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==Early Passenger Service & The Jet Age== | ==Early Passenger Service & The Jet Age== | ||
At the end of World War II, the city of Fort Wayne bought the airport from the ]'s ] for |
At the end of World War II, the city of Fort Wayne bought the airport from the ]'s ] for $1, renaming it Baer Field/Fort Wayne Municipal Airport in 1946.<ref>, Airport History. Retrieved on February 20, 2013.</ref> Two passenger airlines initially served Baer Field: ] and ]. C&S merged with ] in 1953, and Delta is the airport's longest-serving carrier, having served the airport in one form or another ever since. ] added service to the airport shortly afterward. In 1951 the airport's current terminal opened, replacing a converted military structure. The new permanent terminal had an air traffic control tower, an observation deck, and the "Look-Out Dining Room" restaurant with views of the ramp below. TWA, the first airline to serve Fort Wayne at what is now ], ended flights from Baer Field in 1962. Scheduled jet flights began in 1967 on United]<nowiki/>s (United had been using the turboprop ] at Baer Field for several years). United's jets were soon joined by Delta ]s. | ||
In addition to Delta and United, locally-based Hub Airlines and other ] flew to the airport in the 1960s and 1970s. The airport was the largest in Indiana not served by airlines |
In addition to Delta and United, locally-based Hub Airlines and other ] flew to the airport in the 1960s and 1970s. The airport was the largest in Indiana not served by airlines classified as local service airlines by the ] (e.g. ] and ]). | ||
== Deregulation & New Management == | == Deregulation & New Management == |
Revision as of 01:47, 2 August 2013
For the U.S. Air Force use of this facility, see Fort Wayne Air National Guard Station. AirportFort Wayne International Airport | |||||||||||||||||||
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Summary | |||||||||||||||||||
Airport type | Public | ||||||||||||||||||
Owner/Operator | Fort Wayne-Allen County Airport Authority | ||||||||||||||||||
Serves | Fort Wayne, Indiana | ||||||||||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 814 ft / 248 m | ||||||||||||||||||
Website | www.FlyFWA.com | ||||||||||||||||||
Maps | |||||||||||||||||||
FAA airport diagram | |||||||||||||||||||
FWALocation of airport in Indiana | |||||||||||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||||||||||
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Statistics (2010) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Federal Aviation Administration |
Fort Wayne International Airport (IATA: FWA, ICAO: KFWA, FAA LID: FWA) is a public airport eight miles southwest of Fort Wayne, in Allen County, Indiana, United States. It is owned by the Fort Wayne-Allen County Airport Authority.
This airport is in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which categorized it as a primary commercial service airport since it has over 10,000 passenger boardings (enplanements) per year. Federal Aviation Administration records say the airport had 272,796 enplanements in calendar year 2011, 0.1% less than 2010.
The airport has one terminal, the Lieutenant Paul Baer Terminal. Passenger flights reach five airline hubs of Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Detroit, and Minneapolis-Saint Paul, along with flights to Orlando, Punta Gorda (serving Fort Myers and Sarasota), Tampa, and seasonal service to Myrtle Beach. Together, flights from the airport to these nine cities serve about 600,000 combined arriving and departing passengers per year.
The airport has a 600,000-square-foot (56,000 m) air cargo center on the southwest side. The center was occupied by Kitty Hawk Air Cargo, which had a hub at Fort Wayne until October 30, 2007, shortly after the carrier filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The former Kitty Hawk hub is now used by several aviation and non-aviation companies including Logistics Insight, FedEx Express, and Spinach Ball.
Fort Wayne International is also home to a maintenance base for Endeavor Air (known until July 2013 as Pinnacle Airlines).
Baer Army Air Field In World War II
The airport was built at a cost of $10 million as a U.S. Army Air Forces base during World War II, opening in 1941 under the name Baer Field and later Baer Army Air Field. During wartime, over 100,000 military personnel served out of Baer Field and its more than 100 structures. The principal units at the installation were the First Troop Carrier Group and the 45th Army Air Force Base Unit.
