Kalamazoo-Battle Creek International Airport
Encyclopedia
Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport is a county-owned public-use airport
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 three nautical miles (6 km) southeast 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 Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo, Michigan
The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...

, a city in Kalamazoo County
Kalamazoo County, Michigan
-Air Service:*The Kalamazoo & Battle Creek Metro Area is served by Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport.-Interstates:* I-94* I-94 Business Loop-US highways:* US-131*  BUS US 131-Michigan State Trunklines:* M-43* M-89* M-96...

, 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"....

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The airport is also near the city of Battle Creek
Battle Creek, Michigan
Battle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in northwest Calhoun County, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek Rivers. It is the principal city of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Calhoun county...



The airport has an air traffic control tower and TRACON. It has one passenger terminal and 5 gates. Two major airline
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...

s operate flights, as well as a public charter, Direct Air, operating some days of the week.

History

The plans for an airport in Kalamazoo began in 1925. In May 1926, the City of Kalamazoo purchased 383 acres (1.5 km²) of land near Portage and Kilgore roads, and an airport opened. Shortly thereafter, the first regular air mail service started in July 1928. In February 1929, the field was licensed as the first municipal airport in 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"....

. It was named Lindbergh Field in honor of famous aviator Charles Lindbergh
Charles Lindbergh
Charles Augustus Lindbergh was an American aviator, author, inventor, explorer, and social activist.Lindbergh, a 25-year-old U.S...

.
Airline service came to Kalamazoo in May 1944. Two commuter airlines, Francis Airways and Northern Skyways, provided service to other Michigan cities, then ceased after two years. From 1946 and 1955, several small airlines offered commuter flights to nearby cities.

In May 1955, North Central Airlines
North Central Airlines
North Central Airlines was founded as Wisconsin Central Airlines in 1944 in Clintonville, Wisconsin. It was headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.-Early history:...

 began daily service to Detroit, and 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...

. North Central eventually became Republic Airlines, which became Northwest Airlines, and finally merged with Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...

 - which serves the airport today.

In 1961, an air traffic control tower
Control tower
A control tower, or more specifically an Air Traffic Control Tower , is the name of the airport building from which the air traffic control unit controls the movement of aircraft on and around the airport. Control towers are also used to control the traffic for other forms of transportation such...

 was built and the main runway was extended from 3,900 feet to 5,300. In 1963, an instrument landing system
Instrument Landing System
An instrument landing system is a ground-based instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway, using a combination of radio signals and, in many cases, high-intensity lighting arrays to enable a safe landing during instrument...

 was installed to help during poor weather. In 1977, the runway was further lengthened to 6,500 feet.

In 1975, the regional air traffic control facility was moved from Battle Creek to Kalamazoo, and in 1978, a radar facility was installed. The airport eventually won an award for the safest and most efficient air traffic control system in the Great Lakes region.
In 1982, the Core Council decided that the City of Kalamazoo should no longer bear the full cost of operating the airport, and in 1984, the City transferred ownership to the County of Kalamazoo. In 1989, the name was changed from Kalamazoo County Airport to Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International to stimulate economic growth in the Battle Creek area. That year, the County also renovated the terminal, doubling its size and expanding the ramp. Over the next four years, annual passenger traffic grew from 200,000 to more than 500,000.

As of 2011, the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport is served by two major airlines who fly passengers to major hubs with worldwide connections. There is also a public charter airline operating twice weekly from Kalamazoo to locations in Florida.

Major jetport

In the 1970s, there were discussions between airline and local city officials about building a new airport to serve both the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo. Since the two airports are extremely close, it was not economical for the airlines to fully serve both of the airports. North Central airlines proposed a "Major Jetport" in the Kalamazoo area, which might have become the third-busiest commuter airport in the nation. No location could be agreed upon, and no planning was ever completed beyond the preliminary proposals and meetings. Soon after the concept failed, most airline service was shifted to Kalamazoo, as the Kalamazoo airport had higher passenger counts and more demand for flights.

Facilities and aircraft

Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport covers an area of 832 acres (336.7 ha) at an elevation
Elevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....

 of 874 feet (266 m) above mean sea level. It has three asphalt
Asphalt
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...

 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: 17/35 measuring 6,500 x 150 ft (1,981 x 46 m), 5/23 measuring 3,436 x 100 ft (1,047 x 30 m) and 9/27 measuring 2,800 x 60 ft (853 x 18 m).

In its early days, the airport had many different runway configurations. For example, present-day taxiways delta and alpha were originally runways.

In 2008, the airport had 60,414 aircraft operations (down from 89,502 in 2006), an average of 165 per day: 78% 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...

, 19% 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...

, 2% scheduled commercial
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...

 and < 1% military
Military aviation
Military aviation is the use of aircraft and other flying machines for the purposes of conducting or enabling warfare, including national airlift capacity to provide logistical supply to forces stationed in a theater or along a front. Air power includes the national means of conducting such...

. At that time, there were 143 aircraft based at this airport: 91% single-engine
Aircraft engine
An aircraft engine is the component of the propulsion system for an aircraft that generates mechanical power. Aircraft engines are almost always either lightweight piston engines or gas turbines...

