest ConnectMidwest Connect was the brand name for the regional airline service of Midwest Airlines, rather than a certificated airline carrier. Skyway Airlines was the sole operator of Midwest Connect since its inception in 1989, until SkyWest Airlines began additional Midwest Connect service on April 1, 2007...
flight from Milwaukee bound for Dayton was in a near-miss situation with a United ExpressUnited ExpressUnited Express is a brand name under which eight regional airlines operate feeder flights for United Airlines. They primarily connect smaller cities with United's domestic hub airports and “focus cities,” although they offer some point-to-point service such as Sacramento to Eureka.As of Sept...
jet heading to Chicago O'Hare International Airport from Greensboro while flying over northern Indiana. Air traffic controllers with Chicago Center directed the Midwest ConnectMidwest ConnectMidwest Connect was the brand name for the regional airline service of Midwest Airlines, rather than a certificated airline carrier. Skyway Airlines was the sole operator of Midwest Connect since its inception in 1989, until SkyWest Airlines began additional Midwest Connect service on April 1, 2007...
flight to begin its descent while traveling head-on towards the United ExpressUnited ExpressUnited Express is a brand name under which eight regional airlines operate feeder flights for United Airlines. They primarily connect smaller cities with United's domestic hub airports and “focus cities,” although they offer some point-to-point service such as Sacramento to Eureka.As of Sept...
CRJ a few thousand feet below. The planes came as close as 1.3 miles (2.1 km) apart horizontally and 600 feet (183 m) vertically. The Midwest ConnectMidwest ConnectMidwest Connect was the brand name for the regional airline service of Midwest Airlines, rather than a certificated airline carrier. Skyway Airlines was the sole operator of Midwest Connect since its inception in 1989, until SkyWest Airlines began additional Midwest Connect service on April 1, 2007...
Dornier 328JET was just above the United ExpressUnited ExpressUnited Express is a brand name under which eight regional airlines operate feeder flights for United Airlines. They primarily connect smaller cities with United's domestic hub airports and “focus cities,” although they offer some point-to-point service such as Sacramento to Eureka.As of Sept...
aircraft and descending while they were closing in on each other. An audible TCAS alarm in the Midwest ConnectMidwest ConnectMidwest Connect was the brand name for the regional airline service of Midwest Airlines, rather than a certificated airline carrier. Skyway Airlines was the sole operator of Midwest Connect since its inception in 1989, until SkyWest Airlines began additional Midwest Connect service on April 1, 2007...
cockpit alerted the pilots of the proximity, allowing them to pull up in time.
- On April 22, 2008, a Chautauqua AirlinesChautauqua AirlinesChautauqua Airlines, Inc. is a regional airline and a subsidiary of Republic Airways Holdings based in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Based on 2009 published flight schedules, it operates scheduled passenger services on more than 700 flights daily to 98 airports in 31 states, Washington, D.C...
flight from St. Louis to Milwaukee experienced engine failure and landed safely at MidAmerica St. Louis AirportMidAmerica St. Louis AirportMidAmerica St. Louis Airport is an airport co-located on the grounds of Scott Air Force Base. MidAmerica has operated as a Joint Use Airport since beginning operations in November 1997 and has not been served by any commercial airlines since Allegiant Air pulled out of the airport on January 3,...
. Of the 32 passengers on board, none were injured.
- On September 12, 2008, at 7:13 PM, a Cirrus SR22Cirrus SR22The Cirrus SR22 is a single-engine, four-seat, composite aircraft, built by Cirrus Aircraft starting in 2001. It is a more powerful version of the Cirrus SR20, with a larger wing, higher fuel capacity, and a 310 horsepower engine...
heading from Milwaukee bound for Lakeland AirportLakeland AirportLakeland Airport , also known as Noble F. Lee Memorial Field, is a public airport near Arbor Vitae, a town in Vilas County, Wisconsin, United States. The airport is three miles northwest of the central business district of Minocqua and northwest of Woodruff, both cities in Oneida County, just...
in Vilas County crashed a half a mile southwest of the Airport. All three people on board died.
External links
- General Mitchell International Airport Official site
- Fly MKE
- Wisconsin Airport Directory:
- Michigan Airport Directory:
- Milwaukee Airport Railroad Station
- flyertalk.com Guide to the Milwaukee Airport
- Great Lakes Aviation http://www.flygreatlakes.com
- 128th Air Refeuling Wing, Wisconsin Air National Guard http://www.128arw.ang.af.mil/