The oldest original Baer Army Air Field hangar, Hangar #40, was in use from World War II until 2012. Hangar #40's final tenant was FedEx Express, who used it until the hangar was damaged in a weather-related incident. After the damage to Hangar #40, FedEx moved into a portion of the former Kitty Hawk hub. Hangar #40 was demolished between March and April 2013.
Early Passenger Service & The Jet Age
At the end of World War II, the city of Fort Wayne bought the airport from the federal government's General Services Administration for $1, renaming it Baer Field/Fort Wayne Municipal Airport in 1946. Two passenger airlines initially served Baer Field: TWA and Chicago & Southern Airlines. C&S merged with Delta Air Lines in 1953, and Delta is the airport's longest-serving carrier, having served the airport in one form or another ever since. United Airlines added service to the airport shortly afterward. In 1951 the airport's current terminal opened, replacing a converted military structure. The new permanent terminal had an air traffic control tower, an observation deck, and the "Look-Out Dining Room" restaurant with views of the ramp below. TWA, the first airline to serve Fort Wayne at what is now Smith Field, ended flights from Baer Field in 1962. Scheduled jet flights began in 1967 on United Caravelles (United had been using the turboprop Vickers Viscount at Baer Field for several years). United's jets were soon joined by Delta Douglas DC-9s.
In addition to Delta and United, locally-based Hub Airlines and other regional airlines flew to the airport in the 1960s and 1970s. The airport was the largest in Indiana not served by airlines classified as local service airlines by the Civil Aeronautics Board (e.g. Allegheny Airlines and Ozark Air Lines).
Deregulation & New Management
In 1981 Baer Field's 1951 terminal building was modernized and expanded with features like jetways to handle increased traffic brought on by the Airline Deregulation Act. During the period immediately following deregulation in the late 1970s through the early 1980s, American Airlines, Air Wisconsin, Piedmont Airlines (later US Airways), and Republic Airlines were several of the airlines that had begun service to Baer Field. Air Wisconsin (in partnership with United, and later as United Express) had a maintenance base on the west side of the airport in the 1980s and 1990s. After Air Wisconsin closed the maintenance base, Shuttle America briefly used the hangar before the loss of the US Airways Express Pittsburgh flying; the former Air Wisconsin hangar is now used by Endeavor Air. In 1985 management of Baer Field was transferred from the City of Fort Wayne to the newly-established Fort Wayne-Allen County Airport Authority, with a board composed of equal numbers of City of Fort Wayne and Allen County officials.
The 1990s And Expansion
In 1991 Baer Field was renamed Fort Wayne International Airport; the terminal was renamed to continue honoring Lieutenant Paul Baer. Through the 1990s the airport underwent the largest expansion and revitalization in its history. Between 1994 and 1997, the terminal was again expanded, with design by MSKTD & Associates, Inc. Other improvements included runway upgrades and the Air Trade Center on the southwest side of the property. In 1998 Fort Wayne International Airport started advertising the airport to the general public for the first time. That same year, Delta ended its mainline jet service to Atlanta. Although this ended a tradition of service dating back to Chicago & Southern Airlines when the airport was converted to civil use in the 1940s, Delta continued to serve the airport via Delta Connection regional jets to Atlanta and Cincinnati. Other airlines serving the airport, including United, Northwest, and American, followed Delta's lead in introducing regional jets such as the Canadair Regional Jet, Fairchild Dornier 328JET, Avro RJ85, and the EMBRAER ERJ-145 to the airport. Turboprops such as the Saab 340, Beechcraft 1900, and Dash 8 also continued to play a role for flights to destinations such as Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Detroit, occasionally alongside larger jets on the same routes.