, 8% multi-engine and 1% jet
Jet aircraft
A jet aircraft is an aircraft propelled by jet engines. Jet aircraft generally fly much faster than propeller-powered aircraft and at higher altitudes – as high as . At these altitudes, jet engines achieve maximum efficiency over long distances. The engines in propeller-powered aircraft...

.

2007 re-phasing plan

In 2007, the threshold of runway 17/35 was moved 400 feet to the south, and taxiway B was closed north of taxiway C. South of runway 9/27, taxiway B was removed and rebuilt 100 feet to the west.

General aviation

Kalamazoo Airport is used by transient and local private pilots flying for personal reasons, business, or recreation. Many local pilots keep their aircraft in the south tee hangar complex.

In 1955, the Kalamazoo-based Upjohn pharmaceutical company began operating aircraft for its executives from the airport.

This continued after the firm was acquired by Pfizer
Pfizer
Pfizer, Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation. The company is based in New York City, New York with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut, United States...

. In 1997, after Pharmacia & Upjohn moved its North American sales office from Michigan to New Jersey, the company made daily service to New Jersey available to all employees on a 10-seat jet. Pfizer expanded the service after acquiring Pharmacia Corp. in 2003, and based two 36-passenger jets at the airport. But in June 2008, the aviation unit was closed after 53 years to save money. The move axed 27 jobs; the aircraft were moved to Trenton, N.J. As of April 2009, the hangar and property at the Kalamazoo Airport were up for sale.

General aviation aircraft are served by many fixed base operators (FBOs).

Kalamazoo is home to Duncan Aviation, a full service FBO. Maintenance is available through Kalamazoo Aircraft, and self-serve fuel is available through Kalamazoo Pilots Association.

Flight training

As of 2011, flight training is offered through Great Lakes Aviation Service.

The Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....

 College of Aviation, founded in 1939, used the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport as a base for its flight school until 1997. In the early 1990s, the flight school began to outgrow the facilities, and in 1997, the college moved to Battle Creek's W. K. Kellogg Regional Airport, where all operations are presently housed. The WMU aviation unit at Kalamazoo has been used from time to time by the college, but not since May 2006.

In the 1970s, private flight training operations were restricted to two local FBOs: Kal Aero, and Lakala Aviation. The county government received many complaints about unauthorized lessons from private parties. Upon these reports, the county government added to the flight training ordinance that violators could be fined $500, or jailed for 90 days if found guilty of offering flight lessons illegally. This restriction has since been lifted, and flight lessons can be offered by any party who wishes to do so.

TRACON

As of 2011, the Kalamazoo TRACON handles aircraft for the Kalamazoo airspace only. Upon completion of the new control tower in 2013, a consolidated TRACON at Kalamazoo will handle approach and departure control for Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Kalamazoo and Lansing.

Airlines and destinations

The airport is served by two commercial airlines and a public charter service which offer flights to six destinations. Three destinations are connection hubs, and three are leisure destinations.

Competition

The airport competes with larger nearby airports, such as Grand Rapids Gerald R. Ford International Airport
Gerald R. Ford International Airport
Gerald R. Ford International Airport is a commercial airport located approximately southeast of Grand Rapids, Michigan in Cascade Township. Originally called Kent County Airport and later Kent County International Airport; in December 1999 the airport was renamed for former resident Gerald R....

, and South Bend Regional Airport
South Bend Regional Airport
South Bend Regional Airport is a public airport located three miles northwest of the central business district of South Bend, a city in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States. This airport is publicly owned by St. Joseph County Airport Authority...

, which offer flights to many of the same destinations, but often at lower prices. Kalamazoo has received grants from the federal government under the Small Community Air Service Development Program to bring lower fares to Kalamazoo, and more flights. Delta's Atlanta flight was established with this funding, but Delta ceased to offer this flight on December 8, 2007.

Terminal

The original Kalamazoo terminal was a small building made with scrap materials left over from other local projects. In 1958, a new terminal was constructed to replace the 1920s terminal. The growth led to a terminal expansion in 1979 and the building increased from 12,000 to 30000 square feet (2,787.1 m²). The terminal was completely renovated in 1989, with the addition of a new concourse, an enlarged boarding area, and a new baggage claim area.

The Kalamazoo Airport's 1958 terminal had two jetways and housed the air traffic control tower. Commissioned in 1969, the air traffic control tower
Air traffic control
Air traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...

 is open from 6:00-23:00 local time. The airport has FAA Class "D" airspace with a terminal radar service area (TRSA), meaning it offers services such as clearance delivery, and approach and departure control. The Terminal Control Center
Terminal Control Center
A terminal radar approach control is an air traffic control facility usually located within the vicinity of a large airport. Typically, the TRACON controls aircraft within a 20-50 nautical mile radius of the major airport and a number of "satellite airports" between surface and up to between and...

 (TRACON) facility was not established until 1975, and radar was not installed until 1978.

Recently the current control tower has been deemed inadequate, and funding has been secured to construct a replacement.

