Mankato Regional Airport

Mankato Regional Airport (IATA: MKT, ICAO: KMKT, FAA LID: MKT) is a public airport located five miles (8 km) northeast of the central business district of Mankato, a city in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, United States. This airport is publicly owned by the city of Mankato.[1] The airport is home to Northstar Aviation (FBO) and Minnesota State University's flight training program. Base to Mn composite Squadron Mn 048 Civil Air Patrol (CAP/USAF-AUX)

Mankato Regional Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerCity of Mankato
LocationMankato, Minnesota
Elevation AMSL1,020 ft / 311 m
Coordinates44°13′18″N 093°55′07″W
Map
MKT
Location of airport in Minnesota / United States
MKT
MKT (the United States)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
15/33 6,600 2,012 Concrete
4/22 4,000 1,219 Asphalt
Statistics
Aircraft operations (2015)119,320
Based aircraft (2017)74

Facilities and aircraft

Mankato Regional Airport covers an area of 900 acres (360 ha) and contains two runways:[1]

  • Runway 4/22: 4,000 x 75 ft (1,219 x 23 m), Surface: Asphalt
  • Runway 15/33: 6,600 x 100 ft (2,012 x 30 m), Surface: Concrete (Expanded from 5,400 feet (1,600 m) in 2007)

For the 12-month period ending 31 July 2015 the airport had 119,320 aircraft operations, an average of 327 per day: 97% general aviation, 3% air taxi and less than 1% military.[1] In March 2017, there were 74 aircraft based at this airport: 56 single-engine, 13 multi-engine, 2 jet, 2 helicopter and 1 ultralight.[1]

History

By 1960, North Central Airlines provided schedule service to Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport and Sioux Falls, SD with stops at Mankato, Fairmont, and Worthington.[2] North Central Airlines final scheduled flight using a Douglas DC-3 took place on 7 February 1969 as flight #774. It flew the 30 minute leg from Mankato, Minnesota to Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport.[3]

On December 22, 1969 the Mankato City Council approved Imperial Airways Inc. request to begin commercial helicopter service between Mankato and the Minneapolis/St Paul International Airport. The service started on December 26, 1969 with two daily round trip flights using Bell Jet Rangers.[4] On December 4, 1970 Imperial Airways announced it was canceling its scheduled helicopter service flights in Minnesota. Other routes that where cut its routes from Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport to Rochester, Minnesota and to downtown Minneapolis.[5]

While no airlines serve Mankato Regional Airport as of August 2020, Sun Country Airlines, in partnership with Landline, began bus service between Mankato and Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport in November 2019. This service allows customers to book one itinerary from Mankato that includes bus transfer to Minneapolis, and then their flight to the next destination. Customers are allowed to check baggage in Mankato to be transferred directly to the aircraft, but must clear security in Minneapolis. It also offers rebooking services in case flights or buses are delayed, ensuring customers are booked on another flight or bus to their final destination.[6]

On August 17, 2020, Air Force One landed at Mankato Regional Airport for the first time. Due to the small size of the airport, President Donald J. Trump used a Boeing C-32 as Air Force One, instead of the usual Boeing VC-25.[7][8]

References
  1. FAA Airport Form 5010 for MKT PDF, effective 30 March 2017.
  2. "Airline Timetable Images". Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  3. "North Central Airlines History". Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  4. "Copter Service From Mankota to Cities Cleared". Minneapolis Star Tribune. 24 December 1969.
  5. "Helicopter Firm Cuts Flights to State Cities". Minneapolis Star Tribune. 5 December 1970.
  6. "Sun Country reaches out to Duluth, Mankato air travelers, with a coach bus to MSP". Star Tribune. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  7. "Trump counters Biden with law and order message in Minnesota". ABC 6 NEWS. 17 August 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  8. Mewes, Trey. "Update: Trump offers combative message in Mankato". Mankato Free Press. Retrieved 20 August 2020.


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