Bradley International Airport
| Bradley International Airport | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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IATA: BDL – ICAO: KBDL – FAA LID: BDL
 BDL
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| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Owner | State of Connecticut | ||
| Operator | Connecticut Airport Authority | ||
| Serves | Hartford, Connecticut & Springfield, Massachusetts | ||
| Location | Schoephoester Road Windsor Locks, Connecticut / Hartford County, Connecticut |
||
| Hub for | |||
| Elevation AMSL | 173 ft / 53 m | ||
| Coordinates | 41°56′20″N 72°41′0″W / 41.93889°N 72.68333°W | ||
| Website | |||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 6/24 | 9,510 | 2,899 | Asphalt |
| 15/33 | 6,847 | 2,087 | Asphalt |
| 1/19 | 4,268 | 1,301 | Asphalt |
| Statistics (Total Passengers) | |||
| 2011 | 5,607,756 | ||
| 2010 | 5,380,987 | ||
| 2009 | 5,317,352 | ||
| 2008 | 6,058,398 | ||
- See: Bradley Air National Guard Base for the United States Air Force use of the airport
Bradley International Airport (IATA: BDL, ICAO: KBDL, FAA LID: BDL) is a joint civil-military public airport on Schoephoester Road in Windsor Locks on the border with East Granby and Suffield, in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is owned by the State of Connecticut.[1] It is the second-largest airport in New England.[2]
The airport is about halfway between Hartford and Springfield. It is Connecticut's busiest commercial airport with 350 daily operations, and the second-busiest airport in New England after Boston's Logan International Airport.[3] The three largest carriers at Bradley International Airport are Southwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines and JetBlue Airways with market shares of 26.89%, 14.73%, and 10.07% respectively.[4] US Airways has a market share just under JetBlue Airways at 10.01%[5] As a dual-use military facility with the U.S. Air Force, the airport is also home to Bradley Air National Guard Base and the 103d Airlift Wing (103 AW) of the Connecticut Air National Guard.
In 2008 Bradley was the 55th busiest airport in the United States by number of passengers enplaned.[6] Bradley is branded as the "Gateway to New England" and is also home to the New England Air Museum.
The now defunct Bradlees department store chain was named after the airport, when investors held a meeting there.[7]
The airport is patrolled by an outpost of Troop H of the Connecticut State Police.
Contents |
History[edit]
World War II[edit]
Bradley has its origins in the 1940 acquisition of 1,700 acres (690 ha) of land in Windsor Locks by the State of Connecticut. In 1941 this land was turned over to the U.S. Army, as the country began its preparations for the impending war.[8]
The airfield was named after 24-year-old Lt. Eugene M. Bradley of Antlers, Oklahoma, assigned to the 64th Pursuit Squadron, who died when his P-40 crashed during a dogfight training drill on August 21, 1941. [9]
Post-war to present[edit]
The airfield began civilian use in 1947 as Bradley International Airport. Its first commercial flight was Eastern Air Lines flight 624. International cargo operations at the airport also began that year. Bradley eventually came to replace the older, smaller Hartford-Brainard Airport as Hartford's primary airport.[8]
In 1948 the federal government deeded the Airport to the State of Connecticut for public and commercial use.[8]
In 1950 Bradley International Airport exceeded the 100,000-passenger mark, handling 108,348 annual passengers.[8]
In 1952 the Murphy Terminal was opened. Later dubbed Terminal B, the terminal was the oldest passenger terminal in the US when it closed in 2010.[10]
The April 1957 OAG shows 39 weekday departures: 14 American, 14 Eastern, 9 United and 2 Northeast. Nonstops never reached west of Chicago or south of Washington until Eastern and Northeast began Miami in 1967. Nonstops to Los Angeles and Atlanta started in 1968.
In 1960 Bradley handled 500,238 passengers.[8]
In 1971 the Murphy Terminal was expanded with an International Arrivals wing. This was followed by the installation of instrument landing systems on two runways in 1977.
