Worcester Regional Airport

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Worcester Regional Airport
IATA: ORH – ICAO: KORH – FAA: ORH
Summary
Airport type Public
Owner City of Worcester
Operator Massport
Location Worcester, Massachusetts
Elevation AMSL 1,009 ft / 308 m
Coordinates 42°16′02″N 071°52′33″W / 42.26722, -71.87583
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
11/29 7,000 2,134 Asphalt/grooved
15/33 5,000 1,524 Asphalt/grooved
Statistics (2006)
Aircraft operations 63,008
Based aircraft 102
Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1]

Worcester Regional Airport (IATA: ORH, ICAO: KORH, FAA LID: ORH) is a public airport located three miles (5 km) west of the central business district of Worcester, a city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. This airport is owned by the City of Worcester.[1] The main airport property lies within Worcester and Leicester, Massachusetts, with substantial supporting facilities in Paxton, Massachusetts.

There is currently no scheduled passenger airline service to Worcester, despite millions of dollars being invested in a new terminal. The previous terminal played host to every one of the major U.S. airlines in addition to some international flights.

Contents

[edit] Facilities and aircraft

Worcester Regional Airport covers an area of 1,000 acres (4 km²) which contains two runways: 11/29 measuring 7,000 x 150 ft. (2,134 x 46 m) and 15/33 measuring 5,000 x 100 ft. (1,524 x 30 m).[1]

For 12-month period ending July 31, 2006, the airport had 63,008 aircraft operations, an average of 172 per day: 94% general aviation, 5% air taxi, <1% scheduled commercial and <1% military. There are 102 aircraft based at this airport: 92% single engine, 6% multi-engine and 2% helicopters.[1]

[edit] History

Worcester Regional Airport
Worcester Regional Airport

Worcester's entry into the world of aviation began in 1925, when city officials commissioned a study to examine feasible sites for the city's first airport. On the list of probable sites was the land owned by a wealthy local citizen, Whitin Whitall. In 1927, Whitall, independently of the city commission, set up an airport on his land in North Grafton, 500 feet (152.4 m) above sea level. This two-runway airport opened for leisure travel on October 12, 1927.[2]

As air travel became more popular throughout the country and Central Massachusetts, the question of airport expansion became the subject of a second study commissioned by the Worcester city government. The Grafton airport was deemed too small to accommodate the air travel needs of the region. The location of the present airport, Tatnuck Hill, an area that straddles the borders of Worcester, Leicester, and Paxton, was high on the commission's list. One problem noted by the commission and several prominent citizens was the weather: at 1000 feet (300 m) above sea level, the Tatnuck site was often surrounded by fog. Despite this problem, the city eventually chose Tatnuck as the new site, and construction began in 1944. The airport was ceremoniously opened on May 4, 1946, and started regular passenger service one week later on May 10, 1946.

The Grafton airport remained in operation until 1951, when the owners, due to the dwindling traffic, decided to dismantle the airport. The land was redeveloped as a residential neighborhood. Leicester Airport, also built during the first half-century of aviation, was active until the 1970s. It still sits, mothballed but in decent condition, in the shadow of Worcester Regional.

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Millions of dollars were spent replacing the old terminal, which hosted a half-dozen airlines before its demolition. A succession of second-tier air carriers have come and gone over the last decade.

Allegiant Air began service to Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) on December 22, 2005, using Boeing MD-80 type aircraft. The airline expanded to 4 flights per week in March 2006. Allegiant announced on August 22, 2006, that they would cut ties with the airport, citing high fuel costs and passenger loads in the 75% range as the reason for departure.

[edit] Current status

As of March 2008, the airport has no commercial passenger airline service, except charter flights. The airport drew media scorn when it was announced that a small pre-1990 terminal at Westover Metropolitan Airport, an airport seven miles from the nearest interstate and with a much smaller population base, was to host daily passenger airline service with Skybus Airlines. This followed public courting of Skybus by Worcester business leaders.

Westover Metropolitan is expected to draw passengers from the western portion of Worcester's target market. The gross contrast between the public expenditures and results of the two airports raised concerns that something must be fundamentally amiss with the marketability of the Worcester airport.[citations needed]

The airport also lacks a direct connection to an Interstate Highway. Travelers are forced to travel at least five miles on winding surface streets to reach the airport. Although the new terminal opened to much fanfare, its marble floors and plate glass windows have made it something of a white elephant during its disuse.

WBZ-TV operates a Doppler weather radar station at the airport. There is also one flight school, Amity Flight School, which operates on the field. They provide flight training from private pilot up through ATP.

The airport commission has suggested Worcester-Metrowest-Boston Airport as a new name for the airport, and a formal request was sent to the City Manager, where he will then request it be changed and voted on.

[edit] Massport and Worcester Regional Airport

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Currently, the airport is under an operating agreement with Massport, the Massachusetts Port Authority. Under the agreement, the city and Massport pay the operating deficit together. The airport is currently in the final year under the lease agreement. Massport's usefulness in this situation is disputed, and there is some controversy over whether the city should buy the airport and control it exclusively or have Massport buy it. If the airport were sold to Massport, Massport would be forced to help ORH attract more airlines and generally help the operations of the airport.

  • July 1, 2006 - June 30, 2007 — MassPort pays 68% of operating deficit not including debt service
  • July 1, 2005 - June 30, 2006 — MassPort pays 85% of operating deficit not including debt service
  • July 1, 2004 - June 30, 2005 — MassPort pays 100% of operating deficit not including debt service

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d FAA Airport Master Record for ORH (Form 5010 PDF), retrieved 2007-03-15
  2. ^ Southwick, Albert B. (1994). Once-Told Tales of Worcester County. Databooks. 

[edit] External links

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