Meridian Regional Airport
Encyclopedia
Meridian Regional Airport is a public airport
located on Key Field, a joint civil-military airfield located 3 NM southwest of the city of Meridian
in Lauderdale County
, Mississippi
, United States
. It is owned by Meridian Airport Authority.
The airport is served by one commercial airline, but is primarily used for general aviation
and military
traffic. At 10,003 feet, Key Field is home to the longest public use runway in Mississippi.
, hangar
, powerhouse
and a graded and packed dirt runway
. Meridian city officials asked Al and Fred Key
, who operated the Key Brothers' Flying School at Bonita, to co-manage the new facility. The brothers maintained their flying school at the new field as well as their other duties, such as selling commercial airline tickets, operating the terminal and hangar, and handling airmail delivery schedules.
With the onset of the Great Depression
, the City of Meridian considered abandoning the airport because of the cost of maintenance. Airmail deliveries tapered off, and few people could afford to take commercial flights or pay for flying lessons. The Key Brothers, however, devised a scheme to keep the airport operating. They hoped that by breaking the standing flight endurance record of 23 days they would focus worldwide attention on Meridian and its airport.
From June 4 until July 1, 1935, the brothers flew over Meridian; a total flight time of over 27 days. Key Field is named in their honor. The hangar and offices used by the Key brothers preceding and following the flight are still in use today and are listed in the National Register of Historic Places
.
Alarmed by the fall of France in 1940, Congress funded an increase in the strength of the United States Army Air Corps
(USAAC) from 29 to 54 combat groups. The quickest way for the United States Army Air Corps to obtain additional bases was to utilize existing civil airports. The Air Corps signed an agreement to lease Key Field. The 153rd Observation Squadron (Mississippi National Guard) was federalized and activated at the airfield on 15 October 1940. Key Field was placed under the command of Third Air Force
, and in 1941, the USAAC became the US Army Air Forces (USAAF).
Once under USAAF control, a large construction program was needed to turn the civil airport into a military airfield. Construction involved runways and airplane hangars, with three concrete runways, several taxiways and a large parking apron and a control tower. Several large hangars were also constructed. Buildings were ultimately utilitarian and quickly assembled. Most base buildings, not meant for long-term use, were constructed of temporary or semi-permanent materials. Although some hangars had steel frames and the occasional brick or tile brick building could be seen, most support buildings sat on concrete foundations but were of frame construction clad in little more than plywood and tarpaper.
The initial mission of Key Field was the training of operational units for overseas combat duty. The first training unit assigned was the 50th Pursuit(later Fighter) Group, equipped with Curtiss P-40
s. Arriving on 3 October 1941, the group was assigned to III Fighter Command School with a mission to test equipment and conduct training in air defense operations. The group also trained fighter pilots and furnished cadres to night fighter units being developed at the Army Air Force School of Applied Tactics
, being organized in Florida
. On 22 March 1943, the group was reassigned to AAFSAT and moved to Orlando AAF.
The 50th FG was supplemented by the 76th Reconnaissance Group
, in March 1942, which was equipped with P-39 Aircobras, P-40s and also A-20 Havoc light bombers. The 76th RG performed similar training as the 50th did, and also taught dive-bombing techniques with the A-20s. The 76th RG also assisted the Second Army with training maneuvers.
With the departure of the 76th RG, Key Field became a training center for B-25 Mitchell
medium bombardment units. The following medium bomb groups were equipped and trained at the airfield:
Medium bomber training was moved to Columbia AAB, South Carolina in June 1942. Key Field then switched to attack and dive bombing training of the following units:
The 86th Bombardment Group arrived on 7 August 1942 and remained until 19 March 1943. Training was shifted from training operational units to that of replacement personnel training, with the 86th being the host Training Unit. The 86th then itself deployed to Europe in March 1943.
Key Field was reassigned to III Reconnaissance Command
in the summer of 1943, with an additional mission to train aerial reconnaissance units.
With the end of the war in September 1945, activities at Key Field were diminished. The airfield was returned to civil control in 1946, and allocated to the reconstituted Mississippi
Air National Guard
.
's 186th Air Refueling Wing
(186 ARW). Operationally gained by the Air Mobility Command
(AMC), the 186 ARW operates a fleet of KC-135R Stratotanker
aerial refueling and cargo aircraft.
Key Field is also home to the Mississippi Army National Guard
's 185th Army Aviation Support Facility, Company G. The 185th operates a fleet of CH-47 Chinook
helicopters, a multi-purpose transport/cargo helicopter capable of carrying 55 troops and gear or can also sling-load up to 25,000 pounds.