In 1976 an experimental monorail was completed to link the terminal to a parking lot seven-tenths of a mile away. The "people mover" cost $4 million USD, and was anticipated to cost $250 thousand annually to operate. Due to the high operating cost the monorail was never put in service and was dismantled in 1984 to make room for a new terminal building.[11] [12] The retired vehicles from the system are now on display at the Connecticut Trolley Museum in East Windsor, CT.[13]
In 1979, a tornado ripped through Windsor Locks, wreaking destruction along the eastern portions of the airport. The New England Air Museum sustained some of the worst damage. It reopened in 1982.
In 1986, new Terminal A and Bradley Sheraton Hotel was completed. The Roncari cargo terminal was also constructed.[8]
In 2001, construction commenced on a new parking garage. When completed, the garage could not immediately be used. The intervening attacks of 9/11 led to regulations requiring parking structures to be set back farther from the tarmac. After opening, for several weeks every vehicle had to be individually inspected, severely reducing its value. Bradley eventually received a waiver for normal operation of the garage from the Department of Homeland Security.
2001 also saw the commencement of the Terminal Improvement Project to expand Terminal A with a new concourse, construct a new International Arrivals Building, and centralize passenger screening. The airport expansion was part of a larger project to enhance the reputation of the Hartford metropolitan area as a destination for business and vacation travel. The new East Concourse, designed by HNTB,[14] opened in September 2002, and the new International Arrivals Building opened in December 2002.[8]
In July 2007, Northwest Airlines commenced nonstop service from Bradley International Airport to Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. It was Bradley's only overseas flight. Northwest Airlines discontinued the flight in 2009.[15] Currently, Bradley does not have any overseas service.
On October 2–3, 2007, the Airbus A380 visited Bradley as part of its world tour, stopping in Hartford to showcase the aircraft to Connecticut workers for Pratt & Whitney and Hamilton Sundstrand, both divisions of United Technologies, which helped build the GP7000 TurboFan engines, which is an option to power the aircraft. Bradley Airport is one of only 68 airports worldwide large enough to accommodate the A380.
On October 18, 2007, Bradley International Airport was named one of the top five small airports in the North American Airport Satisfaction Study by J. D. Power and Associates.
On October 7, 2008, Embraer, an aerospace company based in Brazil, selected Bradley as its service center for the Northeastern United States. An $11 million project was begun with support from teams of the Connecticut Department of Transportation and Connecticut's Economic and Community Development. The center is intended to be a full maintenance and repair facility for its line of business jets, and is expected to employ up to 60 aircraft technicians. The facility was temporarily closed ten months after opening due to economic conditions, reopening on February 28, 2011.[16][17]
On June 21, 2011, the new Boeing 747-8F stopped at Bradley on its introductory world tour.
On June 22, 2012, the Connecticut Airport Authority board formally approved the hiring of Kevin A. Dillon as the Executive Director for the Connecticut Airport Authority including Bradley International Airport. Kevin will oversee the expansion of Terminal B and he will work to get new airline service at Bradley.[18]
On December 16, 2012, in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, CT, President Obama arrived at Bradley International Airport at around 4 p.m. He stepped off Air Force One and into a waiting motorcade that took him to Newtown (CT) High School for that night's Interfaith Service. He first met with the grieving families of the shooting victims.
Passenger, cargo, and military operations[edit]
Airlines and destinations[edit]
Bradley International Airport's main passenger Terminal A has two concourses: The East Concourse (gates 1–12) hosts Air Canada, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, and Southwest Airlines. The West Concourse (gates 20–30) hosts American Airlines, United Airlines and US Airways.
Terminal B, the 1952 Murphy Terminal, was closed to passenger use on April 15, 2010. The structure continues to host the Bradley offices of the Connecticut State Police and is used for storage. Plans call for the eventual replacement of the Murphy Terminal with a new 19-gate Terminal B.[19]
All international arrivals (except flights with customs preclearance) are handled at the International Arrivals Building, located to the west of Terminal B.
