Dane County Regional Airport

Dane County Regional Airport
Truax Field

Logo as of 2013
IATA: MSN – ICAO: KMSN – FAA LID: MSN
Summary
Airport type Public
Owner/Operator Dane County
Serves Madison, Wisconsin
Location Madison, Wisconsin
Elevation AMSL 887 ft / 270 m
Coordinates 43°08′23″N 089°20′15″W / 43.13972°N 89.33750°W / 43.13972; -89.33750
Website www.MSNairport.com
Map
MSN
MSN

Location of airport in Wisconsin/United States

Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
18/36 9,006 2,745 Concrete
3/21 7,200 2,195 Concrete
14/32 5,846 1,782 Concrete
Statistics
Aircraft operations (2016) 79,731
Based aircraft (2016) 167
Departure Enplanements (12 months ending Aug '16) 866,000
Sources: airport web site[1] and FAA[2]
For the Air National Guard use of this facility, see Truax Field Air National Guard Base.

Dane County Regional Airport (IATA: MSN, ICAO: KMSN, FAA LID: MSN) (formerly Truax Field) is a civil-military airport six miles northeast of downtown Madison, the capital of Wisconsin.[2] 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 small-hub primary commercial service facility.[3]

It has three runways and in 2012 it served 1.6 million passengers. MSN serves American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines and United Airlines. These airlines have non-stop flights to thirteen hubs with over 94 departures and arrivals daily and additional destinations such as Washington DC, New York City and Orlando. Delta and United provide service with Airbus A319s, A320s, Boeing 737s and 757s which are among the largest aircraft seen at the airport.

Truax Field was named in honor of Lieutenant Thomas L. Truax, USAAF, a Wisconsin native who was killed (along with his wingman, Lieutenant Speckman) in a P-40 training accident during poor weather in San Anselmo, CA on November 2, 1941, just before the United States' entry into World War II.

The airport is home to the 1st Battalion 147th Aviation Regiment and is an Air Assault Battalion in the Wisconsin Army National Guard. The 1-147th operates the UH-60M Blackhawk Helicopter and has deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. 115th Fighter Wing of the Wisconsin Air National Guard, which operates F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft. The 115th Fighter Wing is one of 14 operational air defense units responsible for air defense of the eastern continental United States.

History

Originally known as Madison Army Airfield, Truax Field was activated as an U.S. Army Air Forces airfield in June 1942 during World War II. During the war it was used by the Army Air Force Eastern Technical Training Center, a major school operating at Truax AAF for training radio operators and mechanics, and later expanded to training in radar operations, control tower operations and other communications fields for the Army Airways Communication Service. A unit established in 1943 trained radio operators and mechanics on B-29 Superfortress communications equipment. The host unit on the airfield was the 334th (later 3508th) Army Air Force Base Unit. On September 17, 1945, the airfield's mission was changed to that of a separation center, and it was closed as an active AAF airfield on November 30, 1945.

Conveyed to local civil authorities, the Madison Municipal Airport became the home of the Wisconsin Air National Guard and its present-day 115th Fighter Wing (115 FW), an Air National Guard fighter wing operationally-gained by the Air Combat Command (ACC) and which still operates from the base, flying the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

A 31,000 square foot terminal building was built on the west side of the airfield. The cost was $2.36 million, and it opened on December 15, 1966. In 1986 the airport tripled in size with a $12 million project that expanded the terminal from 32,000 square feet to 90,000 square feet, adding a second level concourse with six boarding bridges.[4]

In 2006 the airport completed a $65 million expansion that doubled the size of the terminal, built in a Frank Lloyd Wright-influenced prairie style designed by the Architectural Alliance based in Minneapolis.[5] New features include more restaurant and retail area post-security, an art court, and both business and family lounges. As has been the case in the past decade the airport has once again been adding additional parking since 2007. The new terminal holds 13 gates with jetways, WiFi, 6 restaurants, family and business gathering rooms, and an art gallery.

Facilities and aircraft

Aerial view, 2000.

Dane County Regional Airport covers 3,500 acres at an elevation of 887 feet (270 m) above mean sea level. It has three concrete runways: 18/36 is 9,006 by 150 feet (2,745 x 46 m); 3/21 is 7,200 by 150 feet (2,195 x 46 m); 14/32 is 5,846 by 150 feet (1,782 x 46 m). [2]

The fixed-base operator (FBO) is Wisconsin Aviation,[6] which purchased the assets of the former FBO, Four Lakes Aviation, in 1994.

More recent data shows the following operations annually for the last six years:[7]

2005: 115,818
2006: 115,613
2007: 119,760
2008: 111,134
2009: 96,700
2010: 96,205
2011: 83,263
2012: 82,777

In 1927 the City of Madison purchased 290 acres of land for $35,380. Previously a cabbage patch for a nearby sauerkraut factory, the newly acquired land would later become the present day home of the Dane County Regional Airport (MSN Airport, 2012). In January 1936, the city council voted to accept a WPA grant for construction of four runways and an airplane hangar. Additional grants financed the terminal and administrative building as well as electric floodlights. The development price tag was $1,000,000 – 10% paid by the city and remainder by the federal government (MSN Airport, 2012). In September 1938, Barnstormer Howard Morey of Chicago, Edgar Quinn and J.J. McMannamy organized the Madison Airways Corporation (MSN Airport, 2012).

