Jump to content

Bishop International Airport

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by TomCat4680 (talk | contribs) at 16:09, 19 April 2016 (Passenger). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Bishop International Airport
File:Flint Bishop Airport Logo.jpg
Summary
Airport typePublic
Owner/OperatorBishop International Airport Authority
ServesFlint, Michigan
LocationFlint, Michigan
Elevation AMSL782 ft / 238.4 m
Websitewww.bishopairport.org
Map
FNT is located in Michigan
FNT
FNT
Location of the airport in Michigan
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
18/36 7,848 2,392 Asphalt
9/27 7,200 2,195 Asphalt

Bishop International Airport (IATA: FNT, ICAO: KFNT) is a commercial and general aviation airport located in Flint, Michigan. It is named after banker and General Motors board member Arthur Giles Bishop (April 12, 1851 – January 22, 1944), who donated 220 acres of his farmland for the airport in 1928.[1][2] The third busiest airport in Michigan, it surpassed competitor MBS International Airport in terms of airline operations in 2002. In 2007, 1,071,238 passengers used Bishop International Airport; in 2011, 938,914 passengers used the airport.[3] The airport is currently served by several passenger airlines: Allegiant Air, Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines operate mainline service out of the airport, as well as affiliates of Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and American Airlines. Additionally, FedEx Express operates cargo services out of the airport. Accompanying the airlines is fixed-base operator Av Flight that handles both general aviation and airline operations and one flight school. Bishop International Airport is in southwestern Flint, and is surrounded by Flint Township to the north, east and west; and Mundy Township to the south.

Terminal Renovations

In early February 2007, Bishop International Airport unveiled a comprehensive 5-year developmental plan that would be slated for continuation through late 2011. The program called for two phases of "Intermodal Facility Development," including the expansion of the West Cargo Apron, what is now known as the Abex and Emory GVA Freight Ramp,[4] located on the airport's northwest side.

In May 2009, Bishop International Airport began Phase I of its Terminal Airside & Concourse Improvements program. Projects under this phase were developed in 2008. Included in this phase are upgrades to the terminal ramp, upon which the passenger concourse resides; the permanent closure and deconstruction of Runway 5/23; and the acquisition of new land for an envisioned Runway 9L/27R, which is scheduled to be designed in 2009 and constructed in 2010.

Runway 5/23 was closed permanently on May 4, 2009,[5] as progress continued in the Capital Improvement Program.

The renovation and expansion of the terminal, originally built in 1993, was designed by Reynolds, Smith & Hills.[6]

On April 24, 2012, the airport's board of directors approved a $1.348 million project to repair the airport's tarmac. The project is scheduled to take four months to complete.[7] On September 19, 2012, it was announced that the Federal Aviation Administration approved a grant to fund the project.[8]

On October 6, 2012, a new Transportation Security Administration checkpoint opened in the terminal.[9]

The completed terminal was dedicated on November 13, 2012.[10]

The airport's board has allocated an additional $10.9 million for upgrades in 2013 and 2014.[11]

On August 29, 2013, the airport received a $2.87 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, which will be used to repair taxiways and lighting and to buy a replacement snow truck.[12]

Facilities

Bishop International Airport covers 1,550 acres (6 km²) and has two runways.

  • Runway 18/36: 7,848 x 150 ft. (2,392 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt/Concrete
  • Runway 9/27: 7,200 x 150 ft. (2,195 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

AirlinesDestinations
Allegiant Air Orlando/Sanford,[13] St. Petersburg/Clearwater[13]
American Eagle Chicago-O'Hare
Delta Air Lines Atlanta
Delta Connection Minneapolis/St. Paul
Southwest Airlines Chicago-Midway[14]
Seasonal: Orlando–International[15]
United Express Chicago-O'Hare, Newark (begins July 1, 2016)[16]

Cargo

AirlinesDestinations
FedEx Express Columbus, Indianapolis, Memphis
FedEx Feeder Alpena, Gaylord

Statistics

Top destinations

Busiest domestic routes from FNT
(Dec 2014 – Nov 2015)[17]
Rank City Passengers Carriers
1 Atlanta, GA 129,000 Delta
2 Chicago (O'Hare), IL 78,000 American, United
3 Baltimore, MD 47,000 Southwest
4 Orlando, FL 45,000 Southwest
5 Las Vegas, NV 44,000 Southwest
6 Minneapolis/St Paul, MN 34,000 Delta
7 Tampa, FL 28,000 Southwest
8 Fort Myers, FL 5,000 Southwest

Ground transportation

Bishop International Airport is accessible from I-69, I-75/US-23 and I-475 at Bristol Road. The airport is also served by a bus line operated by the Flint MTA, local taxi services, and Uber which operates in the Flint area.