Top Destinations[edit]
| Rank | Airport | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atlanta, Georgia | 267,000 | Delta |
| 2 | Baltimore, Maryland | 254,000 | Southwest |
| 3 | Charlotte, North Carolina | 223,000 | US Airways |
| 4 | Orlando, Florida | 216,000 | Delta, JetBlue, Southwest |
| 5 | Chicago (O'Hare), Illinois | 201,000 | American, United |
| 6 | Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas | 136,000 | American |
| 7 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 133,000 | US Airways |
| 8 | Detroit, Michigan | 132,000 | Delta |
| 9 | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | 122,000 | JetBlue, Southwest |
| 10 | Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota | 114,000 | Delta |
Cargo operations[edit]
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| ABX Air | Seasonal: Cincinnati, Rochester (NY) |
| Air Transport International | Rochester (NY) Seasonal: Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky |
| FedEx Express | Indianapolis, Memphis, Newark Seasonal: Baltimore, Harrisburg, Manchester (NH) |
| FedEx Feeder operated by Wiggins Airways | Bridgeport, Long Island/Islip, Newark, Manchester (NH), Portland (ME) |
| UPS Airlines UPS Sorting Hub |
Albany, Chicago-Rockford, Louisville, Newark, Philadelphia, Providence Seasonal: Baltimore, Bangor, Boston, Des Moines, Harrisburg, Manchester (NH), New York-JFK, Ontario (CA) |
| Flight Express, Inc. | Portsmouth-Pease |
In addition to the regular cargo services described above, Bradley is occasionally visited by Antonov An-124 aircraft operated by Volga-Dnepr Airlines, Polet Airlines and Antonov Airlines, transporting heavy cargo, such as Sikorsky helicopters or Pratt & Whitney engines internationally.
Military operations[edit]
- Connecticut Air National Guard
- 103d Airlift Wing (103 AW) "Flying Yankees"
- 118th Airlift Squadron (118 AS): operates the C-21. The squadron was previously designated as the 118th Fighter Squadron and operated the Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II close air support aircraft from the mid 1970s to 2007.
- 103d Airlift Wing (103 AW) "Flying Yankees"
- Military air transports that are commonly seen include the KC-135 Stratotanker, C-17 Globemaster, and the C-130 Hercules.
- Connecticut Army National Guard
- 126th Aviation Regiment
Future[edit]
Airport construction[edit]
On July 3, 2012 the Connecticut Department of Transportation released an Environmental Assessment and Environmental Impact Evaluation,[19] detailing a proposal to replace the now-vacant Terminal B.
The replacement proposal calls for:
- Demolition of the Murphy Terminal and existing International Arrivals Building;
- Construction of a new Terminal B, with two concourses containing a total of 19 gates, two of which could accommodate international widebody aircraft;
- Inclusion of a new Federal Inspection Services facility within the new Terminal;
- Construction of a new Central Utility Plant;
- Relocation of the Terminal B arrival roadway and departure viaduct;
- Realignment of Schoephoester Road; and
- Construction of a new 7-level parking garage and consolidated car rental facility, adding 2,600 public parking spaces and 2,250 rental car spaces.
The proposal calls for a three-phase construction program:
- Demolition of the existing Terminal B, realignment of surface roads, and construction of the new garage/rental car facility would occur during the initial phase. The initial phase is estimated to cost between $630 and $650 million.
- Construction of part of Terminal B and its upper roadway would occur in a second phase, with an estimated completion date of 2018.
- Construction of the final segment of Terminal B and its upper roadway would occur in a third phase, with an estimated completion date of 2028.
Actual completion dates could vary due to funding and demand.