Navy T-45 Goshawk
aircraft from nearby NAS Meridian and Air Force T-6A, T-1A and T-38
C aircraft from Columbus AFB also frequently practice approaches and other procedures over Key Field.
Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) capabilities are provided by the Air National Guard
. Due to their mission as an air refueling wing, the ANG ARFF assets provide the entire airport with firefighting capabilities that will rival any airport in the Southeastern United States.
In 2008, the 186 ARW entered into an arrangement with the active Air Force, hosting an operational training detachment for USAF-operated MC-12W
aircraft under a program known as Project Liberty. The MC-12W is a USAF intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platform and Air Combat Command
(ACC) asset, which was fielded under an ambitious timeline in 2008 and 2009 to meet ground support ISR requirements in the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) Area of Responsibility for Operations Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Iraqi Freedom (OIF). A derivative of the C-12 Huron
, the MC-12W Liberty platform was created in response to Defense Secretary Robert Gates
' initiative to better support warfighters on the ground with increased ISR in theater. USAF plans to procure 38 MC-12W aircraft. Mission qualification training in the MC-12W is currently conducted by a combined active Air Force and Air National Guard
detachment embedded with the 186 ARW at Key Field.
According to the 2005 BRAC
Report, the 186 ARW is to be reassigned per recommendation #97, distributing its KC-135R aircraft between the Air National Guard
's 101 ARW, 128 ARW, and 134 ARW, in Maine
, Wisconsin
, and Tennessee
, respectively. The BRAC Report also states that the 186 ARW's aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) positions are to be reassigned to the Mississippi Air National Guard's 172nd Airlift Wing (172 AW), an AMC-gained C-17 Globemaster III
unit at Jackson International Airport. These transfers are to take place in 2010 and 2011, although the recent addition of the MC-12W Project Liberty program at Key Field may delay or eliminate the ARFF reassignment.
In 2011, the same year that the 2005 BRAC realignments are to be completed, the 186th ARW is expecting to receive two new missions. According to Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour
and State Adjutant General Harold Cross, these missions are to be a new Joint Cargo Aircraft mission and an Air Force War Fighting Headquarters. According to Tom Williams, CEO of Meridian Airport Authority, this will result in an increase in local jobs at Meridian's Air National Guard facility.
of 297 feet (91 m) above mean sea level. It has two runway
s: 1/19 is 10,003 by 150 feet (3,049 x 46 m) with an asphalt
/concrete
surface and 4/22 is 4,599 by 150 feet (1,402 x 46 m) with an asphalt surface. The majority of the site is paved in asphalt, with a large parking area in front of the terminal. Only small areas around the buildings are unpaved, and landscaping
is limited to the terminal, which has shrubbery and an ornamental tree.
The old terminal building, hangar, and powerhouse at Key Field together form the earliest surviving airport complex in the state of Mississippi and were listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 2003. After being listed, the buildings were rehabilitated for use as a Cessna
flight training school and repair shop.
The old terminal building is a two-story brick building crowned with a gable
d roof and parapet
ed end walls. Facing east toward Highway 11
, the building is supported by a concrete foundation. The side wings and front pavilion of the terminal have flat parapeted roofs as well, and a gable-roofed porte-cochère
extends from the front pavilion and terminates at a taller brick wall, in which is a large arched opening. The front pavilion has another arched opening that leads to a recessed entrance. A one-story polygonal porch dominates the rear facade, facing the airfield. Flanking the porch, there are arched openings in the side wings as well. The second floor has a central door that opens onto the porch roof, forming an observation deck overlooking the airfield. The interior of the building contains a waiting room with the former manager's office to the north and the baggage and mailroom to the south. All the walls in the building are plaster
ed, and the floors are vinyl
tile. A staircase leads to the second floor, which is a single room that originally housed the weather bureau.
The rectangular hangar accommodates 10 planes, and is still in use today. The building is made of brick and has a concrete foundation. The roof is gabled, and the walls are parapeted. The end walls are capped by pent roofs and decorative brick panels framed by stucco. The north and south ends contain eight large sliding metal doors, which open to allow planes to roll in. The interior has a concrete floor, unfinished brick walls, and an unfinished ceiling with exposed steel trusses. There is a small office and washroom on the east end, and a staircase leads to a narrow second floor room that overlooks the workroom and hangar storage area. Located on the east side of the hangar, the Powerhouse is a one-story, one-by-one bay building with another gabled roof and parapeted walls. Entrance is gained through a door on the south side of the building, and the only other openings are a metal window on the east side, and a small vent on the west side.