In 1942, operation of the airfield was also transferred to the US Army Air Corps. The airfield was renamed Truax Field, in honor of Madisonian Lt. Thomas L. Truax, who died in a training flight shortly before the attack on Pearl Harbor. Twenty years later in 1962, the city completed a long-range master plan – paving the way for a grant from the Federal Aid to Airports Program – a new terminal and taxiway system was designed. This would be the first expansion for the airport. A modern 31,000 square foot terminal building was built across the airfield on the west side – which was eight-times larger than the original east side terminal. The cost of the new terminal was $2.36 million, it opened on December 15, 1966. By 1968, the US Air Force was completely phased out at Truax field, leaving the Wisconsin Air National Guard to perform alert/interceptor mission exclusively 770 acres of land and many buildings were deeded to the city.

A view of the airport and surroundings during construction, June 1937.

In 1974, newer transportation was introduced to the airport, they added jet service through Northwest Orient Airlines and were averaging over 500,000 passengers per year. In 1986, the airport tripled in size with a $12 million project that expanded the terminal from 32,000 square feet to 90,000 square feet, adding a second level concourse with six boarding bridges.

In 1991, a $3.8 million expansion added a 50-foot high glass atrium and a commuter gate – expanding the terminal to over 125,000 square feet. A multi-level parking structure was built in 1993, with an additional level added in 1998. In 2001, a groundbreaking ceremony initiated a 5-year, $68 million building project that doubled the size of the terminal to 274,000 square feet.

In 2009, the airport received $4 million in stimulus dollars to expand taxiway B to the south end of runway 18-36.[8] The taxiway is primarily used by WI air national guard aircraft and also allows private jets to return to the fixed-base operator without having to hold on taxiway A to cross the main runway.

In 2014, several additional levels creating 1,600 covered parking spaces, were being added to one of the airport parking structures at a cost of $30 million.[9][10]

In 2014, the airport secured funding for a Category II instrument landing system and other systems to facilitate low visibility landings.[11]

In November 2016, there were 167 aircraft based at this airport: 79 single-engine, 15 multi-engine, 18 jet, 15 helicopter and 40 various military aircraft.

Airlines and destinations

Planes at MSN in 2011

Passenger

AirlinesDestinations
American Eagle Charlotte, Chicago–O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth
Delta Air Lines Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul
Delta Connection Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York–LaGuardia, Salt Lake City, Washington–National
Frontier Airlines Denver, Orlando (resumes January 5, 2017)[12]
United Airlines Chicago–O'Hare, Denver
United Express Chicago–O'Hare, Denver, Newark

Cargo

AirlinesDestinations
FedEx Express Appleton, Cedar Rapids/Iowa City, Des Moines, Indianapolis, Memphis, Sioux Falls
FedEx Feeder
operated by CSA Air 		Appleton, Mosinee
Freight Runners Express Milwaukee, Wisconsin Dells

Statistics

Top destinations

Busiest domestic routes from MSN (Sep 2015 – Aug 2016)[13]
Rank Airport Passengers Carriers
1 Chicago–O'Hare, Illinois 197,280 American, United
2 Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota 158,300 Delta
3 Detroit, Michigan 151,380 Delta
4 Atlanta, Georgia 109,910 Delta
5 Denver, Colorado 97,620 Frontier, United
6 Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas 57,420 American
7 New York–LaGuardia, New York 26,890 Delta
8 Newark, New Jersey 16,770 United
9 Salt Lake City, Utah 16,400 Delta
10 Charlotte, North Carolina 15,570 American

References

  1. ↑ Dane County Regional Airport, official web site
  2. 1 2 3 FAA Airport Master Record for MSN (Form 5010 PDF), effective Nov 10, 2016.
  3. ↑ "List of NPIAS Airports" (PDF). FAA.gov. Federal Aviation Administration. 21 October 2016. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  4. ↑ History Of The Dane County Regional Airport
  5. ↑ Dane County Regional Airport Opens to Rave Reviews
  6. ↑ Wisconsin Aviation, the airport's fixed-base operator (FBO)
  7. ↑ Air Traffic Activity System (ATADS). (2010). ATADS: Airport operations: Standard report. Retrieved from http://aspm.faa.gov/opsnet/sys/opsnet-server-x.asp
  8. ↑ "Stimulus Gives $4M for Dane County Airport Taxiway". The Capital Times. March 30, 2009.
  9. ↑ Ivey, Mike (October 8, 2013). "Epic Systems driving $30 million parking expansion at airport". The Capital Times.
  10. ↑ "Parking Expansion Construction Project Begins". msnairport.com. May 6, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Airport To Secure Funding For Precision Instrument Approach". msnairport.com. June 16, 2014.
  12. ↑ http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12243472/frontier-airlines-resumes-msn-mco-service
  13. ↑ "Madison, WI: Dane County Regional-Truax Field (MSN)". Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT). Retrieved Nov 14, 2016.
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