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The Future of Spartanburg's Downtown Memorial Airport


roads-scholar

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The below photos depict the extent of new construction projects currently ongoing at the airport. The terminal ramp apron is being expanded and upgraded with concrete, a new concrete "centerfield" taxiway and helicopter landing pad have already been completed, and grading for a new executive hangar (top photo - foreground) is underway.

The airport recently received a $200,000 grant from the FAA for the environmental assessment necessary for the runway 5-23 safety zone and runway expansion project. This project will be shovel ready in 2014.

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Airport looking east

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Airport looking northeast

Edited by roads-scholar
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The FAA, as a result of the sequestration mess, is scheduled to begin closing 149 air traffic control towers at small and medium size airports around the country.  Most people in Spartanburg don't realize that the FAA closed the tower at the downtown airport following the infamous PATCO strike in 1981.  Operations (takeoffs and landings) at the airport in 1981 were actually greater in number than many of the airports that are losing their towers today. 

 

The Spartanburg Downtown Airport has actually done just fine without a tower, despite the doom and gloom that was talked about in 1981. 

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I used to date an air traffic controller and she told me a lot about how things work. GSP controls the traffic at smaller airports like downtown Greenville & Spartanburg and Asheville controls the traffic in and out of Hendersonville. There is a lot of business travel out of these small airports.

 

Also since GSP is not a 24/7 airport (it closes after midnight), pilots that are coming in after midnight use special frequencies that turn on the lights at the field to make landing easier.

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How does that work? I thought all airports needed a control tower. Do they farm it out to GSP?

 

In fact, very few airports around the country have or need control towers.  Even some commercial airports don't have towers.

 

All pilots are trained early on to learn standard procedures for entering and departing airports and to see, avoid, and communicate with other aircraft on a common radio frequency.  Some airports, because of their location, terrain, obstructions, runway length and configuration, nearness to populated areas, etc. have their own procedures which may deviate somewhat from the standard but are published nonetheless.

 

The Terminal Radar Approach Control facility (TRACON) at GSP does play a role in the separation of aircraft.  All aircraft operating under Intrument Flight Rules (IFR) must be in contact with this facility if they arrive, depart, and transition the airspace or airports within a 40-50 mile radius of GSP Airport.  Aircraft operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) are not required to be in contact with the TRACON unless they will be landing, departing, or transitioning the Greenville-Spartanburg Airport or will be entering controlled airspace around the airport. 

 

Thousands of aircraft, both IFR and VFR, safely arrive and depart from airports around the country every day without an air traffic control tower.  What makes the system work so well is that pilots are exceptionally well-trained and that air traffic at most airports is either very light or manageable without the need for additional separation services.  When it's not the FAA may conclude that a tower is necessary. 

 

The Spartanburg Downtown Airport averages 145 operations or takeoffs and landings per day.  There are times when the airport can be moderately busy with student pilot training, gliders, helicopters, and jet traffic.  But overall the airport is able to manage the 145 operations safely and without incident. 

 

As I mentioned, some commercial airports, airports with scheduled airline service, do not have an air traffic control tower.  These airports can be found in places like Greenville, North Carolina, Pellston, Michigan, Bar Harbor, Maine, and Jonesboro, Arkansas to name a few.  The Greenville-Spartanburg Airport averages a mere 133 operations per day but a large percentage of these are commercial airliners where the need for additional separation of air traffic provided by a tower makes sense.

 

The general public is comforted by the notion that America's air traffic control system is safely monitored by men and women sitting in dimly lit rooms peering into radar screens or looking out the windows of control towers.  Although this is not always the case the system is remarkably safe and works smoothly.  Technology has helped too.  For example, most commercial, military, and high performance private aircraft have in their cockpits state-of-the-art collision avoidance radar.  GPS has come along to improve the situational awareness of pilots.  The internet has streamlined information and made it easier to obtain.  Pilot controlled runway and airfield lighting makes it easier for aircraft operating at night or in low visibility conditions.  And, many airports, those without air traffic control towers, have automated ground based weather information that is transmitted to pilots.  The Automated Weather Observation System at the Spartanburg Downtown Airport enables pilots to receive a concise and accurate picture of local weather conditions many miles from the airport. 

Edited by roads-scholar
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Does anyone know there are any helicopters run out of the downtown airport? I have a unique use for one and am trying to track down some info. I checked with Black Hawk out of Greenville but they can't help me.

Call Jeanette Terry at the airport. She can assist you with your question.

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Yesterday, City Council approved $14 million in improvements for the airport.  Most of that cost will be covered by federal and state funding.  The City just has to provide $700,000.  Improvements include runway extension, repaving, and increasing the runway safety zone.  The improvements will take about two years and could begin in August.  This could entice more companies to base aircraft there (the article mentions Gibbs and Milliken as possibilities).

 

Airport Director Darwin Simpson said that 5 years ago, the airport had between 45,000 and 50,000 operations (takeoffs and landings).  Now that number is about 80,000.  Simpson estimates that figure could grow to 150,000 after these improvements.

 

That sounds like a pretty high number.  Anyone know where that would rank us among SC general aviation airports?

 

Anyway, we should certainly get a positive economic impact after this project is complete.  Looking forward to the improvements.

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Yesterday, City Council approved $14 million in improvements for the airport.  Most of that cost will be covered by federal and state funding.  The City just has to provide $700,000.  Improvements include runway extension, repaving, and increasing the runway safety zone.  The improvements will take about two years and could begin in August.  This could entice more companies to base aircraft there (the article mentions Gibbs and Milliken as possibilities).

 

Airport Director Darwin Simpson said that 5 years ago, the airport had between 45,000 and 50,000 operations (takeoffs and landings).  Now that number is about 80,000.  Simpson estimates that figure could grow to 150,000 after these improvements.

