Lethbridge County Airport
Encyclopedia
Lethbridge County Airport or Lethbridge Airport, , is located 4 NM south southeast of Lethbridge
, Alberta
, Canada
. It is 10-15 driving minutes from the downtown area and has scheduled service to the Alberta cities of Calgary
and Edmonton
. The airport is classified as an airport of entry
by NAV CANADA
and is staffed by the Canada Border Services Agency
. CBSA officers at this airport can handle general aviation
aircraft only, with no more than 15 passengers. The airport hosts the annual Alberta International Airshow.
and Lethbridge Collegiate Institute
.
From 1939–1948, Lethbridge operated as Western Canada's primary airline hub. At the outbreak of World War II
, Kenyon Field became a training facility under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
(BCATP). The station was operated and administered by the Royal Canadian Air Force
and called RCAF Station Lethbridge. Beginning in July 1940, the aerodrome hosted No. 5 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS). Instruction was provided by members of the local flying club. Since the airport often experienced significant wind, the flying school moved to less windy High River
in June 1941.
Late in 1941, the No. 8 Bombing and Gunnery School, also a BCATP training facility, opened at the station. Since land was required for gunnery and bombing practice, about 100 square miles (259 km²) was leased from the Blood Indian Reserve
located nearby. Aircraft used by this school included Fairey Battle
s, Lysander
s, Ansons
, and Bolingbrokes
.
No. 133 (Fighter) Squadron was formed here in June 1942, flying Hurricanes
and Harvards
. The squadron moved to Boundary Bay
, British Columbia
in October 1942.
The RCAF left Lethbridge in 1944.
In 1947, the RCAF's mess hall was converted by the Department of Transportation (now Transport Canada
) into an Air Terminal Building
, which was replaced by the current facility in 1979.
The County of Lethbridge
assumed ownership of the airport on 1 January 1997, and it was subsequently named the Lethbridge County Airport.
On 26 July 2009, the Evergreen Supertanker
successfully landed and took off from runway 05 as part of the 2009 airshow, marking the first time a Boeing 747 has used this airport.
(CATSA) Designated Aerodrome, thus providing full passenger screening. It also serves as a regional airport, offering a number of on-site charter, maintenance, flight training and speciality aviation services. There are roughly 40 aircraft based at the airport, including commercial
, corporate, recreational
, flight training
, aerial spray
and rotary-wing
.
Between 50 and 60 percent of typical annual aircraft movements are flight training and scheduled air carrier services. In 2003, aircraft movements for the year were roughly 30,000 and passenger movements were roughly 55,000.
Aircraft services are available through Airwest Flight Support and Southern Aero Aviation/Lethbridge Esso. Both offer Avgas 100LL, Jet A1 FSII, GPU, de-icing, a pilot lounge, hangarage, and tie downs. Airwest also provides inspections, repairs, and aircraft sales, and Southern Aero also provides courtesy vehicles, and sleeping quarters. Respectively, frequencies are 130.75 and 123.4, and they are found at aprons 2 and 3.
Cessna 150
crash-landed in a field at the airport. The pilot was landing when a gust of wind apparently overtook the aircraft. The pilot escaped uninjured, however the plane sustained major damage. The crash is currently being investigated by Transport Canada
and the Transportation Safety Board.
On 23 July 2010, a Canadian Air Force McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet crashed during a practice run for the upcoming Alberta International Airshow. The pilot ejected from the aircraft and was taken to hospital with undetermined, non-life-threatening injuries.
