Williamsport Regional Airport

Williamsport Regional Airport
Summary
Airport type Public
Owner Williamsport Municipal Airport Authority
Serves Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Elevation AMSL 528 ft / 161 m
Coordinates 41°14′30″N 076°55′18″W / 41.24167°N 76.92167°W / 41.24167; -76.92167Coordinates: 41°14′30″N 076°55′18″W / 41.24167°N 76.92167°W / 41.24167; -76.92167
Website www.FlyIPT.com
Map
IPT

Location of airport in Pennsylvania

Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
9/27 6,824 2,080 Asphalt
12/30 4,273 1,302 Asphalt
Statistics (2014)
Aircraft operations 31,019 Increase
Based aircraft 49 Steady
Passengers 24,645 Increase

Williamsport Regional Airport (IATA: IPT[2], ICAO: KIPT, FAA LID: IPT) is the primary public towered commercial airport that serves Williamsport, Pennsylvania and the surrounding Lycoming County area and serves about 25,000 annual passengers. The airport is located five miles east of Williamsport, in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania. It is owned by the Williamsport Municipal Airport Authority.[1] The airport consists of two runways 9/27 and 12/30 both being Asphalt surfaced. One airline operates flights using Bombardier Dash 8 aircraft, also FedEx Feeder fly routes out of Williamsport Regional Airport. Williamsport Regional Airport is a full service commercial aviation service facility serving north central Pennsylvania since 1929. The airport is home to Energy Aviation LLC that provides general aviation services and is the operator of its special terminal, commonly known in aviation parlance as "Fixed Base Operator (FBO)"

Federal Aviation Administration reported 23,901 passenger boardings (enplanements) in calendar year 2008,[3] 19,834 in 2009 and 22,519 in 2010 at the airport.[4] The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 categorized it as a primary commercial service airport (more than 10,000 enplanements per year).[5]

History

Landing lights just before runway 9/27

In 1928 the Williamsport Civil Aviation Authority was looking for a location to build a commercial aviation airport near Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The airport company, with help from the Chamber of Commerce and the City of Williamsport, sold hundreds of shares of stock at $100 each until it had raised about $75,000, enough to buy 161 acres of a family farm in Montoursville. Then in late 1928, with approval from state and federal government officials, the airport company was granted a Charter.[6]

On April 25, 1993, Thomas L. Knauff set an FAI world record flying a glider on an out-and-return course of 1,646.68 km (1,023.20 mi), releasing from tow over this airport, then flying along the Appalachian Mountains to Corryton, Tennessee, and returning for a landing 10 hours later. This world record stood for almost 20 years, and was only recently broken in Argentina, but is still a national record.[7]

The Williamsport Regional Association of Pilots holds a Fly-In every June. From 1996 to 2013 Williamsport Regional Airport held an Air Show and Ballonfest at the airport. Drawing large numbers from the area. Some of the most well known aircraft to arrive to the airport are the following: B-17, 193d Special Operations Wing's EJ-130J and the EC-130 Commando Solo

On May 14 the airport held an open house and airshow on the grounds. Some of the aircraft that were at the show were the "Spirit of Freedom" Douglas C-54 Skymaster used in the Berlin Blockade (or Berlin Airlift). Also an Ex-FedEx Express Boeing 727 now an aircraft classroom for Pennsylvania College of Technology, and a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, Douglas SBD Dauntless and many more.

Expansion

In 2016 the Williamsport Municipal Airport Authority began the bidding process for building a new $15.9 million terminal which they plan to open by the end of 2017.[8]

Facilities

The airport covers 535 acres (217 ha) at an elevation of 528 feet (161 m) above sea level. It has two asphalt runways: 9/27 is 6,824 by 150 feet (2,080 x 46 m) and 12/30 is 4,273 by 150 feet (1,302 x 46 m).[1]

In 2010 the airport had 27,017 aircraft operations, average 74 per day: 78% general aviation, 20% scheduled airline, and 2% military. 37 aircraft were then based at the airport: 60% single-engine, 30% multi-engine, 5% jet, and 5% helicopter.[1]

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

Scheduled passenger service:

AirlinesDestinations
American Eagle Philadelphia

TWA and United dropped IPT in 1965-66, leaving Allegheny Airlines. For a year or two 1974-75 Allegheny flew BAC One-Elevens and Douglas DC-9-30s Pittsburgh to Williamsport; few or no jets at IPT since then. Scheduled flights were reduced in the 1980s, 1990s, and in 2004 when US Airways' regional turboprop affiliate ended flights to Pittsburgh International Airport. As of June 2016, American Eagle typically has 3 flights a day to Philadelphia.

Cargo

AirlinesDestinations
FedEx Feeder
operated by Wiggins Airways		Harrisburg, Seasonal Philadelphia

FedEx feeder operates daily flights to and from Harrisburg International Airport with Cessna 208 Caravan cargo aircraft. The service is operated by Wiggins Airways under FedEx Feeder decals.

Aircraft

Statistics

The table below shows the passenger stats at Williamsport Regional Airport since 2009 and also shows the change. In 2003 the airport saw a huge boost in passengers number from just under nine thousand in 2002 to almost 35,000 passenger in the calendar year of 2004. These are the largest passenger numbers post September 11.

