Harrisburg International Airport

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Harrisburg International Airport
IATA: MDT – ICAO: KMDT
Summary
Airport type Public
Owner Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority
Location Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Elevation AMSL 310 ft / 94.48 m
Coordinates 40°11′37″N, 76°45′48″W
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
13/31 10,001 3,048 Asphalt

Harrisburg International Airport (IATA: MDT, ICAO: KMDT) is a public airport located eight miles (13 km) southeast of the central business district (CBD) of Harrisburg, a city in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, USA. The airport code MDT is a reference to the surrounding community of Middletown, which is a suburb of Harrisburg. Planes landing at MDT from the south are often routed near or over Three Mile Island, only a few miles from the airport. The airport, frequently referred to as HIA, is the primary commercial service airport in South Central Pennsylvania and ranks as the 3rd busiest airport in Pennsylvania for both passenger enplanements and cargo shipments.[1] [2]

Contents

[edit] History

Harrisburg International Airport has been serving south-central Pennsylvania for over 100 years.[citation needed] First, in 1898, the Signal Corps of the U.S. Army was stationed here. This was followed by the first military airplanes landing in 1918 at what had become Olmstead Field of the fledgling U.S. Army Air Service. Oldmstead Field served as a U.S. Army Air Corps / U.S. Army Air Force facility during World War II. With the creation of a separate United States Air Force in 1947, the installation was renamed as Olmstead Air Force Base. By the time it was deactivated in 1969, Olmstead AFB, because of its logistics and aircraft overhaul facilities, had grown to employ 11,400 civilians in addition to uniformed USAF personnel. With turnover from the U.S. Air Force, the civilian Harrisburg International Airport began to serve the public under the ownership of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

In 1998, the Commonwealth transferred ownership to the Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority (SARAA), the board that oversees ownership of the airport. The Authority board consists of community volunteers appointed to staggered, five-year terms by the elected officials from Cumberland, Dauphin, and York counties, the cities of Harrisburg and York, and Fairview and Lower Swatara townships.

Approximately 1,400 people work within the airport system of Harrisburg International Airport.[citation needed]

Despite the closure of Olmstead AFB in 1969, Harrisburg International Airport still maintains an Air Force presence in the form of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard's 193rd Special Operations Wing, an Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC)-gained unit flying the EC-130 Commando Solo aircraft.

[edit] Facilities

Harrisburg International Airport covers 680 acres (275 ha) and has one runway:

  • Runway 13/31: 10,001 x 200 ft. (3,048 x 61 m), Surface: Asphalt Runway 13 is equipped with a CAT III approach allowing operations down to 600 ft RVR (Runway Visual Range). The airport is also equipped with a Surface Movement Guidance Control System (SMGCS)that allows for aircraft and vehicle ground movements during reduced visibility specifically below 1200 ft RVR down to 600 ft RVR.

[edit] Air Cargo

Harrisburg International Airport is well positioned with freight-forwarding capabilities. The airport is located adjacent to I-76 (Pennsylvania Turnpike), I-83, and I-81, allowing for fast air-to-ground transfer of goods and commodities. Three major air cargo shippers also maintain air service at the east end of the airport, in a dedicated apron area adjacent to the runway. They are[citation needed]

[edit] Ground Transportation

Built in 2004, and attached to the new terminal building via a climate-controlled sky bridge, the Multi-Modal Transportation Facility (MMTF) is a four-story facility that handles all forms of ground transportation. The top three levels provide 2,504 parking places for Short-Term Hourly, Daily, and Long-Term public parking. The first level accommodates all limos, taxis, hotel shuttles, public and charter buses, plus the rental car ready/return lot.

Inside the first floor lobby area, travelers can access six rental car counters, restrooms, flight, and bus information displays, and a seating area. On the second floor of the lobby area, climate-controlled moving sidewalks connect to the aerial walkway which leads directly into the terminal building.

Route 7 of the Capital Area Transit System provides bus transportation to and from downtown Harrisburg and surrounding communities. A new rail terminal is being constructed adjacent to the MMTF and will provide Amtrak service via the high-speed Northeast and Keystone corridors. CorridorOne, a commuter rail system serving the Harrisburg metropolitan area, will also provide service starting in 2009.[citation needed]

[edit] Airlines and destinations

[edit] Concourse A

[edit] Concourse B

[edit] Concourse C

[edit] References

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Commercial Service Airports by State and Type of Carrier. Federal Aviation Administration (2007). Retrieved on 2007-07-04.
  2. ^ Airports Reporting All-Cargo Data for Calendar Year 2005. Federal Aviation Administration (2007). Retrieved on 2007-07-04.

[edit] External links

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Airports in the Susquehanna Valley
Harrisburg International Airport • Capital City Airport • Carlisle Airport • Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority
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