9/11, Competition, And The First LCC
By 2000 Fort Wayne International Airport was handling record traffic; the 2000 traffic record remains intact. American Eagle began flights to Dallas/Fort Worth that year, which continue. Air Canada Express began a short-lived service to Toronto. The following year Fort Wayne International Airport's traffic dropped after the September 11 attacks. The slump continued for several years, prolonged by an ongoing fare war between Southwest Airlines, ATA Airlines, and others at Indianapolis International Airport, two and a half hours from Fort Wayne. In late 2003, ATA Connection began service from Fort Wayne International Airport to Chicago/Midway, the first low-cost carrier to serve the airport. Demand for the flights reached the point where airport management bought the on-site Days Inn to make room for more parking. ATA briefly switched the flight's destination to Indianapolis before closing their regional division completely in early 2005. US Airways also ended service to Pittsburgh, their lone service from the airport, as part of a broader dehubbing of Pittsburgh. US Airways exited the airport completely, as the Pittsburgh service was not transferred to the airline's other hubs in Philadelphia or Charlotte. Around the same time as the departure of US Airways from the airport, Northwest stopped using mainline aircraft on their Detroit flights; unlike US Airways, NWA continued to serve the Fort Wayne to Detroit route using regional jets and turboprops. Delta planned on introducing service to Orlando from the airport in 2005; however, the flights were canceled days before the planned launch as the result of Delta's Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Breaking The Slump
In 2006 a modernized 210 feet (64 m) air traffic control tower was opened on the south side of Fort Wayne International Airport, at a price of $9.7 million. One year later, Allegiant Air, the airport's second low-cost carrier, began operations with service to Orlando. Allegiant continues to serve the airport, and has since added service to Tampa/St. Petersburg, Myrtle Beach (seasonal), and Punta Gorda (serving Fort Myers and Sarasota). At one time, Allegiant also offered service to Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Fort Lauderdale from the airport; the Las Vegas and Phoenix services were discontinued due to fuel costs and the Fort Lauderdale service was eliminated due to congestion problems at Fort Lauderdale International Airport. In 2008, all Fort Wayne-Allen County Airport Authority properties including Fort Wayne International Airport and Smith Field (which was transferred from City to Airport Authority control in 2003) received a new logo. The new brand, designed by Fort Wayne firm Catalyst Marketing Design, is meant to resemble jet contrails. Debuting together with the new logo was the slogan "A Whole New Altitude" that was and continues to be used for both airports along with the Airport Authority's operations. Northwest began service to Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport in early 2008; the service was temporarily suspended in 2009 following the merger of Delta and Northwest, but now operates as seasonal service running between the early spring and late fall.
Weathering The Recession
During and after the recession of 2008, Fort Wayne International Airport lost relatively little of its service and passengers when compared with similar Midwestern airports. Although Continental Airlines ended Cleveland service in 2009 and Delta ended Cincinnati service in 2011, the impact to the airport was minimal as Continental's aircraft had far-below-average loads and Delta made seasonal Minneapolis flights year-round for a time. In both cases, the service discontinuation was part of broader hub cutbacks at both Continental and Delta that affected many other airports. Following the merger of Delta and Northwest, Delta also replaced the last of the turboprop flying from the airport with regional jets.
In 2010 Fort Wayne International Airport changed concessions vendors from Air Host to First Class Concessions. About a year later, new Seattle's Best Coffee locations opened on both the secured and unsecured sides, along with a Samuel Adams-themed restaurant and bar with hot food on the secure side for the first time. Hot food from the Samuel Adams Brewhouse is also available on the non-secured side, though not the alcoholic beverages offered on the secured side. Coca-Cola, which has a distribution operation on Airport Expressway near the airport, has been the only provider of both fountain and bottled non-alcoholic beverages to the airport since First Class Concessions took over the concessions contract. The gift shop was upgraded to include Fort Wayne brands such as DeBrand chocolates and Vera Bradley products, along with books, magazines, travel needs, and aviation-themed merchandise. The airport has offered free Wi-Fi ever since they started offering the service, and installed ARCONAS inPower Flex modules in select seating areas with both 110V and USB charging in 2011 to better serve laptop and smartphone users. The airport's Hospitality Hosts handed out their 1 millionth sugar cookie in 2011; these cookies are baked across the street from the airport at Ellison Bakery and are provided free to all arriving passengers.