Passenger

Year Passengers Change Airline
2009 19,753 N/A US Airways Express
2010 22,457 Increase 13.7%
2011 24,401 Increase 8.7%
2012 25,949 Increase 6.3%
2013 23,194 Decrease 10.6%
2014 24,645 Increase 6.3%
2015 21,886 Decrease 11.2% American Eagle
2016 N/A -

Flights

The following is the number of flights to IPT since 2011. In 2004 the airport saw the most flights in its history a little over 2,130 flights at the airport. The early 2000s there were great flight numbers as US Airways Express bumped up the number flights from Philadelphia International Airport & Pittsburgh International Airport to Williamsport. From 2003 thru 2009 the airport saw well over 1,300 flight every year for those six years, making it the fourth, fifth and sixth most busiest airports in Pennsylvania during that six-year span. The airport is currently the ninth busiest airport in PA in terms of aircraft movements.

Year Flights Change Airline
2011 959 N/A US Airways Express
2012 1,008 Increase 0.5%
2013 986 Decrease 0.2%
2014 971 Decrease 0.2%
2015 845 Decrease 1.3% American Eagle
2016 N/A -

Fire and rescue

Airport fire and rescue crews are only on site during airport hours. If there is an emergency prior to or past airport hours it is received by 911 dispatchers for the necessary response. If there is a major emergency on or near airport grounds, along with the Williamsport Regional Airport's emergency crews, multiple local fire and emergency crews like Montoursville Fire department and Loyalsock Volunteer Fire Department (which has a disaster relief trailer) all respond.

Ground transportation

Bus

River Valley Transit has multiple stops at the airport with routes all around the area. Pickup and drop offs times can be found on their website.

Taxi

The areas taxicab company BillTown Cabs can be called and are regularly seen at the airport.

Uber rideshare services all of Pennsylvania including Williamsport Regional Airport. Riders can request a ride through the Uber app.

Rent a car

Car rental companies National, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Enterprise and Hertz have agents on location at the airport during hours.

Incidents And Accidents

On December 1, 1959 Allegheny Airlines Flight 371 a Maartin 2-0-2 crashed into a mountain on approach about 1.3 miles outside of South Williamsport Pennsylvania killing all but one of the 26 passengers and crew on board making it the deadliest air disaster in Pennsylvnia State history, until USAir Flight 427. The accident was caused by low cloud ceiling and foggy conditions causing the pilots to not know where they were flying. There were two contributing factors in the crash: after the investigation the FAA found that the airline or pilots never should have taken off, but did because they were already delayed and wanted to try to make up for lost time. The second factor was determined to be Pilot Error because the pilots did not realize their altitude.

On April 4, 1991 a Sunbell Aviation Helicopters Bell 412 collided Mid-Air with a Piper Aerostar which was flying from Williamsport to Northeast Philadelphia Airport. The Piper was carrying United States Senator of Pennsylvania H. John Heinz III when it collided over Merion Elementary School in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania. All aboard both aircraft, as well as two children at the school, were killed. The helicopter had been dispatched to investigate a problem with the landing gear of Heinz's plane. While moving in for a closer look, the helicopter collided with the plane, causing both aircraft to lose control and crash. The subsequent NTSB investigation attributed the cause of the crash to poor judgment by the pilots of the two aircraft involved.

On December 22, 2015 at 8:45 a.m. a Porter Airlines flight with 66 on board was diverted to Williamsport Regional Airport due to reports of thick smoke in the cockpit and cabin. The flight from Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport to Washington Dulles International Airport had to make an emergency landing in Williamsport. Two crew members were taken to Williamsport Regional Medical Center to be checked out due to smoke inhalation. The sixty six passengers were taken to the terminal to be cleared by customs and then were able to leave airport grounds. The next day Porter Airlines brought a new Dash 8 400 to continue the passengers to Washington D.C.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 FAA Airport Master Record for IPT (Form 5010 PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. Effective May 31, 2012.
  2. ↑ "IATA Airport Code Search (IPT: Williamsport / Lycoming County)". International Air Transport Association. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
  3. ↑ "Enplanements for CY 2008" (PDF, 1.0 MB). CY 2008 Passenger Boarding and All-Cargo Data. Federal Aviation Administration. December 18, 2009. External link in |work= (help)
  4. ↑ "Enplanements for CY 2010" (PDF, 189 KB). CY 2010 Passenger Boarding and All-Cargo Data. Federal Aviation Administration. October 4, 2011. External link in |work= (help)
  5. ↑ "2011–2015 NPIAS Report, Appendix A" (PDF, 2.03 MB). National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems. Federal Aviation Administration. October 4, 2010. External link in |work= (help)
  6. ↑ http://www.flyipt.com/airport-history
  7. ↑ http://www.fai.org/index.php?option=com_fai&controller=records&task=getFilterRecords&tmpl=component&format=raw&subcls=Open+Class+Gliders&type=15&zone_id=1&discip=Gliding&text=
  8. ↑ "Airport Authority opens bidding for more airport terminal construction - SunGazette.com, News, Sports, Jobs, Community Information, Williamsport-Sun Gazette". www.sungazette.com. Retrieved 2016-05-14.
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