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2009, the airport had 93,766 aircraft operations, an average of 256 per day: 67% military
, 31% general aviation
, 2% air taxi
, and <1% scheduled commercial
. At that time there were 75 aircraft based at this airport: 47% single-engine
, 13% multi-engine, 5% jet
, 12% helicopter
and 23% military
.
Meridian Regional Airport Authority operates Meridian Aviation, a full service FBO
on the airport.
program.
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 on Key Field, a joint civil-military airfield located 3 NM southwest of the city of Meridian
Meridian, Mississippi
Meridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
in Lauderdale County
Lauderdale County, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 78,161 people, 29,990 households, and 20,573 families residing in the county. The population density was 111 people per square mile . There were 33,418 housing units at an average density of 48 per square mile...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, 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 Meridian Airport Authority.
The airport is served by one commercial airline, but is primarily used for 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...
and military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
traffic. At 10,003 feet, Key Field is home to the longest public use runway in Mississippi.
History
Meridian Regional Airport was established in 1928 and opened in November 1930 with the completion of the terminalAirport 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....
, hangar
Hangar
A hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft or spacecraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are also sometimes used...
, powerhouse
Power station
A power station is an industrial facility for the generation of electric energy....
and a graded and packed dirt 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...
. Meridian city officials asked Al and Fred Key
The Flying Keys
Brothers Fred and Al Key became interested in aviation after World War I. They started doing some barnstorming in the 1920s and continued their interest as the managers of the Meridian Municipal Airport, in Meridian, Mississippi....
, who operated the Key Brothers' Flying School at Bonita, to co-manage the new facility. The brothers maintained their flying school at the new field as well as their other duties, such as selling commercial airline tickets, operating the terminal and hangar, and handling airmail delivery schedules.
With the onset of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, the City of Meridian considered abandoning the airport because of the cost of maintenance. Airmail deliveries tapered off, and few people could afford to take commercial flights or pay for flying lessons. The Key Brothers, however, devised a scheme to keep the airport operating. They hoped that by breaking the standing flight endurance record of 23 days they would focus worldwide attention on Meridian and its airport.
From June 4 until July 1, 1935, the brothers flew over Meridian; a total flight time of over 27 days. Key Field is named in their honor. The hangar and offices used by the Key brothers preceding and following the flight are still in use today and are listed in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Alarmed by the fall of France in 1940, Congress funded an increase in the strength of the United States Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
(USAAC) from 29 to 54 combat groups. The quickest way for the United States Army Air Corps to obtain additional bases was to utilize existing civil airports. The Air Corps signed an agreement to lease Key Field. The 153rd Observation Squadron (Mississippi National Guard) was federalized and activated at the airfield on 15 October 1940. Key Field was placed under the command of Third Air Force
Third Air Force
The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
, and in 1941, the USAAC became the US Army Air Forces (USAAF).
Once under USAAF control, a large construction program was needed to turn the civil airport into a military airfield. Construction involved runways and airplane hangars, with three concrete runways, several taxiways and a large parking apron and a control tower. Several large hangars were also constructed. Buildings were ultimately utilitarian and quickly assembled. Most base buildings, not meant for long-term use, were constructed of temporary or semi-permanent materials. Although some hangars had steel frames and the occasional brick or tile brick building could be seen, most support buildings sat on concrete foundations but were of frame construction clad in little more than plywood and tarpaper.
The initial mission of Key Field was the training of operational units for overseas combat duty. The first training unit assigned was the 50th Pursuit(later Fighter) Group, equipped with Curtiss P-40
Curtiss P-40
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was an American single-engine, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production and operational...
s. Arriving on 3 October 1941, the group was assigned to III Fighter Command School with a mission to test equipment and conduct training in air defense operations. The group also trained fighter pilots and furnished cadres to night fighter units being developed at the Army Air Force School of Applied Tactics
Army Air Force School of Applied Tactics
The Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics was a military training organization of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II...
, being organized in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. On 22 March 1943, the group was reassigned to AAFSAT and moved to Orlando AAF.
The 50th FG was supplemented by the 76th Reconnaissance Group
76th Reconnaissance Group
The 76th Reconnaissance Group was a World War II United States Army Air Forces organization. It served primarily in the American Theatre.The unit was constituted on 5 February 1942 and activated on 27 February. The group was a Third Air Force training unit for Reconnaissance and Observation...
