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Coordinates: 42°55′57″N 071°26′08″W / 42.93250°N 71.43556°W / 42.93250; -71.43556
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==History==
==History==
[[Image:MHT - FAA airport diagram.gif|left|thumb|FAA diagram of Manchester Airport]]
[[Image:MHT - FAA airport diagram.gif|left|thumb|FAA diagram of Manchester Airport]]
The '''Manchester airport''' was founded in June 1927, when the town's Board of Mayor and Aldermen put $15,000 towards the project. By October, a board of [[aviation]] had been founded and ground was broken at an 84 acre site near Pine Island Pond. It took only a month for two {{convert|1800|ft|m|sing=on}} [[runway]]s to be constructed. After the formation of [[Northeast Airlines|Northeast Airways]] at the site in 1933, the first passenger terminal was built.[[Image:Grenier Fld dedication 2a.jpg|right|thumb|A philatelic cover commemorating the [[February 22]], [[1942]], dedication of Grenier Field.]]
The '''Manchester airport''' was founded in June 1927, when the town's Board of Mayor and Aldermen put $15,000 towards the project. By October, a board of [[aviation]] had been founded and ground was broken at an 84 acre site near Pine Island Pond. It took only a month for two {{convert|1800|ft|m|sing=on}} [[runway]]s to be constructed. After the formation of [[Northeast Airlines|Northeast Airways]] at the site in 1933, the first passenger terminal was built.


During [[World War II]], the airport was the home for up to 6,000 troops and an [[anti-submarine warfare]] squadron. On [[February 22]], [[1942]], the base was dedicated as '''Grenier Field''' to honor 2Lt. Jean Donat Grenier, born in Manchester on [[November 24]], [[1909]], and killed in a Utah snowstorm on [[February 16]], [[1934]], when his plane crashed during a familiarization flight over the airmail route from [[Salt Lake City]] to [[Cheyenne, Wyoming|Cheyenne]].
During [[World War II]], the airport was the home for up to 6,000 troops and an [[anti-submarine warfare]] squadron. On [[February 22]], [[1942]], the base was dedicated as '''Grenier Field''' to honor 2Lt. Jean Donat Grenier, born in Manchester on [[November 24]], [[1909]], and killed on [[February 16]], [[1934]].


⚫
[[Image:P-51-Grenier-1949.jpg|right|thumb|200px|A P-52 from the 82nd Fighter Group at Grenier in 1949]]
In August 1947, the 82nd Fighter Wing was assigned to the base, which was assigned to the Strategic Air Command. Controlled by the 307th Bomb Wing at [[MacDill AFB]] in [[Tampa, Florida|Tampa]], the wing flew [[P-51]] (later F-51) fighter aircraft and comprised the 82nd Fighter Group; 95th, 96th and 97th Fighter Squadrons; 82nd Maintenance and Supply Group; 82nd Maintenance Sq., Fighter, SE; 82nd Supply Sq., Fighter, SE; 82nd Motor Vehicle Sq., Fighter, SE; 82nd Air Base Group; 82nd Communications Sq., Fighter SE; 82nd Air Police Sq., Fighter, SE; 82nd Food Service Sq., Fighter, SE; 82nd Base Service Sq., Fighter, SE; 82nd Installations Sq., Fighter, SE; 82nd Finance Disbursing Unit, Fighter, SE; and the 82nd Medical Group.

⚫
[[Image:P-51-Grenier-1949.jpg|right|thumb|200px|A P-52 from the 82nd Fighter Group at Grenier in 1949]]

After the Air Force became a separate service, Grenier Field was redesignated '''Grenier Air Field''' on [[January 8]], [[1948]]. Just five days later, Grenier Air Field was redesignated '''Grenier Air Force Base''', part of a wide renaming of airfields as part of Department of the Air Force (DAF) General Order (GO) No. 2.

The base was transferred from SAC to the First Air Force on [[August 22]], [[1949]], by Continental Air Command General Order 98 of [[September 15]], [[1949]], and announced by First Air Force General Order 90 of [[September 20]], [[1949]].

Headquarters USAF ordered the inactivation of Grenier AFB and the 82nd Fighter Wing by [[October 2]], [[1949]], in the wake of the decision to have 48, not 57, groups in the Air Force, according to the First Air Force history for the period.
The 2263rd Standby Base Sq., with five officers, 150 airmen and 11 civilians, was activated to “to prepare the base for final disposition of its property”. The 2263rd Standby Sq. was inactivated on [[January 25]], [[1949]], leaving behind a small team to conclude the inactivation, followed by an 11-man fire guard, both groups on detached duty from the 33rd Fighter-Interceptor Group at [[Otis AFB]].

