Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||||||
| Owner | Tompkins County | ||||||||||||||
| Serves | Ithaca, New York | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 1,099 ft / 335 m | ||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 42°29′28″N 076°27′30″W / 42.49111°N 76.45833°W | ||||||||||||||
| Website | www.FlyIthaca.com | ||||||||||||||
| Runway | |||||||||||||||
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| Statistics (2006) | |||||||||||||||
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Source: FAA and airport web site
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Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport (airport codes: ITH, KITH) is a public airport. It is owned by Tompkins County in New York, United States. The airport is about three miles (5 km) northeast of Ithaca. Ithaca is the largest city in Tompkins County.
The airport serves the southern Finger Lakes Region. It is used for both private and commercial flights. This means it handles passenger planes and cargo planes.
The East Hill Flying Club has been at the airport for over 50 years. This club offers flying lessons. Members can also use seven small planes. Taughannock Aviation is another company here. They offer private jet charters and management services. They are the main service provider for planes at the airport.
Contents
Airport History
Early Days of the Airport
The first airport in Ithaca was called Ithaca Municipal Airport. It was located west of downtown Ithaca. This old airport had only one short runway. It was also near train yards and marshes. Fog in the lake valley made it hard for planes to land. These things limited how much the airport could grow.
Cornell University opened the current airport in 1948. It is located on East Hill. In 1956, Cornell gave ownership of the airport to Tompkins County. The old airport site is now a park called Cass Park. An old airplane hangar there was made into the Hangar Theatre in 1975.
Airport Upgrades and Name Change
In 1994, the main runway was made longer. It grew from 5,801 feet (1,768 meters) to 6,601 feet (2,012 meters). A brand new terminal building also opened. This new building was much bigger than the old one. It was 33,000 square feet (3,000 m²).
The airport's name changed on March 20, 2001. It went from Tompkins County Airport to its current name. The runway that faces northwest (runway 32) has a special system. This system helps planes land safely in bad weather.
Changes in Airlines and Passengers
The number of passengers at the airport was highest in 1990. About 226,813 people flew through the airport that year. By 2000, three major airlines had left. These were Trans World Airlines, United Airlines, and Continental Airlines. They left to fly to places where they could make more money. This left US Airways as the only airline.
The airport faced challenges. It was a small market. Also, bigger airports like Syracuse Hancock International Airport were nearby. In late 2004, Northwest Airlines started new flights. They added service to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in May 2005. US Airways also brought back flights to Pittsburgh International Airport in November 2005. However, these flights stopped in April 2006 because not enough people used them.
With new flights, passenger numbers improved. About 140,000 passengers used the airport in 2004. This number grew to around 170,000 by 2007. On October 6, 2008, Continental Airlines started flights again. They offered four daily flights to Newark Liberty International Airport.
Airport Features
Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport covers an area of 531 acres (215 hectares). It has two runways. The main runway (14/32) is 6,601 feet (2,012 meters) long and 150 feet (46 meters) wide. It is made of asphalt. The second runway (15/33) is 2,018 feet (615 meters) long and 50 feet (15 meters) wide. It has a turf surface.
For the year ending October 31, 2006, the airport had 53,038 aircraft operations. This means planes took off or landed about 145 times each day. Most of these were private flights (77%). About 20% were scheduled commercial flights.
At that time, 62 aircraft were based at the airport. Most of these were single-engine planes (68%). Some were multi-engine (15%) or jets (16%). There were also a few ultralight aircraft.
Cornell University kept much of the land around the airport. They plan to build a research park there.
Airlines and Places You Can Fly To
| Airlines | Destinations |
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| Delta Connection operated by Pinnacle Airlines | Detroit |
| United Express operated by CommutAir | Newark |
| US Airways Express operated by Air Wisconsin | Philadelphia |
| US Airways Express operated by Mesaba | New York-LaGuardia |
| US Airways Express operated by Piedmont Airlines | Philadelphia |
| Continental Airlines | Newark |
Getting To and From the Airport
Bus Service
TCAT Route 32 goes to the Commons and Cornell University. This bus runs Monday through Friday. As of 2010, Route 72 serves the airport on weekends.
Taxi Service
Ithaca Dispatch (Cayuga, University, Yellow Cab) has a taxi stand at the airport. You might need to call ahead for a taxi, especially during busy times. The prices for rides to and from the airport are set.
Images for kids
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The Ithaca Airport tower at sunset
