Airport type Public Elevation AMSL 1,749 ft / 533 m 12/30 6,898 Elevation 533 m | Website watertownsdairport.com Code ATY Phone +1 605-882-6209 | |
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Address 2416 Boeing Ave, Watertown, SD 57201, USA | ||
Watertown Regional Airport (IATA: ATY, ICAO: KATY, FAA LID: ATY), formerly Watertown Municipal Airport, is a city owned public use airport located 2 nautical miles (4 km) northwest of Watertown, a city in Codington County, South Dakota, United States.
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The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2015-2019 categorized it as a non-primary commercial service facility. As per the Federal Aviation Administration, it had 4,348 passenger boardings (enplanements) in calendar year 2013, a decrease of 30.5% from 6,254 enplanements in 2012.
History
During World War II, the airfield was used by the United States Army Air Forces. It was used as a Second Air Force cold weather bomber training base as an auxiliary to Sioux Falls Army Air Field, and by Air Proving Ground Command.
B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator units underwent advanced training before going overseas. One unit that trained here was the 702d Bombardment Squadron of the 445th Bombardment Group.
Facilities and aircraft
Watertown Regional Airport covers 919 acres (372 ha) at an elevation of 1,749 feet (533 m) above mean sea level. It has two runways: 12/30 is 6,898 by 100 feet (2,102 x 30 m) asphalt and 17/35 is 6,893 by 100 feet (2,100 x 30 m) concrete.
In 2013 the airport had 15,200 aircraft operations, an average 42 per day: 72% general aviation, 18% air carrier, and 10% air taxi. At that time 32 aircraft were based at this airport: 69% single-engine, 19% multi-engine, 6% jet, and 6% glider.
The airport passenger terminal was renovated and updated in 2009, providing a refreshed and more efficient atmosphere for passengers. The upgrades included an entire overhaul of the interior design, as well as an expanded TSA inspection area. Currently, there is no jet bridge at the airport, as the turboprop planes that served the airport over the years did not work with that equipment. Passengers boarded the aircraft by walking outside on the apron to the aircraft steps.
Mesaba Airlines, operating as Northwest Airlink, and later, Delta Connection, served the Watertown community for over 10 years, with daily flights to Minneapolis/St. Paul using Saab 340 aircraft. When Delta discontinued the use of the Saab 340 in December 2011, and subsequently announced the cessation of air service to Watertown, flights from Minneapolis were temporarily provided using Delta's Canadair Regional Jet 200, until Great Lakes Airlines took over 4 months later.
The airport also offers free parking.
Notable visitors
President Barack Obama has landed at the airport twice, first in 2008 during his presidential campaign, and again on May 8, 2015, to address the graduating class of 2015 from Lake Area Technical Institute. Both times, President Obama has arrived on a Boeing 757 aircraft, during his campaign, using a chartered North American Airlines 757, and as president, using a smaller version of Air Force One.
Airline and destinations
Air service to Watertown is currently provided by Great Lakes Jet Express, operated by Aerodynamics, Inc. using 50-seat Embraer 145 jet aircraft. There are two daily flights to Denver, with a stop in Pierre. Service began on August 15th, 2016.
Former service
Service was previously provided by Great Lakes Airlines, which offered daily non-stop flights to Minneapolis/St. Paul using 19-seat Beechcraft 1900D aircraft, until city officials voted to end the airline service, citing unreliability of the airline. Great Lakes officially ceased air service to the airport on September 30, 2015.
Sun Country Airlines previously flew several seasonal charter flights throughout the year to Laughlin/Bullhead City International Airport in Arizona, in coordination with several travel agencies located in Watertown, using their Boeing 737-800 aircraft. These special trips were discontinued in 2015.