Montgomery Regional Airport

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"Montgomery Airport" redirects here. For other uses, see Montgomery Airport (disambiguation).
Montgomery Regional Airport
Dannelly Field
File:Montgomery Airport Logo.jpg
Montgomery Regional Airport.jpg
IATA: MGM – ICAO: KMGM – FAA LID: MGM
– WMO: 72226
Summary
Airport type Public
Owner City of Montgomery
Operator Montgomery Airport Authority
Serves Montgomery, Alabama
Elevation AMSL 221 ft / 67 m
Coordinates Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Website flymgm.com
Map
MGM is located in Alabama
MGM
MGM
Location of airport in Alabama
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
10/28 9,020 2,749 Asphalt
3/21 4,011 1,223 Asphalt
Helipads
Number Length Surface
ft m
H1 100 30 Asphalt
Statistics (2012)
Aircraft operations 61,863
Based aircraft 136

Montgomery Regional Airport (IATA: MGM[2], ICAO: KMGM, FAA LID: MGM) (Dannelly Field) is a public and military airport seven miles southwest of Montgomery, the capital of Alabama.[1] Owned by the Montgomery Airport Authority, it is used for general aviation and military aviation,[1] and sees two airlines.

This airport is in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which called it a primary commercial service airport since it has over 10,000 passenger boardings (enplanements) per year.[3] Federal Aviation Administration records say the airport had 157,958 enplanements in calendar year 2013, a decrease from 182,313 in 2012.[4]

History

Commercial aviation and military aviation have been intertwined in Montgomery. The first commercial air services in Montgomery operated at Maxwell Field, a military facility founded by the Wright Brothers west of the city. To provide for commercial aviation the City of Montgomery opened its original municipal airport in 1929 east of the city. This facility was later named Gunter Field and was served by a predecessor of American Airlines. Eastern Air Lines subsequently took over service at Gunter.

In 1940 the War Department chose Gunter Field for a new pilot training facility. Gunter quickly became congested, Eastern Airlines was forced to move temporarily to Maxwell, and the city purchased a tract southwest of downtown on US 80 to replace Gunter for civilian aviation. Separately, the Army Air Force identified a need for seven auxiliary fields in the vicinity of Gunter and the city and USAAF agreed that the city's newly purchased site would also serve as Gunter's auxiliary field #6. It opened in 1943 and was named for ENS Clarence Moore Dannelly, Jr., USN, a Navy pilot killed in a 1940 training accident and considered to be the first casualty of World War II from Montgomery. The old Army Air Force hangars are now part of the Montgomery Aviation complex. The original three runways, and their original dimensions, were:

  • 3/21: 4,000 by 150 feet (1,219 m × 46 m). Still exists today.
  • 9/27: 3,500 by 150 feet (1,067 m × 46 m). Extended to 7,000 ft (2,100 m) in 1955. Extended to 9,000 ft (2,700 m) in 1963. Redesignated 10/28 in 1992.
  • 15/33: 4,000 by 150 feet (1,219 m × 46 m). Closed in 1981. Some portions remain as taxiway and apron.

When Dannelly Field opened, Eastern moved its operations there. The city took title to Dannelly in 1946, although joint commercial and military use continued, and erected a permanent passenger terminal and control tower north of Runway 9/27 in 1955. While Runway 9/27 was being rebuilt in 1963, and again in 1970, commercial flights were temporarily diverted to Maxwell AFB.

Military use

The Alabama Air National Guard's 187th Fighter Wing (187 FW), based on the west side of the airport at Montgomery Air National Guard Base, operates a squadron of
F-16C aircraft. The 187th Fighter Wing evolved from the 160th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron that began operating at Dannelly Field in 1953. During its history, the 187th and its predecessor have based several types of aircraft at Montgomery, including the RF-51 Mustang, RF-80 Shooting Star, RF-84 Thunderflash, RF-4 Phantom II, F-4 Phantom II and C-131 Samaritan.

The Alabama Army National Guard also has an Army Aviation Support Facility on the south side of the airport. Although primarily oriented to helicopter operations, fixed-wing aircraft can also be accommodated. The 31st Aviation Battalion was established here in 1986, and became the 1st Battalion, 131st Aviation Regiment a year later.

An Air National Guard Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) unit is located at the airport, equipped with multiple fire fighting and rescue vehicles, to augment the airport's civilian ARFF unit.

Facilities and aircraft

File:Montgomery Regional Airport New Terminal.JPG
Airport terminal in 2011

Montgomery Regional Airport covers 1,907 acres (772 ha) at an elevation of 221 feet (67 m) above mean sea level. It has two asphalt runways. Runway 10/28 is 9,020 by 150 feet (2,749 x 46 m) and had CAT I ILS and approach lights on both ends. Runway 3/21 is 4,011 by 150 feet (1,223 x 46 m). It also has one asphalt helipad that is 100 by 100 feet (30 x 30 m).[1]

The airline terminal has been expanded and modified several times since 1955. A $40 million capital program that finished in November 2006 doubled the size of the terminal, transformed its appearance, and modernized it with 2nd floor boarding, jetway loading bridges, and a rotunda with a domed ceiling that simulates sunrises, sunsets, and stars at night.

The apron and the main runway and taxiways can accommodate aircraft as large as the Boeing 747 and Antonov 124. There are numerous corporate aviation hangars and support facilities. A proposal to extend Runway 3/21 to 7,200 feet (2,200 m) is under consideration. A new control tower was built in 1996 south of Runway 10/28.

