Billings Logan International Airport
| Billings Logan International Airport | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||
| IATA: BIL – ICAO: KBIL – FAA LID: BIL | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Owner | City of Billings | ||
| Operator | Billing Department of Aviation & Transit | ||
| Serves | Billings, Montana | ||
| Hub for | Silver Airways | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 3,652 ft / 1,113 m | ||
| Coordinates | 45°48′28″N 108°32′34″W / 45.80778°N 108.54278°WCoordinates: 45°48′28″N 108°32′34″W / 45.80778°N 108.54278°W | ||
| Website | |||
| Map | |||
 BIL
|
|||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 7/25 | 5,503 | 1,677 | Asphalt |
| 10L/28R | 10,521 | 3,207 | Asphalt |
| 10R/28L | 3,800 | 1,158 | Asphalt |
| Statistics (2011) | |||
| Aircraft operations | 83,267 | ||
| Based aircraft | 167 | ||
| Passengers (2012) | 899,302 | ||
| Sources: FAA[1] and Montana DOT[2] | |||
.jpg)
Billings Logan International Airport (IATA: BIL, ICAO: KBIL, FAA LID: BIL) is a public use airport located two nautical miles (4 km) northwest of the central business district of Billings, in Yellowstone County, Montana, United States.[1] It is owned by the City of Billings.[1][3] The airport is situated on top of the Rims, a 500-foot (150 m) cliff overlooking the downtown core of Billings. It is the largest and busiest airport within a four state region (Montana, Wyoming, North and South Dakota) both in passenger boardings and air cargo.[4] It serves residents of the greater Billings Metro area as well as residents throughout south-central Montana, eastern Montana, and northern Wyoming.[4]
This airport is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which categorized it as a primary commercial service airport (more than 10,000 enplanements per year).[5] As per Federal Aviation Administration records, the airport had 422,494 passenger boardings (enplanements) in calendar year 2008,[6] 397,073 enplanements in 2009, and 388,329 in 2010.[7]
Billings Logan International Airport offers regularly scheduled, non-stop flights to several large airline hub and popular vacation destinations on network carriers and low cost carriers.
Billings is also a hub for Silver Airways (formerly Gulfstream International Airlines) which offers non-stop service to several Montana communities subsidized by the Essential Air Service program.[8]
Contents |
History[edit]
The first recorded flight in Billings was in 1912 by a local dentist named Dr. Frank Bell. The flight was flown in his home-made airplane Curtiss 0-X-5.
The "First" flight was made on Memorial Day 1913, with much publicity, Dr. Bell took off from Billings flying to Park City and back, a round trip distance of 40 miles (64 km). This historic flight was captured by a local artist named J.K. Ralston in his painting entitled "First Flight," which is displayed in the lobby of the Billings Logan International Airport.
By 1927, the people of Billings realized that the community was in need of an airport. The City of Billings approved $5,000 and 400 acres (162 ha) on top of the Rims to construct a runway. The 1,820-foot (550 m) runway and small administrative building was constructed by using a horse-drawn equipment. The runway and building was completed in 1928. The Billings Municipal Airport was opened on May 29, 1928.
After the airport was established, Northwest Airlines was the first major airline to begin air services to Billings in 1933.
Major improvements over the years include the first runway lights installed in 1935 to the new 120-foot (37 m) air traffic control tower completed in 2005. Major terminal expansions were made in 1958, 1972 and 1992. In early 2006, the airport added electronic monitors that provide real-time updates on flight arrivals and departures.
The airport changed from the Billings Municipal Airport to Billings Logan Field in 1957, after Dick Logan, the airport manager, died. Then in 1971 the airport was renamed Billings Logan International Airport.[9]
Airport governance[edit]
The entity that governs BIL today is the Aviation and Transit Board. It is composed of seven members, each appointed for four-year terms. It is required of the position of a Board Member to possess the qualifications fit for the Mayor’s office. With the consent of the Council, the Mayor elects the Board Members. No Board Member may be reelected once his or her term expires. The purpose of the Aviation and Transit Board is not only to help govern the operations of the Airport, but also to act as a Citizen’s Advisory Board to the City Council. They are to make sure that City Policies are implemented and carried out. Shortcomings are to be reported and recommendations are to be made to the City Council.
