Chester County G. O. Carlson Airport
Encyclopedia
Chester County G. O. Carlson Airport is a public-use airport
located two miles (3 km) west of the central business district
of Coatesville
, in Chester County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. It is owned by the Chester County Area Airport Authority.
Chester County's airport identifier
was formerly 40N, but it has recently changed to MQS. The airport is adjacent to Keystone Heliport. JetDirect Aviation, a fixed base operator
, and flight training offered by Chester County Aviation, are also located on field.
Although most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier
for the FAA
and IATA
, Chester County Airport is assigned MQS by the FAA and CTH by the IATA (which assigned MQS to Mustique Airport on Mustique
island in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
).
purchased the airport and took over operations. At this time, the Chester County Area Airport Authority was formed and the airport was renamed to the Chester County Airport. After only three years, in 1962, the airport was renamed to its current name in honor of the first Authority chairman, G. O. Carlson.
paved runway
designated 11/29 and measuring 5,400 x 100 ft (1,646 x 30 m). For the 12-month period ending November 17, 2006, the airport had 52,000 aircraft operations, an average of 142 per day: 94% general aviation
, 6% air taxi
and <1% military. There are 96 aircraft based at this airport: 62% single-engine, 17% multi-engine, 20% jet, and 1% helicopter.
, is planned south of the current runway. New hangars will be built to accommodate corporate jets
. The biggest project planned is that of building a brand new 6000 feet (1,828.8 m) long runway that will be more aligned with the usual winds at the airport. This runway will not replace the current runway, but simply add a new option for arriving and departing traffic. A control tower
is also being discussed for the future, if traffic increases.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located two miles (3 km) west of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Coatesville
Coatesville, Pennsylvania
Coatesville is the only city in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 13,100 at the 2010 census. Coatesville is approximately 39 miles west of Philadelphia....
, in Chester County
Chester County, Pennsylvania
-State parks:*French Creek State Park*Marsh Creek State Park*White Clay Creek Preserve-Demographics:As of the 2010 census, the county was 85.5% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 3.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.8% were two or more races, and 2.4% were...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is owned by the Chester County Area Airport Authority.
Chester County's airport identifier
Location identifier
A location identifier is a symbolic representation for the name and the location of an airport, navigation aid, or weather station, and is used for manned air traffic control facilities in air traffic control, telecommunications, computer programming, weather reports, and related services.-ICAO...
was formerly 40N, but it has recently changed to MQS. The airport is adjacent to Keystone Heliport. JetDirect Aviation, a fixed base operator
Fixed base operator
A Fixed-base operator or commonly abbreviated FBO is a term developed in the United States after the passage of the Air Commerce Act of 1926...
, and flight training offered by Chester County Aviation, are also located on field.
Although most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier
Location identifier
A location identifier is a symbolic representation for the name and the location of an airport, navigation aid, or weather station, and is used for manned air traffic control facilities in air traffic control, telecommunications, computer programming, weather reports, and related services.-ICAO...
for the FAA
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
and IATA
International Air Transport Association
The International Air Transport Association is an international industry trade group of airlines headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the International Civil Aviation Organization is also headquartered. The executive offices are at the Geneva Airport in SwitzerlandIATA's mission is to...
, Chester County Airport is assigned MQS by the FAA and CTH by the IATA (which assigned MQS to Mustique Airport on Mustique
Mustique
Mustique is a small private island in the West Indies. The island is one of a group of islands called the Grenadines, most of which form part of the country of St Vincent and the Grenadines....
island in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is an island country in the Lesser Antilles chain, namely in the southern portion of the Windward Islands, which lie at the southern end of the eastern border of the Caribbean Sea where the latter meets the Atlantic Ocean....
).
History
The airport first opened May 1, 1928 as Coatesville Airport and was owned and operated by the City of Coatesville. In 1959, Chester CountyChester County, Pennsylvania
-State parks:*French Creek State Park*Marsh Creek State Park*White Clay Creek Preserve-Demographics:As of the 2010 census, the county was 85.5% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 3.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.8% were two or more races, and 2.4% were...
purchased the airport and took over operations. At this time, the Chester County Area Airport Authority was formed and the airport was renamed to the Chester County Airport. After only three years, in 1962, the airport was renamed to its current name in honor of the first Authority chairman, G. O. Carlson.
Facilities and aircraft
Chester County G. O. Carlson Airport covers an area of 250 acres (101.2 ha) which contains one asphaltAsphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
paved runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
designated 11/29 and measuring 5,400 x 100 ft (1,646 x 30 m). For the 12-month period ending November 17, 2006, the airport had 52,000 aircraft operations, an average of 142 per day: 94% general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
, 6% air taxi
Air taxi
An air taxi is an air charter passenger or cargo aircraft which operates on an on-demand basis.-Regulation:In the United States, air taxi and air charter operations are governed by Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations , unlike the larger scheduled air carriers which are governed by more...
and <1% military. There are 96 aircraft based at this airport: 62% single-engine, 17% multi-engine, 20% jet, and 1% helicopter.
Expansion
As part of the 12-year-plan for the airport, many construction projects are planned for the airport. A new apronAirport ramp
The airport ramp or apron is part of an airport. It is usually the area where aircraft are parked, unloaded or loaded, refueled or boarded. Although the use of the apron is covered by regulations, such as lighting on vehicles, it is typically more accessible to users than the runway or taxiway...
, is planned south of the current runway. New hangars will be built to accommodate corporate jets
Business jet
Business jet, private jet or, colloquially, bizjet is a term describing a jet aircraft, usually of smaller size, designed for transporting groups of up to 19 business people or wealthy individuals...
. The biggest project planned is that of building a brand new 6000 feet (1,828.8 m) long runway that will be more aligned with the usual winds at the airport. This runway will not replace the current runway, but simply add a new option for arriving and departing traffic. A control tower
Control tower
A control tower, or more specifically an Air Traffic Control Tower , is the name of the airport building from which the air traffic control unit controls the movement of aircraft on and around the airport. Control towers are also used to control the traffic for other forms of transportation such...
is also being discussed for the future, if traffic increases.