The Airport Today & Tomorrow
Today Fort Wayne is served by four carriers: Allegiant Air, American Eagle, Delta, and United Express. Although they account for a small percentage of airport traffic (less than 1%), charter flights from operators including Allegiant, Vision Airlines, Miami Air International, and Republic Airlines also operate from the airport.
Fort Wayne introduced a new website in February 2013. Designed by Reusser Design (located about 15 minutes away from the airport in Roanoke, Indiana), the new website replaces one that debuted shortly after the airport's rebranding. Unlike the previous airport website, the new website does not use Flash and uses responsive web design and CSS to deliver a full experience to both desktop and mobile users. A new television ad campaign filmed by Fort Wayne-based PUNCH Films and created by Asher Agency, the airport authority's longtime advertising agency, was introduced in April 2013. The new television spots are the first for the airport in three years; PUNCH and Asher also worked together on the 2010 television ad campaign.
The airport's terminal is also receiving updates in 2013. These include new paint, expanded business and welcome centers, new children's play areas, permanent heating and air conditioning units for aircraft use at gates, new lounge seating near the gates with power outlets, and a new rental car area. The airport's office reception area and executive offices on the second floor of the terminal building also received an update at approximately the same time. New paint, new Steelcase furniture, and new decor were among the improvements to the Airport Authority offices.
An FAA Master Plan for Fort Wayne International Airport, the first since 2003, was completed in 2012. The new rental car area (which will bring covered spaces for rental cars) and parking lot reconfiguration (which will streamline the exit for the short- and long-term parking lots) are the first improvements to be carried out under the master plan. These will happen in the fall of 2013. The airport now lacks concessions post-security, as the current setup is a temporary improvement over the pre-2011 layout. Currently, the Samuel Adams Brewhouse and Seattle's Best Coffee, both open from 5 AM until the last departure of the day, are the only food concessions available post-security. The airport's master plan calls for additional concession development, and the airport authority's seven-year contract with First Class Concessions anticipates such a move occurring. The master plan also calls for the replacement of ground-level Gates 1 through 4 with an equal number of additional jetway gates on the second floor, and one of the new gates would include a passenger U.S. Customs Federal Inspection Services station to complement the existing FIS station for cargo. Both the new jetway gates and passenger FIS facility will improve the airport as a diversion point when airports in locations such as Chicago and Detroit are closed or restricted due to weather. The new gates would be added in part by moving Atlantic Aviation to the airport's west side near the Endeavor Air maintenance base and by the demolition of an unused hangar. The master plan also calls for a larger Transportation Security Administration security area located on the second floor where the Greater Fort Wayne Aviation Museum now resides. The museum would then move to a larger space located at the site of the current passenger holdrooms for Gates 1 through 4. This relocation will once again allow access to the museum without a TSA screening and a ticket or tour guide.
Except for the new car rental area and parking lot reconfiguration, most of these improvements will not start until 2014 at the earliest and will likely last until 2016. Fort Wayne International Airport - Master Plan
Preserving History
The Greater Fort Wayne Aviation Museum in the terminal recounts early aviation history in Northeastern Indiana. The museum's curator, Roger Myers, co-authored the book "Fort Wayne Aviation: Baer Field & Beyond", published by Arcadia Publishing. The book is available at the airport gift shop, from Amazon.com, and at Fort Wayne-area Barnes & Noble and Walgreens stores.
Facilities & Aircraft
Fort Wayne International Airport covers 3,351 acres (1,356 ha) at an elevation of 814 feet (248 m) above mean sea level.
