Glacier Park International Airport
Encyclopedia
Glacier Park International Airport is a public airport serving Flathead County, Montana
, in the United States
. It located six miles (10 km) northeast of the central business district
of Kalispell
and also serves the towns of Evergreen
, Columbia Falls
, and Whitefish
as well as Glacier National Park. The airport is owned and operated by the Flathead Municipal Airport Authority, an independent public agency created by Flathead County in 1974.
The airport's former ICAO code was KFCA, and most air carriers still use that code for reservations purposes. Although most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier
for the FAA
and IATA
, Glacier Park International Airport is assigned GPI by the FAA and FCA by the IATA (which assigned GPI to Guapi Airport
in Guapi, Colombia
).
and changed to the current name. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, traffic picked up substantially, as Hughes Airwest
, Western Airlines
and Horizon Air
offered flights. The terminal
was upgraded in 1981, and further major upgrades to the terminal, runway
s and other facilities occurred throughout the 1990s. Between 1974 and 1998, the passenger traffic increased more than fivefold. http://www.glacierairport.com/gpia_history.html Service to Phoenix, Arizona
, on US Airways
(previously America West Airlines
was suspended in 2007.
paved runway
s: 2/20 measuring 9,006 x 150 ft (2,745 x 46 m) and 12/30 measuring 3,504 x 75 ft (1,068 x 23 m).
For the 12-month period ending January 1, 2007, the airport had 51,925 aircraft operations, an average of 142 per day: 70% general aviation
, 21% air taxi
, 8% scheduled commercial
and 1% military
. At that time there were 159 aircraft based at this airport: 78% single-engine
, 16% multi-engine and 3% jet
and 3% helicopter
.
Flathead County, Montana
-National protected areas:* Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail * Flathead National Forest * Glacier National Park * Kootenai National Forest * Lolo National Forest * Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It located six miles (10 km) northeast 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 Kalispell
Kalispell, Montana
Kalispell is a city in and the county seat of Flathead County, Montana, United States. The 2010 census put Kalispell's population at 19,927 up 5,704 over 2000. At 40.1% this is the largest percentage of growth of any incorporated city in Montana. Kalispell is the largest city and commercial center...
and also serves the towns of Evergreen
Evergreen, Montana
Evergreen is a census-designated place in Flathead County, Montana, United States. The population was 6,215 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Evergreen is located at ....
, Columbia Falls
Columbia Falls, Montana
Columbia Falls is a city in Flathead County, Montana, United States. The population was 3,645 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Columbia Falls is located at ....
, and Whitefish
Whitefish, Montana
Whitefish is a city in Flathead County, Montana, United States. The population was 5,032 at the 2000 census. It is home to a ski resort on Big Mountain called Whitefish Mountain Resort. Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer hails from Whitefish....
as well as Glacier National Park. The airport is owned and operated by the Flathead Municipal Airport Authority, an independent public agency created by Flathead County in 1974.
The airport's former ICAO code was KFCA, and most air carriers still use that code for reservations purposes. 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...
, Glacier Park International Airport is assigned GPI by the FAA and FCA by the IATA (which assigned GPI to Guapi Airport
Guapi Airport
Guapi Airport , also known asJuan Casiano Airport , is an airport serving Guapi, a municipality in the Cauca Department of Colombia....
in Guapi, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
).
History
The airport was originally built in 1942 under the name Flathead County Airport. For many years, passenger traffic remained fairly low. In 1970, the airport was designated for international trafficInternational airport
An international airport is any airport that can accommodate flights from other countries and are typically equipped with customs and immigration facilities to handle these flights to and from other countries...
and changed to the current name. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, traffic picked up substantially, as Hughes Airwest
Hughes Airwest
Hughes Airwest was an airline that was backed by Howard Hughes. Hughes Airwest flew routes around the western United States and to certain points in Mexico and Canada. The airline was purchased by Republic Airlines on October 1, 1980...
, Western Airlines
Western Airlines
Western Airlines was a large airline based in California, with operations throughout the Western United States, and hubs at Los Angeles International Airport, Salt Lake City International Airport, and the former Stapleton International Airport in Denver...
and Horizon Air
Horizon Air
Horizon Air Industries, Inc. is a regional low-cost airline based in SeaTac, Washington, United States. It is the eighth largest regional airline in the USA, serving 52 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico....
offered flights. The terminal
Airport terminal
An airport terminal is a building at an airport where passengers transfer between ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board and disembark from aircraft....
was upgraded in 1981, and further major upgrades to the terminal, 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 and other facilities occurred throughout the 1990s. Between 1974 and 1998, the passenger traffic increased more than fivefold. http://www.glacierairport.com/gpia_history.html Service to Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, on US Airways
US Airways
US Airways, Inc. is a major airline based in the U.S. city of Tempe, Arizona. The airline is an operating unit of US Airways Group and is the sixth largest airline by traffic and eighth largest by market value in the country....
(previously America West Airlines
America West Airlines
America West Airlines corporate offices were in Tempe, Arizona and the main hub was at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The airline became part of the US Airways Group after a merger in 2005....
was suspended in 2007.
Facilities and aircraft
Glacier Park International Airport covers an area of 1505 acres (609.1 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: 2/20 measuring 9,006 x 150 ft (2,745 x 46 m) and 12/30 measuring 3,504 x 75 ft (1,068 x 23 m).
For the 12-month period ending January 1, 2007, the airport had 51,925 aircraft operations, an average of 142 per day: 70% 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...
, 21% 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...
, 8% scheduled commercial
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
and 1% military
Military aviation
Military aviation is the use of aircraft and other flying machines for the purposes of conducting or enabling warfare, including national airlift capacity to provide logistical supply to forces stationed in a theater or along a front. Air power includes the national means of conducting such...
. At that time there were 159 aircraft based at this airport: 78% single-engine
Aircraft engine
An aircraft engine is the component of the propulsion system for an aircraft that generates mechanical power. Aircraft engines are almost always either lightweight piston engines or gas turbines...
, 16% multi-engine and 3% jet
Jet aircraft
A jet aircraft is an aircraft propelled by jet engines. Jet aircraft generally fly much faster than propeller-powered aircraft and at higher altitudes – as high as . At these altitudes, jet engines achieve maximum efficiency over long distances. The engines in propeller-powered aircraft...
and 3% helicopter
Helicopter
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...
.
Airlines and destinations
External links
- Glacier Park International Airport, official site
- Glacier Jet Center, Fixed Base Operator