The Air Force reopened the base in 1951 for the [[Korean War]], likely leasing operating space from the civil authority that had taken control and continues commercial operations there

On [[July 1]], [[1953]], the base was transferred from the Air Defense Command to the Military Air Transport Service (MATS) by DAF GO 17 of [[May 29]], [[1953]]. It was transferred from MATS to CONAC on [[November 1]], [[1955]], by DAF GO 83 of [[October 11]], [[1955]].

The 2235th Air Reserve Flying Training Center and the 81st Troop Carrier Squadron (Grenierderes) were then assigned to the base.

In late 1958, the Air Force announced that military air base units at Grenier AFB would be discontinued by [[July 31]], [[1960]], leaving it operated entirely by reservists and personnel under the new Air Reserve Technician (ART) program. In effect, as the Air Reserve Flying Training Center closed and its regular Air Force training personnel left and were replaced by civil service ARTs, the base became civilian operated.

On [[April 21]], [[1959]], the Air Force facility was redesignated '''Grenier Field - Manchester Municipal Airport''' by DAF GO 37 of [[June 30]], [[1959]], perhaps indicating relinquishment of the airfield to the civil airport as part of the end of the Regular Air Force presence there.

===1960s===

The end of Air Force Reserve training at Grenier AFB was announced on [[December 12]], [[1963]], and the 732nd Troop Carrier Squadron inactivated in January 1966. Although the 1963 announcement indicated that the New Hampshire Air National Guard would remain, the 157th Air Transport Group and its 133rd Air Transport Squadron (NHANG) moved to [[Pease AFB]], N.H.
The Secretary of Defense, as part of an announcement of bases closing in 33 states, said that Grenier Field would “revert to civilian control by July 1966” with an Air Research and Development Command "instrumentation squadron to remain” (ARDC was redesignated Air Force Systems Command in 1962). This was the 6594th Instrumentation Squadron, which operated the nearby New Hampshire Satellite Tracking Station that eventually became today’s [[New Boston AFS]].

The Air Force facilities were transferred from CONAC to AFSC on [[April 1]], [[1966]], by DAF SO GA-32 on [[May 20]], [[1966]], and redesignated Grenier Air Force Station (AFS). From January to July 1966, the control tower was run by Detachment 1, 214th Communications Sq. (Air Force Communications Service). The base caretaker was Det. 6, 2200th Air Base Wing.

The designation of Grenier AFS and its assignment to Air Force Systems Command reflects the continuing presence of the 6594th Instrumentation Sq (AFSC), which was activated at Grenier AFB on [[October 8]], [[1959]]. The squadron was quite large with 25 officers, 331 enlisted and 44 civilians assigned in late 1963. In addition there were many contractor staff.[[Image:Grenier Tray 3.jpg|right|thumb|This cafeteria tray was used by 6594th Instrumentation Squadron personnel at the Galaxy Dining Hall at Grenier Air Force Station. It shows the squadron's motto and emblem. In the early 1970s annual Civil Air Patrol cadet summer encampments also used the Grenier AFS facilities.)]]
Military operation of the tracking site eventually proved impractical. In February 1972, the Air Force Satellite Control Facility developed a plan to close Grenier AFS and for the “conversion of technical functions to organization and maintenance contractors and use of civil service personnel for supporting activities” with “consideration given to insure no impairment to operational effectiveness of the 6594INSTMNS.” The squadron and Grenier AFS were probably inactivated on [[June 30]], [[1972]], ending the U.S. Air Force presence at Grenier.

Also in the second half of the 1960s, a [[Nashua, New Hampshire|Nashua]] defense contractor, [[Sanders Associates]], installed radio intercept and direction-finding equipment aboard rebuilt C-47s at Grenier Field. The 3247th Special Activities Squadron (Provisional), based at Grenier and headquartered in Hangar No. 2, performed in-flight calibration of the equipment and handed the airplanes, designated RC-47 (later EC-47), to the ferry crews who flew them to Vietnam.
The current Manchester airport began to take shape after the 1960s. In 1961, an $850,000 terminal opened. In 1966, the military removed its remaining forces, leaving the airport open for expansion.
The current Manchester airport began to take shape after the 1960s. In 1961, an $850,000 terminal opened. In 1966, the military removed its remaining forces, leaving the airport open for expansion.