The airport's main Runway 5/23 is 11,981 feet (3,652 m) long and 150 feet (46 m) wide grooved asphalt and concrete. The runway is large enough to accommodate the NASA Space Shuttle orbiter, Airbus A380s, Boeing 747s, and military air mobility and aerial refueling aircraft such as the C-5 Galaxy, C-17 Globemaster III, KC-135 Stratotanker and KC-10 Extender. The runway has BAK-14 arresting gear on both ends for emergency arrestment of US and NATO/Allied fighter and other tactical fixed-wing aircraft.
Runway 14/32 is the airport's secondary runway, 8,001 by 150 feet (2,439 m × 46 m). Runway 9/27 is 4,001 by 75 feet (1,220 m × 23 m), used by general aviation.
In 2010 the airport had 40,961 aircraft operations, an average of 112 per day: 49% general aviation, 41% air taxi, 5% scheduled commercial, and 5% military. 84 aircraft were then based at this airport: 44% single-engine, 23% multi-engine, 15% jet, 14% military, and 4% helicopter.
Airlines & Destinations
Fort Wayne International Airport has eight shared-use gates; however, certain airlines typically use certain gates. American Eagle and Allegiant Air share ground handling (American Eagle Airlines) and typically use Gates 7 and 8. Delta Connection, which is handled by Delta Air Lines subsidiary Delta Global Services (DGS), typically uses Gates 2, 4, 5, and 6. United Express, which also uses DGS for ground handling, shares Gate 6 with Delta.
Gates 1 through 4 are ground-level on the first floor of the terminal and are boarded via airstairs, whereas Gates 5 through 8 are on the second floor of the terminal and board via jetways. As Gates 5 through 8 were built at a time when the airport had mainline service, these gates can handle aircraft ranging in size from the Canadair Regional Jet family used by Delta and United to the McDonnell Douglas MD-80, Boeing 757, and Airbus A320 family aircraft used by Allegiant. Gate 2 also has a Commute-a-Walk flexible walkway to shield passengers from elements such as rain and snow. This system was originally purchased for ATA Connection, which ceased operations in 2005, and also was briefly used by Allegiant Air. After Allegiant changed ground handling companies from LaBov & Beyond Business Aviation to American Eagle, the airline switched from using Gate 2 to sharing American Eagle's gates. Gate 2 is used for Delta flights during peak departure times, but can be used for any airline serving the airport at any time with the airport's shared-use gate system.
Airlines | Destinations |
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Allegiant Air | Fort Myers/Punta Gorda, Orlando-Sanford, St. Petersburg/Clearwater Seasonal: Myrtle Beach |
American Eagle | Chicago-O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth |
Delta Connection operated by Endeavor Air | Atlanta, Detroit Seasonal: Minneapolis/St. Paul |
Delta Connection operated by ExpressJet | Atlanta, Detroit |
United Express operated by SkyWest Airlines | Chicago-O'Hare |
Statistics
Carrier | Passengers (arriving and departing) |
---|---|
Endeavor (Delta Connection) | 192,000(34.99%) |
American Eagle | 154,000(28.16%) |
Allegiant | 90,430(16.52%) |
SkyWest (United Express) | 70,160(12.81%) |
ExpressJet (Delta Connection) | 36,030(6.58%) |
Other (including charters) | 5,140(0.94%) |
Rank | City | Airport | Passengers |
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1 | Chicago, IL | O'Hare International (ORD) | 79,770 |
2 | Detroit, MI | Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW) | 58,200 |
3 | Atlanta, GA | Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL) | 44,680 |
4 | Dallas/Fort Worth, TX | Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW) | 32,340 |
5 | St. Petersburg, FL | St. Petersburg-Clearwater International (PIE) | 20,700 |
6 | Sanford, FL | Orlando Sanford International (SFB) | 17,340 |
7 | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis-Saint Paul International (MSP) | 15,240 |
8 | Punta Gorda, FL | Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) | 3,780 |
9 | Myrtle Beach, SC | Myrtle Beach International (MYR) | 3,440 |
Cargo Airlines
Airlines | Destinations |
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FedEx Express | Memphis, Providence, South Bend |
UPS Airlines | Louisville, South Bend |
Incidents
- In 2003, Charles McKinley shipped himself via Kitty Hawk Air Cargo from Newark International Airport to Buffalo, New York, then to Fort Wayne, eventually flying to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, undetected through security.
