Cheyenne Regional Airport

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Coordinates: 41°09′20″N 104°48′38″W / 41.15556, -104.81056

Cheyenne Regional Airport Jerry Olson Field

IATA: CYS – ICAO: KCYS – FAA: CYS
Summary
Airport type		Public
Owner		Cheyenne Regional Airport Board
Serves		Cheyenne, Wyoming
Elevation AMSL		6,159 ft / 1,878 m
Website		www.CheyenneAirport.com
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
Direction	ft	m	Surface
9/27	9,270	2,825	Concrete
13/31	6,690	2,039	Asphalt
Statistics (2006)
Aircraft operations			65,163
Based aircraft			99
Sources: airport web site^[1] and FAA^[2]

Cheyenne Regional Airport (IATA: CYS, ICAO: KCYS, FAA LID: CYS), also known as Jerry Olson Field, is a public airport located one mile (1.6 km) north of the central business district of Cheyenne, a city in Laramie County, Wyoming, United States. It is owned by the Cheyenne Regional Airport Board.^[2] Cheyenne Regional Airport is a focus city for Great Lakes Airlines.

Cheyenne Regional Airport is also the main base for the Wyoming Air National Guard (WyANG) and the Wyoming Army National Guard (WNG). The WyANG operates C-130H aircraft under the 153rd Airlift Wing and the WNG has UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. The US Air Force's 30th Airlift Squadron is colocated with the 153rd and flies missions alongside them. This is the first Active Associate unit between the Air National Guard and the Regular Air Force.

1 History
2 Facilities and aircraft
3 Airlines and destinations
4 Cargo
5 References
6 External links

[edit] History

It was back in 1911 that Cheyenne had its first glimpse into the world of aviation. While the air demonstration at the fairgrounds that year was less than impressive, it marked the beginning of what would become a rich aviation history. Throughout the years, the Cheyenne Airport would not only impact the city's economy, but its cultural history, and the whole nation, as well.

It was the U.S. Post Office that gave Cheyenne's fledgling aviation efforts its first real boost. With the introduction of airmail routes following WWI, the Cheyenne civic leaders successfully lobbied to establish Cheyenne as a cross country site. Buck Heffron piloted the first air mail flight destined for Salt Lake City on September 9, 1920 . Heffron flew in a DH-4, an aircraft that could barely reach an altitude high enough to clear the mountains and had a maximum speed of 100 mph. The pilot was one of the brave aviators who took off on daring flights guided only by limited instruments, landmarks and a few maps.

Cheyenne's airport saw its first commercial passengers take to the skies in the 1920s. This first passenger was Elizabeth Brown, a female barber. She enjoyed a ride with WWI pilot, C.A. McKenzie, in a Curtis Oriole biplane. With the step up to the impressive DC-3 in 1935, passengers enjoyed greater comfort and safety. Soon, the famous DC-3s were flying Cheyenne passengers to both coasts and south to Denver via three major airlines.

During World War II, the airport served as a completion and modification center for B-17 aircraft. In fact, the tail turret on the B-17 is also known as the "Cheyenne" turret because it was invented at the Cheyenne airport. And up until 1961, the airport also housed the training center where United Airlines stewardesses came from across the country to train.

The airport was not without its share of celebrated visitors. Among those illustrious aviators to touch down on its runways were Charles Lindbergh, aboard the famous "Spirit of St. Louis," and Amelia Earhart. Many of the airport's rich historic events are chronicled in fascinating display on the walls inside the airport restaurant.

The airport now, because of its high altitude also serves as an airport where major aircraft manufactuers test their planes. The latest test planes were Embraer of Brazil's ERJ-170 and 190 aircraft and Boeing's 737-900.

[edit] Facilities and aircraft

Cheyenne Regional/Jerry Olson Field covers an area of 1,060 acres (429 ha) which contains two runways: 9/27 with a 9,270 x 150 ft. (2,825 x 46 m) concrete surface and 13/31 with a 6,690 x 150 ft. (2,039 x 46 m) asphalt surface.^[2]

For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2006, the airport had 65,163 aircraft operations, an average of 178 per day: 54% general aviation, 36% military, 10% air taxi and <1% scheduled commercial. There are 99 aircraft based at this airport: 35% single-engine, 38% multi-engine, 4% jet and 22% military.^[2]