Dutchess County Airport

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Dutchess County Airport
IATA: POU - ICAO: KPOU
Summary
Airport type		Public
Operator		Dutchess County, NY
Serves		Poughkeepsie, New York
Elevation AMSL		165 ft (50.3 m)
Coordinates		41°37′35.69″N, 73°53′3.09″W
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
Direction	ft	m	Surface
6/24	5,001	1,524	Asphalt
15/33	2,743	836	Asphalt/Concrete
7/25	1,358	414	Turf/Dirt

FAA diagram of Dutchess County Airport (POU)

Dutchess County Airport (IATA: POU, ICAO: KPOU) is located 7 miles south of the City of Poughkeepsie, in the Town of Wappinger in Dutchess County, New York. It is sometimes called Poughkeepsie Airport, which gives it the code POU. The airport provides corporate and general aviation transportation services.

[edit] Facilities

There are two paved runways, 15-33, the crosswind runway, which was originally 3,003 feet (915 m) long was shortended to 2,743 feet. The main runway (6-24) is 5,001 feet (1524 m) long and is equipped with an ILS system to the northeast-facing runway along with a medium intensity approach light system with runway alignment lights.

[edit] History

Dutchess Country Airport was built by the United States Department of Commerce in the 1930s and was used for pilot training during World War II by the US Army Air Forces. At various times, the airport was used by students at the United States Military Academy and as an extension of military training conducted at Stewart Field.

After the Second World War, the airport was turned over to the county for a sum of $1 and guarantees that it would remain open as part of the Surplus Property Act of 1944 by the War Assets Administration. It was then used for general aviation. IBM built a hangar and based the corporate aircraft and helicopters at the airport.

A Flight ServiceStation was opened at the airport, but that was closed during the 1990s.

In the 1970s, a control tower was constructed and operated by the FAA.

Command Airways, later known as American Eagle Airlines, began operations and maintained its hub and maintenance facilities at the airport. Command qualified the ATR 72 with the Federal Aviation Administration for US flight operations at the airport.

Cessna built and ran a Cessna Citation maintenance facility on the airport grounds.

When Stewart International Airport, which is located just across the Hudson River, started commercial operations in 1980 most commercial flights were stopped.

POU lost its last commercial service on 12 August 2001, when Continental Connection carrier CommutAir discontinued its flights to Burlington.

In 2004, the airport received $1 million dollars from the Federal Aviation Administration for improvements in safety and runway rehibilitation.