- On August 18, 2004, authorities shut down the airport after a "liquid substance" leaking from luggage caused six people to fall ill. Fearing that the incident may have been an act of terrorism, the FBI was involved in the investigation. Haz-mat later ruled that there was "no biological or chemical threat" and the airport was reopened that afternoon. All who were ill recovered and it was later revealed that the substance was an agent for producing perfume.
See also
References
- ^ FAA Airport Form 5010 for FWA PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective November 15, 2012.
- "IATA Airport Code Search". International Air Transport Association. Retrieved December 22, 2012.
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"2011–2015 NPIAS Report, Appendix A" (PDF, 2.03 MB). National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems. Federal Aviation Administration. October 4, 2010.
{{cite web}}
: External link in
(help)|work=
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"Enplanements for CY 2011" (PDF, 1.7 MB). CY 2011 Passenger Boarding and All-Cargo Data. Federal Aviation Administration. October 9, 2012.
{{cite web}}
: External link in
(help)|work=
- ^ Fort Wayne-Allen County Airport Authority - Fast Facts. Retrieved on February 20, 2013.
- Kitty Hawk’s space void is virtually filled. The Journal Gazette. October 23, 2012. Retrieved on December 7, 2012.
- Fort Wayne International Airport website, Airport History. Retrieved on February 20, 2013.
- Fort Wayne International Airport - MSKTD & Associates, Inc.
- View From the Top: Airport's New Control Tower Ready for Service. The News-Sentinel. January 17, 2007. Retrieved on February 3, 2009.
- Facebook - PUNCH Films. Retrieved on February 25, 2013.
- Airport authority plans five projects for 2013 - WANE-TV. Retrieved on March 23, 2013.
- Fort Wayne International Airport website. Aviation Museum. Retrieved on February 20, 2013.
- ^ Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Digital Airport/Facility Directory | Fort Wayne Intl. Retrieved April 23, 2012.
- Allegiant Air - Allegiant Announces New Base of Operations in Punta Gorda, Florida - April 10, 2012. Retrieved on April 23, 2012.
- ^ "Fort Wayne, IN: Fort Wayne International (FWA)". Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), U.S. Department of Transportation. September 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
- "Man who stowed away on flight sentenced". USATODAY.com. February 5, 2004.
- "Man shipped from New York to Texas in crate". CNN.com. September 10, 2003.
- "Airport shutdown blamed on perfume". CNN.com. August 18, 2004.
External links
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- Fort Wayne International Airport, official website
- 122nd Fighter Wing, official website
- Fort Wayne/Allen County Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Aerial photo from Indiana Department of Transportation
- FAA Airport Diagram (PDF), effective December 26, 2024
- FAA Terminal Procedures for FWA, effective December 26, 2024
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- Resources for this airport:
- AirNav airport information for KFWA
- ASN accident history for FWA
- FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
- NOAA/NWS weather observations: current, past three days
- SkyVector aeronautical chart for KFWA
- FAA current FWA delay information
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- Airports in Indiana
- Buildings and structures in Fort Wayne, Indiana
- Economy of Fort Wayne, Indiana
- Transportation in Fort Wayne, Indiana
- Facilities of the United States Air National Guard
- 1941 establishments in Indiana
- Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces I Troop Carrier Command
- Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in Indiana
- Airports established in 1941