⚫
In 1978 the airfield was renamed '''Manchester Airport'''.
===1970s===

⚫
In 1978, twelve years after the departure of the Air Force, the airfield was once again renamed '''Manchester Airport'''.


Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the airport was served by [[Northeast Airlines]] with the [[DC-6]], [[DC-9]], and [[Fokker 27|FH-227]]. [[Delta Air Lines]] absorbed Northeast in 1972 and continued to serve the airport with the DC-9 until 1982 when it discontinued service at Manchester. In the mid 1980s, airlines once again started offering [[Jet aircraft|jet]] service out of Manchester. [[United Airlines]] inaugurated service at Manchester in 1984 with two daily flights to [[Chicago]]'s [[O'Hare Airport]]. This was part of their 50 States campaign, which positioned United Airlines as the only carrier to serve all [[United States|50 states]] with mainline service. The [[Boeing 727]] and [[Boeing 737]] were initially used on the Chicago flights, which would often make intermediate stops in cities like [[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]], [[Albany, New York|Albany]], [[Syracuse, New York|Syracuse]], or [[Burlington, Vermont|Burlington]] to pick up or drop off passengers. Manchester was also a 'tag-on' for United Airlines flights heading from [[Bangor, Maine|Bangor]] and [[Portland, Maine|Portland]], [[Maine]] to Chicago, but the carrier no longer serves either city with mainline aircraft.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the airport was served by [[Northeast Airlines]] with the [[DC-6]], [[DC-9]], and [[Fokker 27|FH-227]]. [[Delta Air Lines]] absorbed Northeast in 1972 and continued to serve the airport with the DC-9 until 1982 when it discontinued service at Manchester. In the mid 1980s, airlines once again started offering [[Jet aircraft|jet]] service out of Manchester. [[United Airlines]] inaugurated service at Manchester in 1984 with two daily flights to [[Chicago]]'s [[O'Hare Airport]]. This was part of their 50 States campaign, which positioned United Airlines as the only carrier to serve all [[United States|50 states]] with mainline service. The [[Boeing 727]] and [[Boeing 737]] were initially used on the Chicago flights, which would often make intermediate stops in cities like [[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]], [[Albany, New York|Albany]], [[Syracuse, New York|Syracuse]], or [[Burlington, Vermont|Burlington]] to pick up or drop off passengers. Manchester was also a 'tag-on' for United Airlines flights heading from [[Bangor, Maine|Bangor]] and [[Portland, Maine|Portland]], [[Maine]] to Chicago, but the carrier no longer serves either city with mainline aircraft.
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== References ==
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}

William D. Feeny, In Their Honor: True Stories of Flyers for Whom United States Air Force Bases are Named, (New York: Dull, Sloane and Pearce, 1963;
History, 82nd Fighter Wing, January 1-31, 1948;
Charles A. Ravenstein, Air Force Combat Wings: Lineage and Honors Histories, 1947-1977 (Washington, D.C.: Office of Air Force History, 1984);
History of the First Air Force, 1 July-31 December 1949 and I January 1950 – 30 June 1950;
Lloyd H. Cornett, Jr., and Mildred W. Johnson, A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946-1980 (Peterson AFB: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, 1980);
“Aerospace World”, Air Force, January 1964;
“List of Military Bases Affected by Economy Order”, New York Times, December 13, 1963.
List of the U.S. Military Installations Affected by Secretary McNamara's Cutback Order, New York Times, November 20, 1964;
History, Air Force Satellite Control Facility, New Hampshire, February 1, 1972.
David Christopher Arnold, Spying from Space: Constructing America's Satellite Command and Control Systems (College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 2005);
James C. Wheeler, The EC-47 Experience (Clarksville, Ark.: Swearingen Ink, 1999);
Charles Sutton, Grenier Field, New Hampshire: The Early Days. http://www.ec47.com/grenier.htm accessed June 20, 2008;
Ferry Flight Crew Orders. http://www.ec47.com/fc34-54.htm accessed June 20, 2008.


== External links ==
== External links ==

Revision as of 01:54, 29 August 2008

42°55′57″N 071°26′08″W / 42.93250°N 71.43556°W / 42.93250; -71.43556

Manchester • Boston Regional Airport
Airphoto taken 11 April 1998
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerCity of Manchester
ServesManchester, New Hampshire
Elevation AMSL266 ft / 81 m
Websitewww.FlyManchester.com
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
17/35 9,250 2,819 Asphalt
6/24 7,150 2,179 Asphalt
Statistics (2007)
Aircraft operations93,138
Based aircraft100
For the airport in the United Kingdom, see Manchester Airport.

Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (IATA: MHT, ICAO: KMHT, FAA LID: MHT), commonly referred to simply as "Manchester Airport," is a public airport located three miles (5 km) south of the central business district of Manchester, New Hampshire[1] on the county line of Hillsborough and Rockingham counties. The airport lies in two communities, Manchester and Londonderry.

Founded in 1927, it first moved more than 1 million passengers in a year in 1997. It handled 3,896,532 passengers in 2006, down 10.1% from 2005.

The facility was known as Manchester Airport until April 18, 2006, when it added "Boston Regional" to advertise its proximity to Boston, Massachusetts, about 50 miles (80 km) to the south.

Certified for Cat III B operations, the airport has a reputation for never surrendering to bad weather. The airport closed only once, when the national airspace was shut down for two days following September 11, 2001.[2]

Use

For passenger service, the airport is the fourth-largest in New England, after Logan International Airport in Boston, Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Suffield and East Granby, Connecticut, and T. F. Green Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island. Municipalities within the Boston Metropolitan Area in partnership with their state governments in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, decided to make this airport and T. F. Green Airport alternatives to Logan International Airport in order to avoid having to build a new airport.

Manchester Airport is the third-largest cargo airport in New England. Only Boston's Logan Airport and Bradley International exceed Manchester in terms of cargo handled. In 2005, the airport processed 150 million pounds of freight. Most of this was carried aboard aircraft flown by FedEx, UPS, and DHL. All three serve Manchester Airport with large, cargo-specific jets, including the Airbus A300, DC-10, and MD-11 by FedEx and UPS.

UPS uses Manchester to 'feed' the rest of northern New England by contracting with Wiggins Airways,[3] which flies smaller prop-driven planes to places like Portland, Augusta, Bangor, Presque Isle, Rutland and other communities. To handle this 'regional sort,' UPS built a sorting facility where packages coming in from the company's Louisville hub are redistributed to trucks or to the Wiggins feeder aircraft. FedEx previously used Manchester as a regional sorting station as well, but now supports the northern New England destinations via direct flights from Memphis to Portland, Maine and Burlington, Vermont. A contract with the U.S. Postal Service fills the FedEx jets (coming from hubs in Memphis and Indianapolis) with mail in addition to the typical assortment of express and overnight packages. DHL, the smallest of the dedicated freight carriers at Manchester, flies a single daily 727-200 on a Wilmington-Allentown-Manchester-Wilmington routing.

Facilities and aircraft

Manchester Airport covers an area of 1,500 acres (607 ha) which contains two asphalt paved runways: 17/35 measuring 9,250 x 150 ft (2,819 x 46 m) and 6/24 measuring 7,150 x 150 ft (2,179 x 46 m).[1]

For the 12-month period ending January 31, 2007, the airport had 93,138 aircraft operations, an average of 255 per day: 41% scheduled commercial, 31% air taxi, 27% general aviation and 1% military. There are 100 aircraft based at this airport: 75% single engine, 15% multi-engine and 10% jet aircraft.[1]

History

FAA diagram of Manchester Airport

The Manchester airport was founded in June 1927, when the town's Board of Mayor and Aldermen put $15,000 towards the project. By October, a board of aviation had been founded and ground was broken at an 84 acre site near Pine Island Pond. It took only a month for two 1,800-foot (550 m) runways to be constructed. After the formation of Northeast Airways at the site in 1933, the first passenger terminal was built.

During World War II, the airport was the home for up to 6,000 troops and an anti-submarine warfare squadron. On February 22, 1942, the base was dedicated as Grenier Field to honor 2Lt. Jean Donat Grenier, born in Manchester on November 24, 1909, and killed on February 16, 1934.

File:P-51-Grenier-1949.jpg
A P-52 from the 82nd Fighter Group at Grenier in 1949

The current Manchester airport began to take shape after the 1960s. In 1961, an $850,000 terminal opened. In 1966, the military removed its remaining forces, leaving the airport open for expansion.

In 1978 the airfield was renamed Manchester Airport.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the airport was served by Northeast Airlines with the DC-6, DC-9, and FH-227. Delta Air Lines absorbed Northeast in 1972 and continued to serve the airport with the DC-9 until 1982 when it discontinued service at Manchester. In the mid 1980s, airlines once again started offering jet service out of Manchester. United Airlines inaugurated service at Manchester in 1984 with two daily flights to Chicago's O'Hare Airport. This was part of their 50 States campaign, which positioned United Airlines as the only carrier to serve all 50 states with mainline service. The Boeing 727 and Boeing 737 were initially used on the Chicago flights, which would often make intermediate stops in cities like Providence, Albany, Syracuse, or Burlington to pick up or drop off passengers. Manchester was also a 'tag-on' for United Airlines flights heading from Bangor and Portland, Maine to Chicago, but the carrier no longer serves either city with mainline aircraft.

