General Mitchell International Airport

"Mitchell Field" redirects here. For the former air base in New York, see Mitchel Field.
General Mitchell International Airport
Mitchell Field

2006 USGS Orthophoto
IATA: MKEICAO: KMKEFAA LID: MKE
Summary
Airport type Public
Owner Milwaukee County
Operator Milwaukee County Airport Department
Serves Milwaukee, WI.
Location 5300 South Howell Avenue
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Hub for
Focus city for
Elevation AMSL 729 ft / 222 m
Coordinates 42°56′50″N 087°53′48″W / 42.94722°N 87.89667°W / 42.94722; -87.89667
Website www.MitchellAirport.com
Maps

FAA airport diagram
MKE
MKE

Location of General Mitchell International Airport

Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
01L/19R 9,990 3,045 Asphalt/Concrete
01R/19L 4,183 1,275 Asphalt/Concrete
07L/25R 4,800 1,463 Asphalt/Concrete
07R/25L 8,300 2,530 Asphalt/Concrete
13/31 5,535 1,687 Asphalt/Concrete
Helipads
Number Length Surface
ft m
H1 100 30 Asphalt/Concrete
Statistics
Aircraft operations (2015) 111,486
Based aircraft (2016) 100
Total Passengers (2015) 6,549,353
Sources: airport web site[2] and FAA[3]

General Mitchell International Airport (IATA: MKE, ICAO: KMKE, FAA LID: MKE) is a civil-military airport five miles (8 km) south of downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States.[3] It is included in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2017–2021, in which it is categorized as a medium-hub primary commercial service facility.[4]

It is named after United States Army Air Service General Billy Mitchell, who was raised in Milwaukee and is often regarded as the father of the United States Air Force. Along with being the primary airport for Milwaukee, Mitchell International has sometimes been described as Chicago's third airport, as many travelers in the suburbs north of Chicago use it instead of Chicago's O'Hare and Midway airports.[5] It is also used by travellers throughout Wisconsin and Northern Illinois. An Amtrak railway station opened at the airport in 2005; the station is served by Amtrak's Hiawatha Service running between Chicago and Milwaukee several times daily. Since March 1941, the airport's weather station has been used as the official point for Milwaukee weather observations and records by the National Weather Service,[6] whose area office is located in Sullivan.

History

The original airfield was established in 1920 as Hamilton Airport by local business owner and aviator, Thomas Hamilton. Milwaukee County purchased the land on October 19, 1926, for the Milwaukee County Airport. The first airport terminal there, the Hirschbuehl Farmhouse, opened in July 1927. That month, Northwest Airlines, Inc., began air service from Milwaukee to Chicago and Minneapolis/St. Paul. In August 1927, world-renowned aviator Charles Lindbergh visited the Milwaukee airport. Kohler Aviation Corporation began providing passenger service across Lake Michigan on August 31, 1929. During the late depression years (from 1938 to July 1940), a new two-story passenger terminal building was constructed by the Works Progress Administration. On March 17, 1941 the airport was renamed General Mitchell Field after Milwaukee's military airpower advocate, Brigadier General William "Billy" Mitchell.[7] On January 4, 1945, Mitchell Field was leased to the War Department for use as a World War II prisoner-of-war camp. Over 3,000 prisoners and 250 enlisted men stayed at the work camp. Escaped German prisoners were often surprised to find a large German American population just beyond the fence.[8] The present terminal opened on July 20, 1955 and was designed by Leigh Fisher and Associates.[9] It was renovated and expanded in 1985, designed by Miller, Meier, Kenyon, Cooper Architects and Planners Inc.[10] The "hammerhead" section of the D concourse was added in 1990. On June 19, 1986 the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors renamed Mitchell Field to General Mitchell International Airport.[7]

The airport was formerly a hub for AirTran Airways, Frontier Airlines and Midwest Airlines. On December 28, 2014, the airport became a focus city for Southwest Airlines, after finalizing their merger with AirTran Airways.