International Arrivals Building[edit]
In December 2002, a new International Arrivals Building opened to the west of Terminal B.[8] This structure houses the Federal Inspection Station and has one jetway for deboarding the aircraft. The IAB replaced the old FIS in Terminal B and could be enlarged if volume demands.[23] Two government agencies provide crucial support at the facility, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The FIS Terminal (International Arrivals Building) is a two-story, 28,000-square-foot (2,600 m2) facility adjacent to Terminal B and the recently constructed Remote Deicing Collection Facility. This entire construction project included the FIS Terminal and associated landside and airside improvements; entrance roadway, sidewalks and concrete hardstand for arriving aircraft parking. The FIS Terminal can process more than 300 passengers per hour from aircraft as large as a Boeing 747. International departures will be handled from the existing terminal complex. This facility cost approximately $7.7 million, which included the building and site work. A unique, 9' x 20' American flag tile mosaic was donated by Robert LaRosa, president of LaRosa Building Group, which designed and constructed the facility. The mosaic is visible upon entering the front of the building. This project was funded through the Bradley Improvement Fund.[24]
All international arrivals except for those from airports with customs preclearance are processed through the IAB.
Ground transportation[edit]
Rail[edit]
The nearby Windsor Locks and Windsor train stations are both served by Amtrak.[25] Connecticut Transit buses travel between the Windsor train station and the airport. The State of Connecticut has planned for commuter rail between New Haven and Springfield; and increased bus service, if not a complete rail link, has been discussed to link the expanded rail service with the airport.
Bus[edit]
Connecticut Transit route 34 provides local service connecting Bradley with Windsor and Hartford. Route 30 (the "Bradley Flyer") provides express service to downtown Hartford.[26]
Environment[edit]
The Connecticut Air National Guard 103d Airlift Wing leases 144 acres (0.58 km2) in the southwest corner of the airport for their Bradley ANG Base. The base is a designated Superfund site.[19]
Bradley has also been identified as one of the last remaining tracts of grassland in Connecticut suitable for a few endangered species of birds, including the Upland Sandpiper, the Horned Lark, and the Grasshopper Sparrow.[27]
Incidents and accidents[edit]
- March 4, 1953
- Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando N4717N was being operated on a cargo flight from New York-Idlewild Field by Slick Airways. Bradley was experiencing light rain and a low ceiling at the time of the incident. After being cleared to land on Runway 06, the pilot reported problems intercepting the localizer, and continued to circle down to get under the weather. The plane struck trees approximately 1.6 miles (2.6 km) southwest of the airport, killing the crew of 2.[28]
- July 16, 1971
- Douglas C-47B N74844 of New England Propeller Service crashed on approach. The aircraft was on a ferry flight to Beverly Municipal Airport, Massachusetts when an engine lost power shortly after take-off due to water in the fuel. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was attempting to return to Bradley Airport.[29]
- May 3, 1991
- A Ryan International (wet-leased by Emery Worldwide) Boeing 727-100QC, N425EX, caught fire during take-off. The take-off was aborted and the three crew members escaped, while the aircraft was destroyed by the fire. The fire was determined to have started in the number 3 engine. It was determined that the 9th stage HP compressor had ruptured.[30]
- November 12, 1995 at 12:55 am EST
- An American Airlines MD-83, N566AA, crashed while trying to land at Bradley. American Airlines flight 1572 was substantially damaged when it impacted trees while on approach to runway 15 at Bradley International Airport. The airplane also impacted an instrument landing system antenna as it landed short of the runway on grassy, even terrain. The cause of the accident was determined to be the pilot's failure to reset the altimeter,[31] however, severe weather may have played a factor. Nine of the 78 passengers were injured.