 

That sounds like a pretty high number.  Anyone know where that would rank us among SC general aviation airports?

 

Anyway, we should certainly get a positive economic impact after this project is complete.  Looking forward to the improvements.

 

I wonder how many operations it takes to be considered for a control tower? I know the FAA is in a contraction mode, but

there has to be a number that triggers an active tower.

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150,000 operations would almost certainly get us a tower again although I don't see that number happening anytime soon.

Where does the downtown airport rank in G-A operations. From what I can tell its either 2nd or 3rd behind Greenville's downtown airport and Grand Strand Airport in North Myrtle Beach.

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  • 8 months later...

Yesterday's H-J had a rather large article on the plans and timetable to lenghen and resurface the airport's runway.  The runway will be extended from it's present 5,200 feet to 6,000 feet with an additional unpaved "safety zone" on the northeast end.  This project will begin early next year (I had been told it would begin this year) and be completed in stages by the end of 2016. 

 

Construction will require a significant amount of dirt "fill" and a culvert to drain a small creek under the runway extension.  According to the airport director, more fill will be required for this project than all the dirt moved from the SC Port Authority's new inland port outside of Greer.

 

6,000 feet is remarkable in that Spartanburg's runway will be longer than most of the runways of South Carolina's (and North Carolina's) general aviation-only airports.  Anderson Regional - 6,000' and Donaldson, Greenville - 8,000', Winston-Salem - 6,600', Concord Regional - 7,400' are the exceptions.  This will allow the airport to safely accommodate virtually all business aircraft to and from any destination.

 

As most readers of this forum know, I am a big supporter (and user) of this airport.  Like many of Spartanburg's assets, it has been overlooked and neglected for years.  Many cities would love to have a facility as large and convenient as ours.  When the movers and shakers come to Spartanburg to make the deals, they usually arrive at this airport, not the big commercial airport in Greer. 

Edited by roads-scholar
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Airport Director Darwin Simpson has indicated that the long-awaited runway expansion will begin March 1st.  The airport's runway will be lengthened from 5,200' to nearly 6000' and a safety zone will be constructed.  This expansion will allow larger aircraft to safely operate in and out of the airport. 

 

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4 hours ago, mainonmain said:

roads, can you give us an idea of how big a deal this is for economic development purposes? How much of an advantage does this give the airport and by extension the city/county over other areas?

I have written extensively on this thread about the importance of the downtown airport but will be happy to summarize.  First, a few facts:

  • The downtown airport is fully self-supporting through fuel sales and aircraft storage.  It is not subsidized by taxpayers.
  • 80 percent of the air traffic is business rather than pleasure or flight training. 
  • The airport is located three miles from downtown, making it convenient for doing business in the city. 
  • The airport has the necessary infrastructure to support all general aviation aircraft.
  • The airport is an "all-weather" facility meaning that properly equipped aircraft can take takeoff and land is all but the most adverse conditions.

When people come to Spartanburg to "make the deal", they usually fly into the downtown airport, not the Greenville-Spartanburg International airport.  Nearly every day corporate aircraft from all over the country fly to and from this facility (see Flight Aware). Moreover, Spartanburg companies with corporate aircraft have them based at the airport. 

Spartanburg is certainly not the only city with a close-in "downtown" or "executive" airport.  However, there are many cities, some much larger than Spartanburg (Raleigh, NC for example), that do not.  Busy executives who prefer to fly in and fly out don't want to waste their time with busy commercial airports.  The downtown airport's three big advantages are convenience, ease of use, and low cost. Most airports rely on landing fees as a major revenue generator.  The downtown airport does not.  

 

 

 

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Thanks, roads. Although I'm almost certain you are incorrect about the airport being self-sustaining. Need to check the City's CAFR/budget to verify, but I'm pretty certain it gets a significant transfer from the City general fund every year. Or at least it did until very recently.

I understand the general importance of the airport. I was more interested in how important this runway extension project specifically will be. An awful lot of money, albeit almost entirely federal dollars, involved. 

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Here is the link to the current fiscal year City budget: 

http://www.cityofspartanburg.org/cms_assets/finance/COS%20-%20Adopted%20Budget%20-%20FY%202015%20-%202016.pdf

 

On pages 39 and 51 it shows $165,000 budgeted annual transfer from the City's general fund into airport operations every year. In FY12 and FY13, the airport actually required more than the $165,000 budgeted annual transfer to make the books balance. So it is far from self-sustaining, but hopefully it is moving in that direction and will get there one day.

Regardless, it is a wise investment for the City. If anything, the County ought to be helping to fund its operations since it is an economic development asset that benefits the entire county.

Edited by mainonmain
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For a long time Spartanburg neglected its assets: the Memorial Auditorium, Duncan Park, Cleveland Park, Morgan Square,  downtown in general - and the downtown airport.  This overall neglect has cost us dearly in my opinion. 

Four years ago the terminal building at the airport was wonderfully restored to rave reviews.  The airfield, save for some lighting and aircraft parking ramp pavement, hasn't been refurbished in many years.  Runway 5-23 is usable but well past its operational life.  Investing in this valuable city-owned asset is long overdue and will in time, benefit the city - and county.  

Edited by roads-scholar
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Does anyone know how the runway extension will affect Airport Road?  I can't find any info on that (site plan, etc).

I was watching a video from the Chamber honoring Darwin Simpson (airport director), and saw a rendering behind someone that shows a terminal expansion.  I have heard that the terminal's office space is fully leased, and there were thoughts about a potential restaurant at the airport.  It appears this would provide space for additional office space as well as restaurant space. Not sure if it's just a concept or a concrete plan. Screen-cap from video:

56df084482c2b_SPAterminalexpansion.JPG.f

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