Lethbridge
Lethbridge is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada, and the largest city in southern Alberta. It is Alberta's fourth-largest city by population after Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer, and the third-largest by area after Calgary and Edmonton. The nearby Canadian Rockies contribute to the city's...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is 10-15 driving minutes from the downtown area and has scheduled service to the Alberta cities of Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
and Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
. The airport is classified as an airport of entry
Airport of Entry
An airport of entry is an airport that provides customs and immigration services for incoming flights. These services allow the airport to serve as an initial port of entry for foreign visitors arriving in a country.-Africa:-Americas:-Asia:...
by NAV CANADA
NAV CANADA
Nav Canada is a privately run, not-for-profit corporation that owns and operates Canada's civil air navigation system .The company employs approximately 2,000 air traffic controllers , 800 flight service specialists and 700 technologists...
and is staffed by the Canada Border Services Agency
Canada Border Services Agency
The Canada Border Services Agency is a federal law enforcement agency that is responsible for border enforcement, immigration enforcement and customs services....
. CBSA officers at this airport can handle 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...
aircraft only, with no more than 15 passengers. The airport hosts the annual Alberta International Airshow.
History
Originally known as Kenyon Field, this aerodrome began passenger services in October 1938, but officially opened in June 1939. Previous to this, the city operated aviation activities in areas currently occupied by Exhibition ParkExhibition Park (Lethbridge)
Exhibition Park is an exhibition complex located on the eastern edge of Lethbridge, Alberta.-Facilities:Permanent structures at the site include a 10,664 m² pavilion complex , Heritage Hall, Pioneer Park, a grandstand, and Whoop-Up Downs.-Events:Roughly 950 events are held at the park every year,...
and Lethbridge Collegiate Institute
Lethbridge Collegiate Institute
Lethbridge Collegiate Institute is the largest school operated by Lethbridge School District No. 51. The public high school is one of four in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, that serve grades nine through twelve. Entry into LCI is loosely based on resident location in either south or west...
.
From 1939–1948, Lethbridge operated as Western Canada's primary airline hub. At the outbreak of 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...
, Kenyon Field became a training facility under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan , known in some countries as the Empire Air Training Scheme , was a massive, joint military aircrew training program created by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, during the Second World War...
(BCATP). The station was operated and administered by the Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
and called RCAF Station Lethbridge. Beginning in July 1940, the aerodrome hosted No. 5 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS). Instruction was provided by members of the local flying club. Since the airport often experienced significant wind, the flying school moved to less windy High River
RCAF Station High River
RCAF Station High River was a station of the Royal Canadian Air Force located at High River, Alberta, Canada.The Canadian Air Board began operating the High River Air Station in January 1921 after having moved the station from Morley, Alberta, where the weather was discovered to be too erratic and...
in June 1941.
Late in 1941, the No. 8 Bombing and Gunnery School, also a BCATP training facility, opened at the station. Since land was required for gunnery and bombing practice, about 100 square miles (259 km²) was leased from the Blood Indian Reserve
Kainai Nation
The Kainai Nation is a First Nation in southern Alberta, Canada with a population of 7,437 members in 2005, and had a population of 9,035 members as of 9 February 2008...
located nearby. Aircraft used by this school included Fairey Battle
Fairey Battle
The Fairey Battle was a British single-engine light bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company in the late 1930s for the Royal Air Force. The Battle was powered by the same Rolls-Royce Merlin piston engine that gave contemporary British fighters high performance; however, the Battle was weighed...
s, Lysander
Westland Lysander
The Westland Lysander was a British army co-operation and liaison aircraft produced by Westland Aircraft used immediately before and during the Second World War...
s, Ansons
Avro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...
, and Bolingbrokes
Bristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...
.
No. 133 (Fighter) Squadron was formed here in June 1942, flying Hurricanes
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
and Harvards
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...
. The squadron moved to Boundary Bay
Boundary Bay Airport
Boundary Bay Airport is located beside Boundary Bay and east of Ladner in Delta, British Columbia, Canada, south of Vancouver and close to the U.S. border. The airport, which opened 11 July 1983, serves mostly general aviation and includes facilities for aircraft maintenance, flight training,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
in October 1942.
The RCAF left Lethbridge in 1944.