Several car rental agencies are available at the airport.[18]

Airport Authority Board

The Bishop International Airport Authority (BIAA) is the joint public authority created by Genesee County and the city of Flint to run Bishop International Airport. The Authority Board has nine members appointed to three-year terms.[19] BIAA operates the airport's public safety and maintenance departments. On January 27, 2014, airport director Jim Rice retired after 24 years of service.[20] The service drive in front of the airport that leads to the terminal and front parking lot has since been renamed in his honor. The board later named Craig Williams, former Fort Wayne-Allen County Airport Authority board member, as his successor on July 22, 2014.[21]

Recent incidents

On November 16, 2011, a Piaggio P.180 Avanti operating as Avantair Flight 168 (Detroit-Metro to West Bend Municipal, tail number N168SL) crashed upon landing due to an engine failure. The plane was damaged beyond repair, but everyone aboard survived with only minor injuries.[22][23]

On December 12, 2011, four people from Saginaw were arrested at Bishop International Airport trying to smuggle 122 pounds (55 kg) of marijuana from Phoenix.[24]

References

  1. ^ Arthur Giles Bishop, Our Genealogy.com
  2. ^ Picture History of Flint: U.S. Bicentennial Edition, Edited by Lawrence R. Gustin, Published in 1976 by The Flint Journal, ISBN 0-8028-7036-8
  3. ^ Measures of Michigan Air Carrier Demand, Michigan Department of Transportation, Retrieved January 24, 2012.
  4. ^ FAA Bishop International Airport Airport Diagram
  5. ^ FNT NOTAM 05/006 "RWY 5/23 CLSD PERM. WIE UNTIL UFN. CREATED: 04 MAY 12:34 2009"
  6. ^ Security process at Bishop International airport eases for seniors The Flint Journal via MLive.com June 1, 2012
  7. ^ Flint Bishop International Airport board approves $1.3 million repair of tarmac The Flint Journal via MLive.com, April 24, 2012
  8. ^ Federal $1.4 million grant for Bishop International Airport will help pay for pavement The Flint Journal via MLive.com, September 19, 2012
  9. ^ Bishop International Airport opens new TSA checkpoint as part of $16.8 million renovation project The Flint Journal via MLive.com, October 6, 2012
  10. ^ Bishop International Airport to hold dedication for $16.8 million addition The Flint Journal via MLive.com, November 12, 2012
  11. ^ Bishop International Airport looks to make $10.9 million in improvements for next two years The Flint Journal via MLive.com, December 1, 2012
  12. ^ Flint's Bishop International Airport gets $2.9 million US grant WNEM-TV, August 29, 2013
  13. ^ a b Allegiant Announces Expansion of 9 New Routes Service to 2 New Cities and Fares as Low as $29 Allegiant Airlines official press release, November 19, 2015
  14. ^ Southwest Airlines cuts nonstop flights to three cities from Bishop Airport The Flint Journal via MLive, November 1, 2015
  15. ^ Southwest Airlines to bring back summer flights from Flint to Orlando The Flint Journal via MLive, December 8, 2015
  16. ^ United adding direct flights from Flint to Newark for NYC travel The Flint Journal via MLive, April 19, 2016
  17. ^ Bishop International Airport Facts Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Bureau of Transportation Statistics
  18. ^ Car Rentals Bishop International Airport official site
  19. ^ Airport Authority Board. Bishop International Airport Authority.
  20. ^ Bishop Airport Director Jim Rice retiring after 24 years, search starting for replacement The Flint Journal via MLive.com, January 27, 2014
  21. ^ New Bishop International Airport director meets lifelong goal in new role The Flint Journal via MLive.com, July 23, 2014
  22. ^ Bishop public safety director on plane crash: Passengers shocked but able to walk away The Flint Journal via MLive.com November 16, 2011
  23. ^ N168SL NTSB Accident Report
  24. ^ Saginaw police nab marijuana-filled suitcases at Flint's Bishop International Airport The Flint Journal via MLive.com, December 13, 2011