| Roberts Field Redmond Municipal Airport |
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|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: RDM – ICAO: KRDM
RDM
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| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Owner | City of Redmond | ||
| Serves | Central Oregon | ||
| Location | Redmond, Oregon | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 3,080 ft / 939 m | ||
| Website | |||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 4/22 | 7,038 | 2,145 | Asphalt |
| 10/28 | 7,006 | 2,135 | Asphalt |
Roberts Field (IATA: RDM, ICAO: KRDM), also known as Redmond Municipal Airport, is a public airport in the city of Redmond, Oregon, United States. Consisting of two runways, the airport is the primary commercial airport serving Central Oregon, offering commercial flights on regional airlines and a low-cost carrier to several hubs in the western US. It is also home of the Lancair factory. It is a base for aerial firefighting in the Pacific Northwest, and hosts private airtanker companies as well as the United States Forest Service Redmond Air Center, which supports regional operations; it provides training and housing for smokejumper teams, along with fuel, water and retardant for assigned airtanker units, at its ramps along the north side of the field.
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Built in the 1920s, passenger service arrived at the airport in 1940.[1] During World War II the airfield was used by the United States Army Air Forces as a bomber base. After the war the federal government sold the airport back to the city for $1.[1]
A passenger terminal was first built in 1950, which was replaced in 1981 by a new 6,000-square-foot (560 m2) terminal.[1] From 1992 to 1993 an expansion increased the size of the passenger terminal to 23,000 square feet (2,100 m2).[1]
In 2005, Delta Air Lines began the airport's first jet service with flights to Salt Lake City operated by SkyWest Airlines flying Bombardier Regional Jets. Some flights on United Express and all Horizon Air flights are operated by turboprops, currently the EMB-120 and the Q400 exclusively. Allegiant Air, Roberts Field's newest commercial carrier, operates service to Las Vegas two times a week using McDonnell Douglas MD-80 series mainliners, and has begun twice-weekly service to Phoenix, Arizona's suburban airport Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.
On August 1, 2006, Horizon Air began twice daily non-stop service from Redmond to Los Angeles on 76-seat Bombardier Dash 8 (Q400) turboprop aircraft connecting Central Oregon with Southern California. The frequency of this service was reduced to once daily on June 24, 2008, due to rising fuel prices.[2] Horizon also announced cuts to Seattle and Portland service in June, as it continues to phase out its smaller airliners in favor of fewer, larger flights on Q400's. The airline's capacity out Redmond is therefore expected to remain nearly the same, even considering the frequency reductions.
United Express has upgraded its CRJ200 flights to Denver from weekend to daily service. They will also expand operations to San Francisco from the EMB-120 to the larger and faster CRJ 200. This will provide daily additional capacity of ten seats even considering the reduction from three flights per day to two. Flight time will also be reduced by nearly one hour.[3]
While passenger boardings increased in the first half of 2010,[4] Horizon Air announced it would cut direct Redmond-Los Angeles service beginning in late August.[5][6] Also in 2010, United increased its schedule back to three Redmond-San Francisco jet flights per day beginning in November, following several years where there were only two.[7] 2011 passenger boardings were 3% higher than 2010 (though October).[8]
Roberts Field has completed a large terminal expansion project directed at commercial airline passengers.
Along with increased parking, the facility has increased its area by about 600%,[9] allowing more room for security and traveler services, as well as concessions and gate operations. While the new bi-level structure is capable of supporting jet bridges, the low frequency of full-size jets operating from the terminal, and no indication of tenant airline desire, means that these bridges are not currently included, though walking distance to and from planes has been reduced.[10][11][12]
In October 2009 most sections of the expanded passenger terminal first opened for public use; the improvements include more numerous check-in counters and bathrooms, along with a two story, windowed departure lounge. Travelers also may now use covered walkways between aircraft and terminal.[13] That same month, United Airlines announced it would make its regional jet service to Denver year-round, giving Roberts Field its second full-schedule passenger service to an easterly hub, after Salt Lake City.[14]
A year following the expansion's completion, a bar and restaurant was eventually opened in the secure area after a contentious permitting process; efforts to add pizza and coffee outlets to the non-secure area are now underway. While there was a restaurant in the check-in hall until 2009, this is the first time in Roberts Field's history that food and drink are available in the departure gate area. If initial OLCC approval is continued, it will also become the second location in Oregon allowed to serve alcohol beginning at 5 am, following Portland's airport.[15]
Since the airport began displaying public art in the terminal, it has sold nearly $100,000 worth of artworks to travelers.[16]
The airport upgraded its mass-casualty vehicle in 2011 due to larger commercial jets using Roberts Field; while the old unit could handle 37 patients, the new truck is prepared for an incident involving over 100.[17]
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Alaska Airlines operated by Horizon Air | Portland (OR), Seattle/Tacoma |
| Allegiant Air | Las Vegas, Phoenix/Mesa |
| Delta Connection operated by SkyWest Airlines | Salt Lake City |
| United Express operated by SkyWest Airlines | Denver, Portland (OR), San Francisco |