- January 21, 1998
- A Continental Express ATR-42, N15827, had an emergency during roll on landing. During the landing roll, a fire erupted in the right engine. The airplane was stopped on the runway, the engines were shut down, and the occupants evacuated. The fire handles for both engines were pulled and both fire bottles on the right engine discharged. However, the fire on the right engine continued to burn. The airport fire services attended shortly afterward and extinguished the fire.[32]
- October 14, 2004
- An MK Airlines Boeing 747-200F registration 9G-MKJ, crashed on takeoff from Halifax Stanfield International Airport after departing Bradley International resulting in the death of all 7 crew members on board at the time. An investigation into the crash revealed that the flight crew had used the incorrect speeds and thrust setting during the take-off attempt, with incorrect take-off data being calculated when preparing the flight (incorrect V speed calculation, as the result of the crew re-using a lighter take-off weight of 240,000 kg from the aircraft's previous take-off at Bradley, instead of the correct weight of 353,000 kg). The official report blamed the company for serious non-conformances to flight and duty time, with no regulations or company rules governing maximum duty periods for loadmasters and ground engineers, resulting in increased potential for fatigue-induced errors
- June 22, 2010 at 8:20 pm EST
- A Virgin Atlantic aircraft carrying approximately 300 passengers from London Heathrow Airport bound for Newark Liberty International Airport diverted to Bradley due to strong thunderstorms in the region. Failures of two auxiliary power units led to difficulties in keeping the grounded jet air conditioned. After refueling, the flight crew discovered no fuel had been transferred to the wing tanks, creating a load imbalance that could not be rectified before the flight crew would be required by regulation to end their work day. The incident was prolonged due to the amount of time needed to bring Customs and Border Protection staff onsite, and local policy that all passengers and baggage be brought into the FIS before passengers could begin customs clearance. All passengers were finally deplaned by 1:40 am, over five hours after arriving at Bradley. The incident attracted significant media attention and highlighted how the recently-implemented Airline Passengers Bill of Rights does not extend to international flights.[33]
- October 29, 2011 at 1:30 pm EST
- A JetBlue Airways A320 carrying about 150 passengers from Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Newark (EWR) was diverted to Bradley due to low visibility in Newark. After landing, the passengers were stranded on the aircraft for about 7 hours before a medical emergency on board forced the crew to deplane the passengers.[34] This flight was one of ten experiencing delays in excess of the limits imposed by the Airline Passengers Bill of Rights at Bradley that day. Bradley officials cited 23 diversions, aggravated by the disruption of refueling due to power outages, as contributing to the delay.[35]
See also[edit]
- Connecticut World War II Army Airfields
- Hartford-Brainard Airport (HFD)
- Tweed New Haven Airport (HVN)
- Westover Metropolitan Airport (CEF)
- Previously marketed by defunct Skybus Airlines as "Hartford (Chicopee, MA)".
References[edit]
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
- ^ FAA Airport Master Record for BDL (Form 5010 PDF), effective 2010-09-23
- ^ Hanseder, Tony. "HARTFORD BRADLEY BDL AIRPORT OVERVIEW". Retrieved 2012-09-20.
- ^ Bradley International Airport – Courant.com
- ^ a b "Hartford, CT Bradley International FACTS". Research and Innovative Technology Administration. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
- ^ http://www.transtats.bts.gov/airports.asp?pn=1&Airport=BDL&Airport_Name=Hartford,%20CT:%20Bradley%20International&carrier=FACTS
- ^ "2008 Passenger Boarding Statistics". Federal Aviation Administration. Retrieved February 11, 2010.
- ^ History of Bradlees
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Media Kit Fact Sheet". Bradley International Airport. Retrieved October 9, 2010.
- ^ Marks, Paul (May 28, 2006). "Archaeological Sleuths Hunt For Site Of Bradley Airport Namesake's Fatal Crash". Hartford Courant. Retrieved November 14, 2011. "Bradley's fatal accident occurred during a simulated aerial dogfight with Frank Mears, commander of the 64th Pursuit Squadron. The plane Bradley was flying spun out of control as he went into a sharp turn at about 5,000 feet. Stunned witnesses saw the plane spiral slowly into a grove of trees. Soon a column of smoke arose. They theorize that the young pilot blacked out from the gravitational forces felt during such a sharp aerial turn."
- ^ Gershon, Eric (April 2, 2010). "Airlines To Clear Out Of Bradley Airport's Murphy Terminal, The Nation's Oldest, By April 15". Hartford Courant. Retrieved October 9, 2010.
