Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport
Encyclopedia
Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport is a public airport
situated on the shore of Lake Erie
, in the northeast part of downtown
Cleveland
, in Cuyahoga County
, Ohio
, United States
. It classified as a general aviation
airport and is an FAA designated reliever to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
(CLE), which is Greater Cleveland
's primary airport. In 2008, based on FAA data, Burke Lakefront was the fourth busiest airport in the state of Ohio (after, in order, Cleveland Hopkins, Port Columbus International
and Akron-Canton
, up from 7th in 2007. It is named after former Cleveland mayor and U.S. senator Thomas A. Burke
.
The airport is owned and operated by the city of Cleveland, which also operates Hopkins. It serves a growing number of corporate jet
s and air taxi services. Burke handled 20,618 air taxi operations in 2005, and 23,370 in 2006. BKL handled 18,595 air taxi operations in the first ten months of 2007. Burke Lakefront handles approximately 87,000 operations per year (average of 2000 to 2006). (60,013 for the first ten months of 2007).
and Cincinnati
, as well as to Hilton Head, SC
. However, this service was short-lived. Wright Airlines
was based at BKL in the 1970s and 1980s, before declaring bankruptcy. In 1979, Midway Airlines operated service from BKL to MDW in Chicago, before moving their operations to Hopkins.
, last held in 2007, a Champ Car
race which required the airport to be briefly shut down. Burke Lakefront Airport was the only airport in the country to host such a major car race
which required careful maintenance of the runways in order to keep them safe for cars at high speeds. The airport is also the site of the annual Cleveland National Air Show
, usually held over the Labor Day
weekend.
paved runway
s:
6L/24R measuring 6,198 x 150 ft (1,889 x 46 m) and 6R/24L measuring 5,197 x 100 ft (1,584 x 30 m). The airfield is fully capable of handling 737's, 757's, A320's, and smaller aircraft for normal operations.
The airport has two fixed-base operators on the grounds.
In 2004, the airport had 84,101 aircraft operations, an average of 230 per day: 76% general aviation
, 24% air taxi
, 1% military and <1% scheduled commercial.
and 11% jet.
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...
situated on the shore of Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
, in the northeast part of downtown
Downtown Cleveland
Downtown Cleveland is the central business district of the City of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. Reinvestment in the area in the mid-1990s spurred a rebirth that continues to this day, with over $2 billion in residential and commercial developments slated for the area over the next few years...
Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, in Cuyahoga County
Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Cuyahoga County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. It is the most populous county in Ohio; as of the 2010 census, the population was 1,280,122. Its county seat is Cleveland. Cuyahoga County is part of Greater Cleveland, a metropolitan area, and Northeast Ohio, a...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It classified as a 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...
airport and is an FAA designated reliever to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is a public airport located nine miles southwest of the central business district of Cleveland, a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The airport lies just within the city limits of Cleveland...
(CLE), which is Greater Cleveland
Greater Cleveland
Greater Cleveland is a nickname for the metropolitan area surrounding Cleveland, Ohio and is part of what used to be the Connecticut Western Reserve.Northeast Ohio refers to a similar but substantially larger area as described below...
's primary airport. In 2008, based on FAA data, Burke Lakefront was the fourth busiest airport in the state of Ohio (after, in order, Cleveland Hopkins, Port Columbus International
Port Columbus International Airport
Port Columbus International Airport , commonly shortened to Port Columbus, is a Class C international airport located east of downtown Columbus, Ohio, USA. It is managed by the Columbus Regional Airport Authority, which also oversees operations at Rickenbacker International Airport and Bolton Field...
and Akron-Canton
Akron-Canton Regional Airport
Akron-Canton Regional Airport is a commercial Class C airport located in the city of Green, in southern Summit County, Ohio roughly southeast of Akron, northwest of Canton, and northeast of Massillon...
, up from 7th in 2007. It is named after former Cleveland mayor and U.S. senator Thomas A. Burke
Thomas A. Burke
Thomas Aloysius Burke was a Democratic Party politician from Ohio. He served as the 48th mayor of Cleveland, Ohio and in the United States Senate from November 10, 1953 until December 2, 1954. Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport is named after him.Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Burke served in the U.S...
.
The airport is owned and operated by the city of Cleveland, which also operates Hopkins. It serves a growing number of corporate jet
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...
s and air taxi services. Burke handled 20,618 air taxi operations in 2005, and 23,370 in 2006. BKL handled 18,595 air taxi operations in the first ten months of 2007. Burke Lakefront handles approximately 87,000 operations per year (average of 2000 to 2006). (60,013 for the first ten months of 2007).
Recent commercial air service
Since late 2006, there has been no commercial air service at the airport. The airline Destination One, briefly provided scheduled charter service between BKL and airports near the downtowns of DetroitDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
and Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, as well as to Hilton Head, SC
Hilton Head Airport
Hilton Head Airport , also known as Hilton Head Island Airport, is a county and town-owned, public-use airport located in northeastern Hilton Head Island in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. It is mostly used for general aviation but is also served by a commercial airline and one...
. However, this service was short-lived. Wright Airlines
Wright Airlines
Wright Airlines, founded in Cleveland, OH in 1966 is regarded as the first United States Regional airline. The airline was based in Cleveland at Burke Lakefront Airport. The airline has since gone out of business.-Business:...
was based at BKL in the 1970s and 1980s, before declaring bankruptcy. In 1979, Midway Airlines operated service from BKL to MDW in Chicago, before moving their operations to Hopkins.
Events
The airport was the site of the annual Grand Prix of ClevelandGrand Prix of Cleveland
The Grand Prix of Cleveland was an open wheel automobile racing event in the Champ Car World Series, held annually at Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America. The 2006 race, held on June 25, marked the 25th anniversary of the event...
, last held in 2007, a Champ Car
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
race which required the airport to be briefly shut down. Burke Lakefront Airport was the only airport in the country to host such a major car race
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
which required careful maintenance of the runways in order to keep them safe for cars at high speeds. The airport is also the site of the annual Cleveland National Air Show
Cleveland National Air Show
The Cleveland National Air Show is an annual air show held on Labor Day weekend at Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland, Ohio. It was established in 1964 as an indirect successor to the National Air Races. The show includes stunt airplanes, modern fighters and alternates between the Blue Angels and...
, usually held over the Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
weekend.
Accidents
- In early 2008, a small twin-engined aircraft crashed into Lake Erie shortly after takeoff. The 68-year-old pilot was rumored to have had a heart attack as he made a turn to Niagara Falls.
- In September 2009, a TS-11 Iskra practicing for the air show made a gear up landing. The pilot was unharmed and the aircraft received only light damage to the cowling and left wing. It remains on the airport grounds to this day.
Facilities
Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport covers an area of 450 acres (182.1 ha) which contains two 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...
s:
6L/24R measuring 6,198 x 150 ft (1,889 x 46 m) and 6R/24L measuring 5,197 x 100 ft (1,584 x 30 m). The airfield is fully capable of handling 737's, 757's, A320's, and smaller aircraft for normal operations.
The airport has two fixed-base operators on the grounds.
In 2004, the airport had 84,101 aircraft operations, an average of 230 per day: 76% 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...
, 24% 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...
, 1% military and <1% scheduled commercial.
Aircraft
There are 72 aircraft based at this airport: 53% single-engine, 18% multi-engine, 18% helicopterHelicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
and 11% jet.