The airport is owned and operated by Milwaukee County, but some Milwaukee business leaders and politicians have advocated privatization or leasing it to a third party for financial reasons.[11]

Awards and recognition

In October 2008 a Condé Nast Traveler poll ranked Milwaukee County's General Mitchell International Airport fourth in the nation using categories of Location and Access, Design, Customs and Baggage, Perceived Safety and Security, as well as Food, Shops and Amenities.

Expansion

Mitchell International has expanded the runway safety area on their runways after an accident on January 21, 2007, when Northwest Airlines Flight 1726 skidded off the runway after aborting takeoff. According to the FAA, most airports are encouraged to have a runway safety area no shorter than 1,000 feet (305 m), though many airports do not.

Construction of this runway safety area began at the end of summer 2009 and was completed in fall 2012.

There is also a "Master Plan" idea to increase terminal area by stretching the existing terminal (in some cases, to almost double the size) or begin construction of a separate terminal. Nearly all cases would involve major reconstruction on the airport itself, and would have a huge impact on the airport's traffic.[12] These plans were, however, drafted before Mitchell saw a significant reduction in carriers and flights. More recently, in 2012, there have been discussions of closing one concourse as a cost-cutting move.[13]

In late 2015, Milwaukee County hired Izzy Bonilla to be the new airport director.[14] As director, Bonilla has proposed converting Concourse E (the least busy of the three) into an international/domestic terminal[15] and combining security checkpoints to allow movement between concourses behind security.[16]

Facilities and operations

General Mitchell International Airport covers 2,180 acres (880 ha) and has five asphalt and concrete runways ranging from 4,183 to 9,990 ft (1,463 to 3,045 m). A helipad measuring 100 by 100 ft (30 x 30m) is on the south side of the airport property. The 07R/25L runway has an overpass with Howell Avenue (WI-38) running underneath. For the year ending July 31, 2015, the airport had 111,486 aircraft operations, an average of 305 per day: 37% air taxi, 50% commercial airline, 11% general aviation and 2% military. In November 2016, there were 100 aircraft based at this airport: 17 single-engine, 47 multi-engine, 26 jet and 10 various military aircraft.[3] The main building houses the Mitchell Gallery of Flight, a non-profit museum on the concession level, the usual retail outlets, including a small food court and a branch of Renaissance Books which is believed to be the world's first used book store in an airport.[17] An observation lot along the northern edge of the airport is open to the public and tower communications are rebroadcast using a low-power FM transmitter for visitors to tune in on their car radios. There is also a new lot on 6th Street, with a Wisconsin historical marker giving the airport's history.[18] In 2008, airport security jokingly designated an area in Concourse C following security checkpoint the "Recombobulation Area".[19]

Terminal

Interior of main terminal

General Mitchell International Airport has 48 gates and 40 jetbridges on three concourses in one terminal. All international arrivals lacking border preclearance must pass through the International Arrivals Building.

Concourse C Gates: C9-C12, C14-C15, C17-C25

Airlines: Air Canada Express, Southwest Airlines

Concourse D Gates: D27-D30, D34, D36, D38-D39, D41-D49, D51-D56

Airlines: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, American Eagle, Delta Air Lines, Delta Connection, Frontier Airlines, OneJet

Concourse E Gates: E60-E69

Airlines: United Airlines, United Express

Concourse E closure

By early September 2016, all airlines housed in Concourse E will move to Concourse C. This will allow the airport to remodel the concourse and move International Arrivals processing into the terminal. This will close the International Arrivals Building just north of the terminals.[20]

As of October 16, 2016, the move of United Airlines and United Express is on hold.

