Airport type Public Website www.BRLairport.com 6,701 2,042 Elevation 213 m Serves Burlington | Elevation AMSL 698 ft / 213 m 18/36 6,701 Code BRL Phone +1 319-754-1414 | |
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Owner Southeast Iowa Regional Airport Authority Address 2515 Summer St, Burlington, IA 52601, USA Similar Air Choice One, Avis Car Rental, Burlington Station, Fort Madison Municipal, Trailways Travel | ||
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Southeast Iowa Regional Airport (IATA: BRL, ICAO: KBRL, FAA LID: BRL) is a public use airport located two nautical miles (4 km) southwest of the central business district of Burlington, a city in Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. It is owned by the Southeast Iowa Regional Airport Authority which includes representatives from the city of Burlington, the city of West Burlington, and Des Moines County. The airport is mostly used for general aviation, but is also served by one commercial airline, a service which is subsidized by the federal government's Essential Air Service program at a cost of $1,917,566 (per year). As per Federal Aviation Administration records, the airport had 2,645 passenger boardings (enplanements) in calendar year 2008, 1,986 enplanements in 2009, and 2,821 in 2010. It is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which categorized it as a non-primary commercial service airport (between 2,500 and 10,000 enplanements per year).
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History
The airport launched in 1929 when the Burlington City Council adopted a resolution to establish a Municipal Airport on an "L"-shaped 55-acre (22 ha) sod field on Summer Street in Burlington, Iowa. Regularly scheduled commercial passenger service started two years later in 1931 when the National Air Transport company added Burlington to its Chicago to Kansas City route. National's two Ford Trimotor planes made two daily flights to Burlington carrying ten passengers each and lumbering across the sky with a top speed of 152 miles per hour (245 km/h).
In 1943, a contract was signed with the U.S. Government to pave the runways and expand the site to 500 acres (200 ha). Braniff Airlines began offering two daily departures to Kansas City to carry passengers and cargo in 1944. Three years later in 1947, a long-range airport development plan was created for building a Quonset hut administrative building, a U-shaped entrance road with parking, a gasoline service station for aircraft, a tourist court with recreational facilities, a maintenance building and hangars for aircraft.
The airport's hours of operation were extended in 1959 when runway lights were installed, enabling flights to takeoff and land at night. In 1967 an aviation easement was established, and the north-south runway was widened and extended to 1,351 feet (412 m). The terminal building was remodeled for comfort in 1989.
In 1996, the Burlington Regional Airport's name was changed to the Southeast Iowa Regional Airport to reflect the entire area that is served. Currently, SIRA employs about 20 people. Passengers report that the laid back, inviting atmosphere at the airport reminds them of the TV show Wings.
Facilities and aircraft
Southeast Iowa Regional Airport covers an area of 537 acres (217 ha) at an elevation of 698 feet (213 m) above mean sea level. It has two runways: 18/36 is 6,701 by 150 feet (2,042 x 46 m) with an asphalt surface and 12/30 is 5,351 by 100 feet (1,631 x 30 m) with a concrete surface.
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2009, the airport had 20,172 aircraft operations, an average of 55 per day: 74% general aviation, 16% air taxi, and 9% scheduled commercial, and <1% military. In November 2016, there were 42 aircraft based at this airport: 38 single-engine, 1 multi-engine, 2 jet and 1 ultralight.
Airline and destinations
The following airline offers scheduled passenger service:
Incidents
On November 19, 1996, United Express Flight 5925 (operated by Great Lakes Airlines) departed Burlington bound for Quincy, IL collided with a King Air near the runway 4/13 intersection at Quincy Regional Airport. Probable cause was the King Air pilots did not monitor the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency due to Quincy having very low air traffic. 12 people perished in the accident. Seven were employees of Dresser Industries in Burlington.
On May 30, 2013, winds from a severe thunderstorm damaged and destroyed several hangars. Fortunately, nobody was hurt in this disaster.