In the year ending May 31, 2012 the airport had 61,863 aircraft operations, average 169 per day: 48% military, 33% general aviation, 19% air taxi, and <1% scheduled commercial. 136 aircraft were then based at this airport: 42% military, 38% single-engine, 12% multi-engine, 7% jet, and 1% helicopter.[1]

Airlines and destinations

Airlines with scheduled nonstop flights to:

Airlines Destinations Gates
American Eagle Charlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth 4, 5
Delta Connection Atlanta 1, 3, 6


Delta Connection CRJ-900 at Gate 1

Aircraft flown by airlines: American Eagle - ERJ-145 and ERJ-140 to Dallas, and CRJ-200 and occasionally a CRJ-700 and CRJ-900 to Charlotte, Delta Connection - CRJ-200, CRJ-700, CRJ-900 and occasionally a MD-88 or 717 during peak times.

Atlanta Airport backup: MGM Airport is usually used for diversions if there is bad weather in Atlanta and planes can't land there.

eBoarding Pass: Delta now offers eBoarding Pass service at the Montgomery Regional Airport.

Statistics

Carrier shares: (Feb 2014 - Jan 2015)[5]
Carrier Passengers (arriving and departing)
ExpressJet
199,000(58.75%)
Envoy
63,960(18.88%)
PSA
44,490(13.13%)
Air Wisconsin
20,580(6.07%)
American Eagle
10,460(3.09%)
Other
2,400(0.07%)
Top domestic destinations: (Oct 2014 - Sep 2015)[5]
Rank Airport Passengers Airline
1 Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International (ATL) 106,000 Delta
2 Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW) 40,000 American
3 Charlotte Douglas International (CLT) 30,000 US Airways

Annual Enplanement

Annual enplanement at MGM[6]
Year Enplanement Change
1999 231,061
2000 239,806 Increase3.6%
2001 212,459 Decrease12.9%
2002 215,365 Increase1.3%
2003 212,660 Decrease1.3%
2004 215,553 Increase1.3%
2005 203,557 Decrease5.9%
2006 188,329 Decrease8.1%
2007 181,231 Decrease3.9%
2008 169,956 Decrease6.6%
2009 163,864 Decrease3.7%
2010 194,540 Increase15.8%
2011 188,177 Decrease3.4%
2012 182,313 Decrease3.2%
2013 157,958 Decrease15.4%
2014 167,000 Increase6.67%

Top 10 Final Destinations (2013)

  • Washington, D.C.
  • New York, NY/Newark, NJ
  • Philadelphia, PA
  • Chicago, IL
  • Houston, TX
  • Los Angeles, CA
  • Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX
  • Seoul, South Korea
  • Denver, CO
  • South Florida (Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami)

Former airlines and flights

Past airlines since 1955 have included Eastern Air Lines, Eastern Metro Express, Southern Airways, Republic Airlines, Piedmont Aviation, Sun Airlines, Southeast Air, South Central Air Transport (SCAT), Air Illinois, Ocean Airways, Continental Airlines, Continental Express and Northwest Airlink. Although 50-70 passenger regional jets are now the dominant scheduled aircraft, in past years airlines such as Delta operated the DC-9, MD-80, 737, 727, and briefly even the DC-8 on a scheduled basis.

Northwest Airlink flew to Memphis until it merged with Delta, and Delta then retired the route a year and a half after acquiring Northwest. Continental Express flew nonstop to Houston Intercontinental. Past Delta routes include routes to Cincinnati and Dallas.

Prior to the merger with American in October 2015, US Airways Express flew direct to Charlotte 3 times daily. American Eagle continued the route after the merger.

Incidents

On July 26, 2013, there was bad weather in Atlanta, and many Atlanta-bound flights were diverted to Montgomery including an American Eagle ERJ-145 from Miami, FL, a Delta Connection CRJ-200 from Monroe, LA, two Delta MD-88s from Dallas, TX, and one Delta MD-88 from Fort Myers, FL. While a Delta MD-88 was refueling, fuel leaked from the plane and there was a fuel spill. Flights were delayed and passengers were not let off the fuel-leaked plane because there was not a tug big enough at the airport to tow the plane away from the spill. The plane departed safely for ATL.

On March 17, 2014, Delta Connection flight 5102 was en route to Montgomery from Atlanta, and there was an issue with one of the CRJ-200's flaps, and the decision was made by the pilots to declare an emergency. The plane landed safely at the airport and the emergency was cancelled by the crew, and the plane taxied to the gate on its own power.

Master Plan

The 20-year, $98 million master plan for the Montgomery Regional Airport projects enplanements to reach 245,000 a year in 2030. The plan calls for runway 3/21 to be doubled in length to 8,000 ft, and with the extension commercial airlines will be able to use it. The plan also calls for new corporate hangars. Two new air carriers and new direct flights are likely to come to the airport by 2019. The plan calls for a redesigned baggage claim which has already been completed, a spruced up terminal area, and new food vendors.[7]

Images

  • Check in counters at MGM

  • MGM gate area

  • MGM Baggage Claim

  • MGM Terminal from a landing Delta Connection CRJ-200

  • A Delta Connection CRJ-200 at Gate 1 at MGM

  • A Delta MD-88 at Gate 3

  • An American Eagle ERJ-145 at Gate 4

  • A US Airways Express CRJ-200 at Gate 5

  • Old MGM Terminal.jpg

    The old terminal right before construction began on the new one.

  • Southwest Airlines 737-700 charter deplaning at MGM Airport

  • Two Delta 767-300s at MGM

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 FAA Airport Master Record for MGM (Form 5010 PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. Effective November 15, 2012.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ FAA Passenger Boarding and All-Cargo Data. Retrieved on Mar 31, 2015.
  7. ↑ Master plan takes airport to the next level. Retrieved on Apr 26, 2015.
Other sources
  • Wesley Phillips Newton, "Origins and Early Development of Civil Aviation in Montgomery, 1910-1946," The Alabama Review, January 2004.

External links

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