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

AirlinesDestinationsConcourse
Air Canada Express Toronto–Pearson C
Alaska Airlines
operated by SkyWest Airlines
Seattle/Tacoma D
American Airlines Dallas/Fort Worth, Phoenix–Sky Harbor D
American Eagle Charlotte, Chicago–O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Philadelphia D
Apple Vacations
operated by Norwegian Air Shuttle
Seasonal charter: Cancún, Cozumel, Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, Montego Bay, Puerto Vallarta, Punta Cana D
Delta Air Lines Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul
Seasonal: Cancún
D
Delta Connection Boston, Cincinnati, Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York–LaGuardia, Seattle/Tacoma (begins March 10, 2017)[21]
Seasonal: Orlando
D
Frontier Airlines Denver, Las Vegas, Orlando
Seasonal: Atlanta, Dallas/Fort Worth, Fort Myers, Philadelphia, Phoenix–Sky Harbor (begins December 7, 2016)[22]
D
Funjet Vacations
operated by Norwegian Air Shuttle
Seasonal charter: Cancún, Cozumel, Montego Bay, Puerto Vallarta, Punta Cana D
OneJet
operated by CFM
Pittsburgh D
Southwest Airlines Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Cancún, Dallas–Love, Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York–LaGuardia, Orlando, Phoenix–Sky Harbor, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle/Tacoma, St. Louis, Tampa, Washington–National
Seasonal: Fort Myers
C
United Airlines Chicago–O'Hare, Denver E
United Express Chicago–O'Hare, Cleveland, Houston–Intercontinental, Newark E

Cargo operations

Cargo Ramp – Mitchell International Airport
A FedEx MD-10 landing at MKE
AirlinesDestinations
AirNet Systems Chicago–Midway, Green Bay, St. Paul–Downtown
Berry Aviation Chicago–Executive
DHL
operated by Atlas Air
Cincinnati, Minneapolis/St. Paul
FedEx Express Appleton, Indianapolis, Memphis, Minneapolis/St. Paul
FedEx Feeder
operated by CSA Air
Escanaba, Houghton, Iron Mountain, Marquette, Rhinelander
Flight Line Chicago–Midway
Freight Runners Express Appleton, Green Bay, Madison, Middleton, Mineral Point, Mosinee, Oshkosh, Peoria, Rhinelander, Rochester (MN), West Chicago, Wisconsin Dells
Martinaire Iron Mountain, Ironwood
Pro Aire Cargo Rhinelander
Royal Air Freight Pontiac
UPS Airlines Louisville

Statistics

U.S. Department of Transportation data for 2nd Quarter 2010 showed that the average airfare out of Milwaukee dropped lower than the average at 93 other U.S. airports. Mitchell's average fare was $93 less than O'Hare's, $78 less than the nation's average and $10 less than Midway's. Out of the nation's top 100 airports, Mitchell was one of only three at which average 2nd Quarter airfares were lower in 2010 than in 2009.

Airports Council International reported that during the 2nd Quarter 2010, Mitchell was the third fastest-growing airport in the world, exceeded only by airports in Istanbul, Turkey and Moscow, Russia. Mitchell was the only U.S. airport among the top 30 fastest growing airports worldwide.[23]

The airport is owned and operated by Milwaukee County. Mitchell's 8 airlines offer over 200 daily departures. Over 30 airports are served nonstop or direct from Mitchell International. It is the largest airport in Wisconsin. The airport terminal is open 24 hours a day.[24]

Top destinations

Busiest domestic routes from MKE (Sep 2015 – Aug 2016) [25]
Rank Airport Passengers Carriers
1 Atlanta, Georgia 426,370 Delta, Frontier, Southwest
2 Minneapolis/St Paul, Minnesota 283,480 Delta, Southwest
3 Denver, Colorado 234,320 Frontier, Southwest, United
4 Chicago–O'Hare, Illinois 207,280 American, United
5 Phoenix, Arizona 187,080 American/US Airways, Southwest
6 Las Vegas, Nevada 178,620 Frontier, Southwest
7 Orlando, Florida 178,300 Delta, Frontier, Southwest
8 New York–LaGuardia, New York 174,550 Delta, Southwest
9 Detroit, Michigan 168,720 Delta
10 Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas 136,900 American, Frontier
Busiest international routes from MKE (Jan. 2011 – Dec. 2011)
Rank Airport Passengers Carriers
1 Cancun, Mexico 55,000 Delta, Southwest
2 Montego Bay, Jamaica 23,000 Southwest
3 Toronto (Pearson), Canada 22,000 Air Canada
4 Punta Cana, Dominican Republic 7,000 Southwest

