Mason City Municipal Airport (IATA: MCW, ICAO: KMCW, FAA LID: MCW) is a city owned, public use airport located five nautical miles (9 km) west of the central business district of Mason City, in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. It is located in the northern part of Lake Township, just east of the city of Clear Lake. It is primarily used for general aviation, although it has commercial service subsidized through the Essential Air Service (EAS) program.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, this airport had 11,678 passenger boardings (enplanements) in calendar year 2008, 11,076 in 2009, and 13,852 in 2010. The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011-2015 categorized it as a primary commercial service airport.
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History
On February 2, 1942, Mason City passed a resolution to create a new airport and purchased 312 acres several miles west of the city. The new Mason City Municipal Airport saw its first official landing a few years later on March 29, 1945. The airport consisted of two paved runways, associated taxiways, and a small ramp area. A remodeled farmhouse was used as the first commercial terminal during the airport dedication on June 22, 1946.
Musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, along with pilot Roger Peterson, died in a plane crash after taking off from the Mason City Municipal Airport in the early morning hours of February 3, 1959, following a concert at the Surf Ballroom in nearby Clear Lake. This event is not commemorated anywhere on the airport grounds; a private monument is located near the crash site.
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Facilities and aircraft
Mason City Municipal Airport covers an area of 1,103 acres (446 ha) at an elevation of 1,214 feet (370 m) above mean sea level. It has two asphalt paved runways: 18/36 is 6,501 by 150 feet (1,982 x 46 m) and 12/30 is 5,502 by 150 feet (1,677 x 46 m).
For the 12-month period ending July 31, 2015, the airport had 33,368 aircraft operations, an average of 91 per day: 90% general aviation, 5% scheduled commercial, 5% air taxi and less than 1% military. In March 2017, there were 67 aircraft based at this airport: 51 single-engine, 13 multi-engine and 3 jet.
Federal grants
In 2005, the airport was awarded a $4,559,986 federal grant to rehabilitate a runway and relocate a localizer out of a runway safety area.
In 2007, the airport received a $1,000,000 federal grant to help purchase a perimeter fence around its runways.
In 2009, the airport commission received a $820,916 federal grant to rehabilitate the airport's parking lot and for a Master Abstract Title Opinion study for the airport.
In 2010, the airport received $24,463 in federal funding for runway incursion markings.
A 2011 federal grant provided $115,865 for apron rehabilitation.
In 2012, the airport received a federal grant of $886,604 for the rehabilitation of its parking lot pavement.
A 2013 federal grant paid for $540,000 of snow removal equipment for the airport.
In 2014, the airport was awarded $601,317 in federal grants for improvements to its infrastructure.
Airlines and destinations
Air Choice One started service from Mason City to Chicago O'Hare International Airport on November 17, 2014, Flights to St. Louis Lambert International Airport began in February 23, 2015, and flights to Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport began in November 2016.
Previously, Mason City had commercial service from Great Lakes Airlines and Mesaba Airlines.
^1 Some Air Choice One flights to and from Chicago continue on from Mason City to Fort Dodge Regional Airport. However, the airline does not sell tickets solely between Mason City and Fort Dodge.
Statistics
Incidents
- On August 22, 1954, Braniff Airlines flight 4630 Douglas DC-3 crashed south of Mason City Municipal Airport after departing Waterloo Regional Airport in nearby Waterloo, Iowa. The aircraft crashed after entering a thunderstorm at a low altitude. 12 of 19 passengers died.
- In the early morning hours of February 3, 1959 (also known as 'the day the music died'), following a concert at the Surf Ballroom in nearby Clear Lake, Iowa, musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, along with pilot Roger Peterson, died after the Beechcraft Bonanza they were flying in crashed after taking off from the Mason City Municipal Airport.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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