Facilities and aircraft[edit]
Billings Logan International Airport covers an area of 2,300 acres (931 ha) at an elevation of 3,652 feet (1,113 m) above mean sea level. It has three asphalt paved runways: 7/25 is 5,503 by 75 feet (1,677 x 23 m); 10L/28R is 10,521 by 150 feet (3,207 x 46 m); 10R/28L is 3,800 by 75 feet (1,158 x 23 m).[1]
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2011, the airport had 83,267 aircraft operations, an average of 228 per day: 57% general aviation, 31% air taxi, 11% scheduled commercial, and 1% military. At that time there were 167 aircraft based at this airport: 55% single-engine, 35% multi-engine, 6% jet, and 4% helicopter.[1]
Airlines and destinations[edit]
The following airlines offer scheduled passenger service:
| Airlines | Destinations | Concourse |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska Airlines operated by Horizon Air | Seattle/Tacoma Seasonal: Portland (OR) |
B |
| Allegiant Air | Las Vegas, Phoenix/Mesa Seasonal: Los Angeles (resumes June 6, 2013) |
B |
| Delta Air Lines | Minneapolis/St. Paul | A |
| Delta Connection operated by Compass Airlines | Minneapolis/St. Paul | A |
| Delta Connection operated by SkyWest Airlines | Salt Lake City | B |
| Silver Airways | Glasgow (MT), Lewistown (ends July 15, 2013)[10], Miles City (ends July 15, 2013)[10], Sidney (MT), Wolf Point [11] | B |
| United Airlines | Denver | A |
| United Express operated by ExpressJet | Denver Seasonal: Chicago-O'Hare |
A |
| United Express operated by Republic Airlines | Denver | A |
| United Express operated by SkyWest Airlines | Denver | A |
Top destinations[edit]
| Rank | City | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Denver, CO |
164,000 | United |
| 2 |  Salt Lake City, UT |
71,000 | Delta |
| 3 |  Minneapolis, MN |
67,000 | Delta |
| 4 |  Seattle, WA |
45,000 | Alaska |
| 5 |  Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
18,000 | Allegiant |
| 6 |  Las Vegas, NV |
18,000 | Allegiant |
| 7 |  Portland, OR |
13,000 | Alaska |
| 8 |  Sidney, MT |
11,000 | Silver |
| 9 |  Oakland, CA |
9,000 | Allegiant |
| 10 | Los Angeles, CA |
9,000 | Allegiant |
Cargo[edit]
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| FedEx Express | Denver, Great Falls, Memphis |
| UPS Airlines | Denver, Louisville, Omaha |
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e FAA Airport Master Record for BIL (Form 5010 PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. Effective April 5, 2012.
- ^ "State of Montana: Airline Boardings - 2011". Montana Department of Transportation. 2011.
- ^ Billings Airport, MT - Official Website
- ^ a b Airport Programs & Guidance
- ^ "2011–2015 NPIAS Report, Appendix A" (PDF, 2.03 MB). National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems. Federal Aviation Administration. October 4, 2010.
- ^ "Enplanements for CY 2008" (PDF, 1.0 MB). CY 2008 Passenger Boarding and All-Cargo Data. Federal Aviation Administration. December 18, 2009.
- ^ "Enplanements for CY 2010" (PDF, 189 KB). CY 2010 Passenger Boarding and All-Cargo Data. Federal Aviation Administration. October 4, 2011.
- ^ "Time table for Billings (BIL)". Silver Airways (formerly Gulfstream International Airlines). Retrieved June 3, 2012.
- ^ Billings Airport, MT - Official Website - Airport History
- ^ a b Falstad, Jan (June 13, 2013) Lewistown, Miles City losing airline subsidies, Billings Gazette, Retrieved on June 13, 2013
- ^ "Time table for Billings (BIL)". Silver Airways (formerly Gulfstream International Airlines). Retrieved June 3, 2012.
- ^ RITA | BTS | Transtats
External links[edit]
- Billings Logan International Airport, official site
- FAA Airport Diagram (PDF), effective May 30, 2013
- FAA Terminal Procedures for BIL, effective May 30, 2013
- Resources for this airport:
- AirNav airport information for KBIL
- ASN accident history for BIL
- FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
- NOAA/NWS latest weather observations
- SkyVector aeronautical chart for KBIL
- FAA current BIL delay information