- ^ Marks, Paul. "Bradley: From Field To High-flying Hub", The Hartford Courant, October 26, 2003. Accessed January 26, 2013.
- ^ "People Mover", The Hartford Courant, Mar 31, 1985. ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Hartford Courant (1764-1987) pg. A26. Accessed January 26, 2013
- ^ Hopetunnel.org, "Bradley International Airport People Mover at the Connecticut Trolley Museum", August 3, 2002. Accessed January 26, 2013.
- ^ HNTB demonstrates engineering expertise at ACEC annual conference
- ^ "Bradley loses flight to Europe again", Associated Press via WTNH.com, March 27, 2009. Retrieved August 6, 2012.
- ^ Gershon, Eric (August 26, 2009). "Embraer Closes Jet Maintenance Center At Bradley Airport Months After Opening". Hartford Courant. Retrieved October 9, 2010.
- ^ Seay, Gregory (March 1, 2011). "Brazil's Embraer reopens at Bradley". Hartford Business Journal. Retrieved March 31, 2011.
- ^ Smith, Larry (June 21, 2012). "Airport Authority Board Formally Approves Hiring Executive Director". Windsor Locks-East Windsor Patch. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
- ^ a b c "Environmental Assessment and Environmental Impact Evaluation, New Terminal B Passenger Facility and Associated Improvements at Bradley International Airport Windsor Locks, Connecticut". Connecticut Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
- ^ http://bradleyairport.com/News/press.aspx?id=174
- ^ "American Airlines to add flights to 9 more cities from Los Angeles by end of year". The Washington Post. Associated Press. April 10, 2013. Retrieved April 10, 2013.
- ^ a b http://finance.yahoo.com/news/jetblue-expands-hartford-flights-fort-130000191.html;_ylt=AudL.bkk3s_ar6yBqirziQXQtDMD
- ^ Bradley Airport Master Plan. Bradley International Board of Directors.
- ^ "Fact Sheet: Federal Inspection Station". Bradley International Airport. Retrieved October 9, 2010.
- ^ Amtrak – Station Search Results
- ^ "Routes & Schedules". Connecticut Transit. Retrieved February 11, 2010.
- ^ "Grasslands". Audubon Connecticut. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
- ^ "N4717N Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved October 9, 2010.
- ^ "N47844 Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved September 19, 2010.
- ^ "N425EX Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved October 9, 2010.
- ^ "N56AA Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved October 9, 2010.
- ^ "N15827 Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved October 9, 2010.
- ^ Stagis, Julie (July 15, 2010). "DOT Report Details Passengers' Ordeal After Flight Diverted to Bradley". Hartford Courant. Retrieved October 9, 2010.
- ^ Forgione, Mary (October 30, 2011). "JetBlue passengers endure 7-hour tarmac delay at Hartford airport". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Crawley, John (November 14, 2011). "JetBlue explains storm delays to US officials". Retrieved July 3, 2012.
External links[edit]
- Bradley International Airport (official site)
- Bradley Development League public consortium
- Images of Concourse Artwork
- TAC Air fixed base operator at BDL
- Signature Flight Support FBO at BDL
- FAA Airport Diagram (PDF), effective May 30, 2013
- FAA Terminal Procedures for BDL, effective May 30, 2013
- Resources for this airport:
- AirNav airport information for KBDL
- ASN accident history for BDL
- FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
- NOAA/NWS latest weather observations
- SkyVector aeronautical chart for KBDL
- FAA current BDL delay information
- 1940 establishments in Connecticut
- Airfields of the United States Army Air Corps
- USAAF First Air Force Group Training Stations
- USAAF First Air Force Replacement Training Stations
- USAAF First Air Force Tactical Airfields
- Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in Connecticut
- Airports in Connecticut
- Transportation in Hartford County, Connecticut
- Military facilities in Connecticut
- Facilities of the United States Air National Guard
- Windsor Locks, Connecticut
- Buildings and structures in Hartford, Connecticut
- Airports established in 1940