In 1947, the RCAF's mess hall was converted by the Department of Transportation (now Transport Canada
Transport Canada
Transport Canada is the department within the government of Canada which is responsible for developing regulations, policies and services of transportation in Canada. It is part of the Transportation, Infrastructure and Communities portfolio...
) into an Air Terminal Building
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....
, which was replaced by the current facility in 1979.
The County of Lethbridge
Lethbridge County, Alberta
The County of Lethbridge is a municipal district in southern Alberta. It is in Census Division 2 and part of the Lethbridge Census Agglomeration area.-Demographics:...
assumed ownership of the airport on 1 January 1997, and it was subsequently named the Lethbridge County Airport.
On 26 July 2009, the Evergreen Supertanker
Evergreen Supertanker
The Evergreen Supertanker is a Boeing 747-100 widebody aircraft that was modified into an aerial firefighting aircraft by Evergreen International Aviation. The aircraft was originally manufactured by Boeing in 1970 for Delta Air Lines. With a capacity of 20,500 US gallons , it is the largest aerial...
successfully landed and took off from runway 05 as part of the 2009 airshow, marking the first time a Boeing 747 has used this airport.
Airlines and destinations
Services
The airport is a Canadian Air Transport Security AuthorityCanadian Air Transport Security Authority
The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority is a Canadian Crown corporation responsible for the security screening at the 89 designated airports in Canada...
(CATSA) Designated Aerodrome, thus providing full passenger screening. It also serves as a regional airport, offering a number of on-site charter, maintenance, flight training and speciality aviation services. There are roughly 40 aircraft based at the airport, including commercial
Civil aviation
Civil aviation is one of two major categories of flying, representing all non-military aviation, both private and commercial. Most of the countries in the world are members of the International Civil Aviation Organization and work together to establish common standards and recommended practices...
, corporate, recreational
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...
, flight training
Flight training
Flight training is a course of study used when learning to pilot an aircraft. The overall purpose of primary and intermediate flight training is the acquisition and honing of basic airmanship skills....
, aerial spray
Aerial application
Aerial application, commonly called crop dusting, involves spraying crops with fertilizers, pesticides, and fungicides from an agricultural aircraft. The specific spreading of fertilizer is also known as aerial topdressing....
and rotary-wing
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
.
Between 50 and 60 percent of typical annual aircraft movements are flight training and scheduled air carrier services. In 2003, aircraft movements for the year were roughly 30,000 and passenger movements were roughly 55,000.
Aircraft services are available through Airwest Flight Support and Southern Aero Aviation/Lethbridge Esso. Both offer Avgas 100LL, Jet A1 FSII, GPU, de-icing, a pilot lounge, hangarage, and tie downs. Airwest also provides inspections, repairs, and aircraft sales, and Southern Aero also provides courtesy vehicles, and sleeping quarters. Respectively, frequencies are 130.75 and 123.4, and they are found at aprons 2 and 3.
Incidents
On 7 February 2009, a general aviationGeneral 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...
Cessna 150
Cessna 150
The 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...
crash-landed in a field at the airport. The pilot was landing when a gust of wind apparently overtook the aircraft. The pilot escaped uninjured, however the plane sustained major damage. The crash is currently being investigated by Transport Canada
Transport Canada
Transport Canada is the department within the government of Canada which is responsible for developing regulations, policies and services of transportation in Canada. It is part of the Transportation, Infrastructure and Communities portfolio...
and the Transportation Safety Board.
On 23 July 2010, a Canadian Air Force McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet crashed during a practice run for the upcoming Alberta International Airshow. The pilot ejected from the aircraft and was taken to hospital with undetermined, non-life-threatening injuries.
External links
- Lethbridge County Airport website
- Integra Air
- Page about this airport on COPA'sCanadian Owners and Pilots AssociationThe Canadian Owners and Pilots Association is a federally registered not-for-profit association that provides information and advocacy services for Canadian pilots who fly for non-commercial purposes...
Places to Fly airport directory