Annual traffic

Annual passenger traffic (enplaned + deplaned) at MKE, 1944 through 2015[26]
Year Passengers Year Passengers Year Passengers Year Passengers
1960752,07919803,295,50920006,076,628
1961683,50319813,117,88320015,600,060
1962723,72519823,285,88420025,589,127
1963777,38219832,923,64120036,142,124
194437,4421964847,95819842,573,23920046,661,105
1945105,0581965966,07019853,062,95420057,268,000
1946171,67219661,079,48419863,384,66420067,299,294
1947187,67219671,378,39419873,570,34020077,712,535
1948190,37119681,622,53219884,029,74620087,956,968
1949225,31219691,711,77719894,308,29520097,935,124
1950235,06919701,766,80219904,488,30420109,848,377
1951279,22619711,947,44219914,114,05120119,522,456
1952322,18019721,917,25219924,422,08920127,515,070
1953389,39719732,041,45419934,521,87220136,525,181
1954458,81619742,143,07119945,179,87220146,554,152
1955521,72719752,241,74519955,221,70520156,549,353
1956580,65719762,556,72019965,452,645
1957673,92719772,803,13819975,598,971
1958683,80319782,991,75019985,535,921
1959748,01019793,460,44119995,825,670

Military presence

The airport also hosts the General Mitchell Air National Guard Base on the eastern area of the airport property, home to the 128th Air Refueling Wing (128 ARW), an Air Mobility Command (AMC)-gained unit of the Wisconsin Air National Guard flying the KC-135R Stratotanker. The wing performs both Federal and State missions and consists of approximately 1000 Air National Guard personnel, both full-time Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) and Air Reserve Technicians (ART), as well as traditional part-time guardsmen, available for worldwide deployment in support of Air Mobility Command and combatant commander tasking. The wing also maintains a KC-135 flight simulator, providing training proficiency for its own crews, as well as other KC-135 flight crews in other air refueling wings and air mobility wings in the Regular U.S. Air Force, the Air Force Reserve Command and the Air National Guard.

Prior to 2007, a second military installation on the southwestern portion of the airport property was known as "General Mitchell Air Reserve Station" and was home to the 440th Airlift Wing (440 AW), an Air Mobility Command (AMC)-gained unit of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) flying the C-130H Hercules. While based at General Mitchell ARS, the 440 AW numbered in excess of 1500 full-time AGR, ART and part-time traditional reservists. Pursuant to 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) action, the 440 AW relocated to Pope AFB, North Carolina, in 2007 and the former AFRC facilities were turned over to the Air National Guard, resulting in the installation's renaming.

Ground transportation

The Milwaukee Airport Rail Station provides service to Milwaukee as well as Chicago.