In the early 1990s, United Airlines began flights between Manchester and Washington Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C. But creation of a north-south hub at Dulles didn't work for United, and heavy competition in this market led to a quick exit. The Boeing 737 was used for this short-lived service, which comprised about four daily circuits between the two airports. US Airways started service at Manchester about a year after United Airlines did, by connecting their hubs at Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. The carrier used the DC-9 and BAC 111 aircraft. Both carriers expanded service at Manchester over the years with bigger planes and more flights. United Airlines now runs a strict nonstop schedule to and from Chicago with no intermediate stops or tag-ons. The Boeing 757 has been used by both United Airlines and US Airways at Manchester, which stands as the largest passenger-carrying plane to serve the airport in scheduled service. The Airbus A320 series of aircraft is also commonly used by United Airlines, Northwest Airlines, and (occasionally) by US Airways.

Expansion

In 1992, a long-term expansion and improvement plan started to take shape. Two years after beginning, a new 158,000-square foot terminal opened, providing ample room for larger jets. The airport continued to expand, opening a new parking garage and parking lots in the next years, as well as working to reconstruct the runways and taxiways. In 1998, these expansions paid off, with MetroJet, Northwest Airlines, and Southwest Airlines all beginning service. The airport has prospered from the "Southwest effect", in which competing airlines increase service and decrease fares to compete with the low cost carrier. Throughout the 1990s, Manchester Airport outpaced almost every other similarly-sized airport in terms of passenger growth. In 2003, runway 17/35 was extended from 7,001 feet (2,134 m) to 9,250 feet (2,820 m), allowing non-stop service to Las Vegas.

In April 2006, the aldermen of the city of Manchester voted to change the name of the airport to Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in an effort to increase its visibility to travelers around the country.[4]

Airlines and destinations

Air cargo operators

Airport access

Manchester Shuttle

From November 13, 2006 to June 30, 2008, the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport operated a high-frequency shuttle bus program. The bus ran every two hours, 24 hours a day, between the airport, the Anderson Regional Transportation Center in Woburn, Massachusetts (45 minutes), and the Sullivan Square subway station in Boston (75 minutes). The shuttle bus also operated along the same route in reverse. The shuttle was offered free of charge to ticketed airline passengers.[5] The free Manchester Shuttle to and from Woburn and Boston ceased operations when the shuttle pilot program was successful in attracting a private company to offer similar service.

Since July 1, 2008, the private company Flight Line Inc. offers hourly service between the airport, several points in northern Massachusetts and the city of Boston for $19 each way. Reservations are required.[6]

Local bus service

The Manchester Transit Authority provides hourly bus service between the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport passenger terminal and downtown Manchester.

Highway access

In 2007, construction began on the Manchester Airport Access Road, an expressway connection from the F.E. Everett Turnpike. Prior to this project, access to the airport was limited to local roads. Completion is scheduled for late 2010.[7][8]

Law enforcement/security

The Londonderry Police Department is responsible for law enforcement and security operations at the airport terminal. The Rockingham County Sheriff's Department was responsible for law enforcement operations at the airport until last year when the Londonderry Police Department was awarded the new security contract.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d FAA Airport Form 5010 for MHT PDF, effective 2007-07-05
  2. ^ pg 329-330 Manchester's Airport: Flying Through Time, Edward W. Browder, Jr. and Maurice B. Quirin ISBN 0-9721489-9-X
  3. ^ "Wiggins Airways' Aircraft Flight Operations". Retrieved 2008-08-09.
  4. ^ "History of Manchester • Boston Regional Airport". Manchester • Boston Regional Airport official site. Retrieved 2006-07-11.
  5. ^ Airport Announces Free Bus Service Between Woburn and Boston For Ticketed Passengers
  6. ^ Manchester Shuttle Pilot Program Proves Successful! Private Ground Transportation Company to Offer High Frequency, Affordable Service to Northern Massachusetts and Boston
  7. ^ Tollroads News (August 18, 2007). "Manchester NH Airport Access Rd under way". Retrieved 2007-08-29.
  8. ^ Jim Kozubek, New Hampshire Union Leader (August 18, 2007). "First phases of airport access road under way". Retrieved 2007-08-29.
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