In 2009 construction on a new terminal began next to the existing facility. The new terminal opened in April 2011, and accommodates additional passenger gates, security lanes, and baggage carousels.

Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum

Commonly referred to as the "Air Zoo
Air Zoo
The Air Zoo, founded as the Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum, is an aviation museum and indoor amusement park adjacent to the Kalamazoo-Battle Creek International Airport in Portage, Michigan....

", the museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...

 offers many historic aircraft, simulators, restaurants, and one of the regions only 4-D theaters. The museum is housed in two buildings, and is located on the south section of the field. It is an attraction for the public, and for pilots. The museum also has a fly in ramp, making it an attraction for many visiting pilots.

Incidents and accidents

Several accidents and incidents have occurred at Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport. These incidents are responded to by the onsite CFR team.

On 27 October 2009, a single-engine Beechcraft
Beechcraft
Beechcraft is an American manufacturer of general aviation and military aircraft, ranging from light single engine aircraft to business jets and light military transports. Previously a division of Raytheon, it has been a brand of Hawker Beechcraft since 2006....

 crashed. The aircraft landed north of the airport, but not on the runway. It skidded through the fence and came to rest in the parking lot of Great Lakes Aviation, just outside the airfield.
The aircraft was reported to be en route to Muskoka, Ontario when it experienced some mechanical problem and then crash landed at the north end of the runway. The pilot, who was also the only occupant, died in the accident.

On 4 April 2004, a Cessna 172
Cessna 172
The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is a four-seat, single-engine, high-wing fixed-wing aircraft. First flown in 1955 and still in production, more Cessna 172s have been built than any other aircraft.-Design and development:...

 crashed. The airplane, operated by a university aviation training program, was blown off of the runway by high winds. No injuries were reported.

On 26 June 1999, a Boeing PT-17 crashed. The airplane ground looped while landing.

On 28 May 1999, a Cessna 172
Cessna 172
The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is a four-seat, single-engine, high-wing fixed-wing aircraft. First flown in 1955 and still in production, more Cessna 172s have been built than any other aircraft.-Design and development:...

 crashed. The aircraft overran the departure end of runway 27, and struck an airport boundary fence and an automobile on Portage Road, which runs perpendicular
Perpendicular
In geometry, two lines or planes are considered perpendicular to each other if they form congruent adjacent angles . The term may be used as a noun or adjective...

 to the runway.

On 19 April 1998, a Piper PA-28 Series Aircraft crashed. Witnesses reported seeing the airplane liftoff runway 5 past the runway 17/35 intersection located approximately 3108 feet (947.3 m) from the approach end of runway 5. Runway 5 was 3999 feet (1,218.9 m) long at the time of the accident. Witnesses reported the airplane climbed to 250 to 300 feet (91.4 m) when the airplane rolled left and went straight down. The airplane burst into flames and the cockpit and fuselage were consumed by fire. All passengers died.

On 21 November 1983, a Republic Airlines
Republic Airlines (1979-1986)
Republic Airlines was an airline formed on July 1, 1979 by the merger of North Central Airlines, Southern Airways, and Hughes Airwest. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Minneapolis-St...

 DC-9 headed for Kalamazoo from Detroit was hijacked. The hijacker
Aircraft hijacking
Aircraft hijacking is the unlawful seizure of an aircraft by an individual or a group. In most cases, the pilot is forced to fly according to the orders of the hijackers. Occasionally, however, the hijackers have flown the aircraft themselves, such as the September 11 attacks of 2001...

 was overthrown.

On July 25, 1978, a North Central Convair 580 hit a female sparrow hawk (not male, according to the NTSB report) shortly after takeoff, then crash-landed in a nearby cornfield. There were no fatalities, but several on board were seriously injured.

1978 Tim Allen incident

  • In October 1978, comedian and actor Tim Allen
    Tim Allen
    Tim Allen is an American comedian, actor, voice-over artist, and entertainer, known for his role in the sitcom Home Improvement...

     was arrested at the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport for attempting to sell 1.4 pounds of cocaine
    Cocaine
    Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...

     to a narcotics officer for $43,000. His testimony against his partner reduced his sentence and reportedly resulted in the arrest of 21 others. He served 28 months at the Federal Correctional Institution in Sandstone, Minnesota
    Sandstone, Minnesota
    As of the census of 2000, there were 1,549 people, 580 households, and 359 families residing in the city. The population density was 292.5 people per square mile . There were 634 housing units at an average density of 119.7 per square mile...

    .

See also

  • Kalamazoo Transportation Center
    Kalamazoo Transportation Center
    The Kalamazoo Transportation Center is an intermodal complex in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan. Amtrak and Greyhound provide regular service there...

  • Newman's Airport
    Newman's Airport
    Newman's Airport is a privately owned, public airport located 7 mi west of Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. It is a choice for many pilots in the area who wish to avoid the Kalamazoo-Battle Creek International Airport. Newmans is an airpark community...

    , a general aviation airport located in Kalamazoo
  • List of airports in Michigan

External links

at Michigan Bureau of Aeronautics

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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