Puneet Varma (Editor)

Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport

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Airport type
  
Public

Elevation AMSL
  
808 ft / 246 m

14/32
  
7,302

Elevation
  
246 m

Owner
  
Rock County, Wisconsin

Serves
  
Janesville, Wisconsin

Website
  
jvlairport.com

Code
  
JVL

Phone
  
+1 608-757-5768

Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport

Location
  
Town of Rock, Rock County

Address
  
1716 W Airport Rd #100, Janesville, WI 53546, USA

Southern wisconsin regional airport


Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport (IATA: JVL, ICAO: KJVL, FAA LID: JVL) is a public airport located 3 nautical miles (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) southwest of the central business district of Janesville and north of Beloit in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. Formerly known as Rock County Airport, it is owned and operated by the Rock County government. The airport has no scheduled commercial passenger service.

Contents

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 regional general aviation facility.

Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport was home to the annual "Southern Wisconsin AirFEST", an event that featured aviation performing groups, such as the Blue Angels, the Thunderbirds and the Masters of Disaster.

Waukegan regional airport southern wisconsin regional airport


History

Several Rock County farms provided land for contract glider pilot training to the United States Army Air Forces in 1942. Training was provided by Morey Airplane Company using three turf runway locations in three township sections. C-47 Skytrains and Waco CG-4 unpowered Gliders were not used. The production CG-4A gliders were not delivered until after these northern civilian schools were closed. Aircraft furnished by the Army were single engine L type Cessna, Aeronca and Piper. There were no gliders and there was no glider towing. These schools became known as dead stick training.

The mission of the school was to train glider pilot students in approaches with the engine off, landing at a mark, night landing and strange field landing. Ground school instruction was in navigation, maintenance, meteorology, instruments, aircraft identification, chemical warfare defense, customs of service and physical training and drill.

These schools were inactivated at the end of 1942 or sooner. The farm fields used in Rock County were turned back to the farmers when the schools were closed. None of this glider pilot training in Rock County occurred at or on the current Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport space.-->

Facilities and aircraft

Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport covers an area of 1,343 acres (543 ha) at an elevation of 808 feet (246 m) above mean sea level. It contains three runways:

  • Runway 14/32: 7,302 x 150 ft (2,226 x 46 m), surface: concrete,
  • with approved ILS and GPS approaches.

  • Runway 4/22: 6,701 x 150 ft (2,042 x 46 m), surface: asphalt,
  • with approved ILS and GPS approaches.

  • Runway 18/36: 5,004 x 75 ft (1,525 x 23 m), surface: asphalt.
  • For the 12-month period ending March 31, 2016, the airport had 38,400 aircraft operations, an average of 105 per day: 91% general aviation, 9% air taxi and under 1% military. In March 2017, there were 65 aircraft based at this airport: 48 single-engine, 7 multi-engine, 7 jet and 3 helicopters.

    Southern Wisconsin AirFest

    The Southern Wisconsin AirFest was an annual event that attracted spectators from all over the United States. The show has hosted all three major North American jet teams.

    Show Cancellation

    Just as the 2012 show wrapped up, it was announced that the Southern Wisconsin AirFest would be not be put on again in future years. This action was mainly in part to the fact that many of the major performance teams are now placing more emphasis on larger shows in the area such as the Rockford Air show and EAA AirVenture.

    Tom Morgan, the director of the show announced that a show without an appearance from a major team would not draw a large enough crowd to fund AirFest.

    Show headliners

  • 2003: The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds were scheduled to perform but due to an accident in late September they were unable to perform at the show. In their place was the CF-18 Hornet
  • 2004: U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
  • 2005: U.S. Navy Blue Angels
  • 2006: U.S. Air Force F-16 Viper East Demo Team
  • 2007: U.S. Air Force F-16 Viper East Demo Team and Codename: Mary's Lamb
  • 2008: Canadian Armed Forces Snowbirds
  • 2009: U.S. Navy Blue Angels
  • 2010: U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and Canadian Armed Forces Snowbirds
  • 2011: VFA-122 Super Hornet West Coast Demo Team
  • 2012: United States Army Golden Knights Parachute Team and Black Diamond Jet Team
  • Past scheduled airline service

    SWRA has in the past, had scheduled airline passenger service. In 1979 it had service to Chicago-O'Hare on Republic Airlines and Midstate Airlines.

    References

    Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport Wikipedia