Accidents and incidents

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

  1. "Re-routed: Diminished airline service forces Milwaukee businesses to seek alternatives - Milwaukee Business Journal". m.bizjournals.
  2. General Mitchell International Airport, official web site
  3. 1 2 3 FAA Airport Master Record for MKE (Form 5010 PDF), effective Nov 10, 2016.
  4. "List of NPIAS Airports" (PDF). FAA.gov. Federal Aviation Administration. 21 October 2016. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  5. "Mitchell Offers Delay-Weary Chicago Travelers Timely Alternative". Mitchell Memo. Mitchell International Airport. September 2004.
  6. 1 2 "Historic Markers – General Mitchell Field WI221". Milwaukee County Historical Society. 1978. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved October 4, 2006.
  7. Cowley, Betty (2002). Stalag Wisconsin: Inside WW II prisoner-of-war camps. Oregon, Wisconsin: Badger Books. ISBN 1-878569-83-X. OCLC 48998212.
  8. "Here's the Program". Milwaukee Journal. July 21, 1955. Retrieved June 16, 2012.
  9. Jesen, Dean (July 25, 1985). "Airport Terminal to Open Sunday". The Milwaukee Sentinel. Retrieved June 16, 2012.
  10. Kirchen, Rich (September 21, 2008). "Lubar: Sell Airport to Eliminate Milwaukee County Deficit". Milwaukee Business Journal. Bizjournals.com. Retrieved October 9, 2009.
  11. "Master Plan Update" (PDF). General Mitchell International Airport. July 28, 2006. Retrieved February 11, 2008.
  12. "Mitchell proposes closing one concourse". Milwaukee Business Journal. October 5, 2012. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  13. http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2015/12/23/milwaukee-county-hires-new-airport-director-from.html
  14. http://www.milwaukeemag.com/2016/05/11/qa-ismael-izzy-bonilla-milwaukee-countys-airport-director/
  15. http://www.wisn.com/news/milwaukees-new-airport-director-sets-goals-for-general-mitchell/38135318
  16. "The Challenge of Airport Bookselling", Publishers Weekly, July 13, 1984
  17. "State Historical marker #221" (PDF). Wisconsin History. Retrieved September 27, 2008.
  18. Durhams, Sharif (July 9, 2008). "Airport Draws Smiles with 'Recombobulation Area'". Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Retrieved March 20, 2012.
  19. "Milwaukee airport to get new international terminal". Milwaukee WI,: WISN. WISN News. 15 July 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2016. United Airlines and Air Canada, both of which currently operate from Concourse E, will move to Concourse C
  20. http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2016/11/04/delta-adds-nonstop-flight-between-milwaukee-and.html
  21. http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/268345/frontier-opens-4-new-phoenix-routes-from-dec-2016/
  22. "County Executive Holloway Announces A Record Number of November Passengers". General Mitchell International Airport. Retrieved January 2, 2011.
  23. "Mitchell Airport Stats". General Mitchell International Airport. Retrieved September 27, 2008.
  24. RITA | BTS | Transtats. Transtats.bts.gov (Aug 2016). Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  25. Enplaned and Deplaned Passengers. Retrieved on Apr 2, 2015.
  26. "Wisconsin Bus Charters". Badger Coaches. Archived from the original on September 28, 2008. Retrieved September 27, 2008.
  27. "MKE Airport Connection". Airport Connection. Retrieved September 27, 2008.
  28. "MCTS". Milwaukee County Transit System. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
  29. "Milwaukee Airport Station". Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WDOT). Retrieved September 27, 2008.
  30. "Wisconsin Coach service". Coach USA. Retrieved September 27, 2008.
  31. "Lamers Connect". Lamers Bus Lines. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
  32. "Fred Miller, son die in fiery plane crash". Milwaukee Sentinel. December 18, 1954. p. 1.
  33. "Fred C. Miller, son killed in air crash". Milwaukee Journal. December 18, 1954. p. 1.
  34. "Fred Miller, Jr., versatile athlete". Milwaukee Sentinel. December 18, 1954. p. 2.
  35. "Pilots buried side by side". Milwaukee Journal. December 20, 1954. p. 2.
  36. "CAB findings in Miller crash". Milwaukee Sentinel. March 18, 1955. p. 1, part 2.
  37. "Aircraft Accident Boeing KC-97". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  38. Hijacking description at the Aviation Safety Network
  39. "Midwest Express Airlines Flight 105". National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Retrieved September 27, 2008.
  40. Johnson, Mark; Kissinger, Meg (January 22, 2007). "'Scared to Death'". Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Retrieved September 28, 2008.
  41. Sandler, Larry (January 22, 2007). "Safety Won't Come Easy – 3 Mitchell Runways Don't Meet Federal Standards, but Compliance by 2015 Means Navigating Multiple Obstacles". Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Retrieved September 28, 2008. (republished by Hall & Associates)
  42. "Cargo Planes Collide, Burn at Milwaukee Airport". FOX News. January 24, 2007. Retrieved September 28, 2008.
  43. "FAA: Error Nearly Led to Jets Colliding". ABC News. Associated Press. November 17, 2007. Retrieved February 11, 2008.
  • "Midwest Airlines, Virgin's GlobalFlyer". Airliners. Miami: World Transport Press (94). July–August 2005. ISSN 0896-6575. OCLC 17241224. 

Further reading

External links

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