Kalamazoo-Battle Creek International Airport

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Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport
IATA: AZO - ICAO: KAZO
Summary
Airport type Public Owned, Public Use
Operator Kalamazoo County
Serves Kalamazoo, Michigan
Elevation AMSL 874 ft (266.4 m)
Coordinates 42°14′05.6″N, 85°33′07.4″W
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
17/35 6,500 1,981 Paved
5/23 3,436 1,047 Paved
9/27 2,800 853 Paved
Looking down on the field from the northeast
Looking down on the field from the northeast

Kalamazoo-Battle Creek International Airport (IATA: AZO, ICAO: KAZO) is an airport in Kalamazoo, Michigan, near Battle Creek, Michigan. It has a 7-gate passenger terminal, and is serviced by 4 major airlines.[1]


The airport has an operating air traffic control tower, which is open from 6:00 a.m. through 11:00 p.m. 365 days per year. The airport is class "D", but offers many features of a class "C", such as clearence delivery, and approach and departure control. [2]

Contents

[edit] History

The inspiration for an airport in Kalamazoo began in 1925. In May of 1926, the City of Kalamazoo purchased 383 acres of land near Portage and Kilgore roads. Scheduled air service began between Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids shortly thereafter, and the first regular air mail service started in July, 1928. In February 1929, the field was licensed as the first municipal airport in Michigan. It was named Lindbergh Field in honor of famous aviator, Charles Lindbergh.

In 1958 a new terminal was constructed to replace the old building that housed passengers since the 1920’s. In 1961, an air traffic control tower and additional runways were built. In years to come, the number of passengers using the facility and the number of flights in and out of Kalamazoo continued to grow. The consistent growth necessitated a terminal expansion, and in 1979 the building increased from 12,000 to 30,000 square feet.

The AZO airport on the Chicago Sectional Chart

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. The County recognized the need to increase service at the Kalamazoo County Airport. The terminal was completely renovated in 1989, with the addition of a new concourse, an enlarged boarding area, a new baggage claim area, and a ramp expansion. This expansive project doubled the size of the terminal, and passenger traffic grew from 200,000 per year to over 500,000 per year by 1993. In 1994, passenger volume dictated the need for a parking lot expansion, and 300 long-term spaces were added.

Today, the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport is served by 4 major airlines that fly thousands of passengers each day to major hubs with worldwide connections. [3]

[edit] General aviation

Kalamazoo Airport is used by transient and local private pilots flying for personal, business, or recreational purposes. Kalamazoo is also home to Duncan Aviation, a full service FBO, and Riley Aviation, which both offer full service, same day charter flights.

Kalamazoo is also home to Pfizer, a major US drug manufacturer. Pfizer has an aviation unit on the airport, where they house private business jets used for corporate travel.

[edit] Fixed base operators

The KPA Fueling Center
The KPA Fueling Center

At the airport, three fixed base operators (FBO's) conduct business.

  • Duncan Aviation provides fuel, a pilots lounge, chart sales, 24 hour vending, and is a full service FBO.
  • Kalamazoo Pilots Association provides at-cost 100LL self-serve fuel to local and visiting pilots 24 hours per day.
  • Kalamazoo Aircraft Inc. offers maintenance services for a variety or aircraft.

[4]

[edit] Terminal

Currently, the Kalamazoo Airport has a 7 gate passenger terminal.

An American Eagle Embraer ERJ arrives from O'Hare International Airport. This plane could be headed to gate 2A, 2B, 3 or 4.
An American Eagle Embraer ERJ arrives from O'Hare International Airport. This plane could be headed to gate 2A, 2B, 3 or 4.

Services inside the terminal include rental cars, shoe shine, video arcade, food court, pub, travel agents, ATM machines, payphones, skycaps, cargo services, and real estate agents. [5]

A new terminal project was planned to be completed in the spring of 2007, but due to a lack of government funding which was originally expected, the project has been put on a long term hold. If in the future, a new terminal is constructed, it will be much different from the original plan. [6]

[edit] Airlines and destinations

A Northwest Airlines DC-9 Departs for MSP
A Northwest Airlines DC-9 Departs for MSP

[7]

[edit] Competition

Kalamazoo competes with larger, nearby airports, such as Grand Rapids, and South Bend, who offer similar flights as Kalamazoo, but often at lower prices. Kalamazoo has received grants from the federal government to bring lower fares to Kalamazoo, more flights to the airport, and also more non-stop destinations. Delta's Atlanta flight is the result of such government grants.[8]

[edit] Accidents and Incidents

  • On 4/24/2004, A Cessna 172 crashed. The airplane, operated by a university aviation training program, veered off runway 05 during landing. No injuries were reported. [9]
  • On 6/26/1999, A Boeing 75PT crashed. The airplane ground looped while landing. [10]
  • On 5/28/1999, a Cessna 172 crashed. The aircraft overran the departure end of runway 27, and struck an airport boundary fence and an automobile on Portage Road, which runs perpindicular to the runway.[11]
  • On 4/19/1998, 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 from the approach end of runway 5. Runway 5 is 3,999 feet long. Witnesses reported the airplane climbed to 250 to 300 feet 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.[12]
  • On 11/21/1983, a Republic Airlines DC-9 headed for Kalamazoo from Detroit was hijacked. The [hijacker was overthrown.[13]

[edit] Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum

Commonly referred to as the "Air Zoo", the museum offers many historic aircraft, simulators,

restauarants, and one of the regions only 4-D theaters. The museum is comprised of two buildings, and is located on the south section of the field. It is an attraction for the public, and for pilots. The musuem also has a fly in ramp, making it an attraction for many pilots. [14] [15]

[edit] Western Michigan University

The Western Michigan University College of Aviation, founded in 1939, used the Kalamazoo-Battle Creek International Airport as a base for it's 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 nearby W.K. Kellogg airport, where all operations are presently housed.[16] The WMU aviation unit at Kalamazoo has been used periodically by the college, but is currently vacant.

[edit] Newman's Airport (4N0)

Newman's Airport, located on the West Side of Kalamazoo, MI, offers an alternative for pilots who wish to avoid Kalamazoo-Battle Creek International Airport. [17]

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://azoairport.com/dynamic/arrive.php
  2. ^ http://www.airnav.com/airport/KAZO
  3. ^ http://www.azoairport.com/secondary/history.html
  4. ^ http://www.azoairport.com/secondary/about.html
  5. ^ http://azoairport.com/info/terminal.html
  6. ^ www.kalcounty.com/board/meetings/mincow/11-01-05mincow.pdf
  7. ^ http://azoairport.com/dynamic/depart.php
  8. ^ http://azoairport.com/dynamic/news/all_details.php?RECORD_KEY%28news%29=ID&ID(news)=2
  9. ^ http://www.aopa.org/asf/ntsb/searchResults.cfm?identifier=AZO
  10. ^ http://www.aopa.org/asf/ntsb/searchResults.cfm?identifier=AZO
  11. ^ http://www.aopa.org/asf/ntsb/searchResults.cfm?identifier=AZO
  12. ^ http://www.aopa.org/asf/ntsb/searchResults.cfm?identifier=AZO
  13. ^ http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19831121-0&lang=en
  14. ^ http://airzoo.org/zoo_info/
  15. ^ http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=azo&layer=&ie=UTF8&z=18&ll=42.229669,-85.551921&spn=0.002812,0.004013&t=k&om=1&iwloc=addr
  16. ^ http://www.wmich.edu/aviation/about.html
  17. ^ http://skyvector.com/#20-13-2-7088-2615

[edit] External links

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