Airport type Public Website www.FlyMCW.com Code MCW Phone +1 641-421-3680 | Owner City of Mason City Elevation AMSL 1,214 ft / 370 m 18/36 6,501 Elevation 370 m | |
 | ||
Profiles | ||
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.
Contents
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.
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.
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 <1% military. At that time there were 65 aircraft based at this airport: 49 single-engine, 13 multi-engine, and 3 jet.
Airlines and destinations
Air Choice One started service from Mason City to Chicago O'Hare International Airport in November 2014, to St. Louis Lambert International in February 2015, and to Minneapolis/St. Paul in November 2016.
Previously Mason City has had commercial 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.