, in March 1942, which was equipped with P-39 Aircobras, P-40s and also A-20 Havoc light bombers. The 76th RG performed similar training as the 50th did, and also taught dive-bombing techniques with the A-20s. The 76th RG also assisted the Second Army with training maneuvers.
With the departure of the 76th RG, Key Field became a training center for B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
medium bombardment units. The following medium bomb groups were equipped and trained at the airfield:
- 90th Bombardment Group, 15 April-17 May 1942
- 309th Bombardment Group 26 April-16 May 1942
- 310th Bombardment Group 26 April 2–16 May 1942
- 21st Bombardment Group 24 May-27 June 1942
Medium bomber training was moved to Columbia AAB, South Carolina in June 1942. Key Field then switched to attack and dive bombing training of the following units:
- 48th Bombardment Group 28 June-20 August 1943
- 27th Bombardment Group July-15 August 1942
The 86th Bombardment Group arrived on 7 August 1942 and remained until 19 March 1943. Training was shifted from training operational units to that of replacement personnel training, with the 86th being the host Training Unit. The 86th then itself deployed to Europe in March 1943.
Key Field was reassigned to III Reconnaissance Command
III Reconnaissance Command
The III Reconnaissance Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at Rapid City Army Air Base, South Dakota. It was inactivated on 8 April 1946.-Lineage:...
in the summer of 1943, with an additional mission to train aerial reconnaissance units.
- 73d (redesignated 10th) Reconnaissance Group10th Air Base WingThe 10th Air Base Wing is a non-flying United States Air Force unit that is the host wing for the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.-Components:...
, November 1943-January 1944 - 75th Reconnaissance Group August 43-1 May 1944
- 69th Reconnaissance Group69th Reconnaissance GroupThe 69th Reconnaissance Group is an active United States Air Force unit. Its a unit which is part of Air Combat Command stationed at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota...
January-February 1945
With the end of the war in September 1945, activities at Key Field were diminished. The airfield was returned to civil control in 1946, and allocated to the reconstituted Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
.
Air National Guard use
Key Field is currently home to the Mississippi Air National GuardMississippi Air National Guard
The Mississippi Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Mississippi. It is, along with the Mississippi Army National Guard, an element of the Mississippi National Guard...
's 186th Air Refueling Wing
186th Air Refueling Wing
The United States Air Force's 186th Air Refueling Wing is a Mississippi Air National Guard unit located at Meridian Regional Airport/Key Field, Mississippi. The 186th traces its origins to the 153rd Observation Squadron which was orgainized in September 1939 and served on active duty in Europe...
(186 ARW). Operationally gained by the Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
(AMC), the 186 ARW operates a fleet of KC-135R Stratotanker
KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
aerial refueling and cargo aircraft.
Key Field is also home to the Mississippi Army National Guard
Army National Guard
Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...
's 185th Army Aviation Support Facility, Company G. The 185th operates a fleet of CH-47 Chinook
CH-47 Chinook
The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. Its top speed of 170 knots is faster than contemporary utility and attack helicopters of the 1960s...
helicopters, a multi-purpose transport/cargo helicopter capable of carrying 55 troops and gear or can also sling-load up to 25,000 pounds.
Navy T-45 Goshawk
T-45 Goshawk
|-Avionics:Data from naval-technology.com *Smiths Industries, Ltd. AN/USN-2 Standard Attitude Heading and Reference System . Later replaced by the BAE/Marconi AN/ASN-180 Navigation Guidance System ....
aircraft from nearby NAS Meridian and Air Force T-6A, T-1A and T-38
T-38 Talon
The Northrop T-38 Talon is a twin-engine supersonic jet trainer. It was the world's first supersonic trainer and is also the most produced. The T-38 remains in service as of 2011 in air forces throughout the world....
C aircraft from Columbus AFB also frequently practice approaches and other procedures over Key Field.
Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) capabilities are provided by the Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
. Due to their mission as an air refueling wing, the ANG ARFF assets provide the entire airport with firefighting capabilities that will rival any airport in the Southeastern United States.
In 2008, the 186 ARW entered into an arrangement with the active Air Force, hosting an operational training detachment for USAF-operated MC-12W
C-12 Huron
The C-12 Huron is the military designation for a series of twin-engine turboprop aircraft based on the Beechcraft Super King Air and Beechcraft 1900. C-12 variants are used by the United States Air Force, United States Army, United States Navy and United States Marine Corps...
aircraft under a program known as Project Liberty. The MC-12W is a USAF intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platform and Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
(ACC) asset, which was fielded under an ambitious timeline in 2008 and 2009 to meet ground support ISR requirements in the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) Area of Responsibility for Operations Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Iraqi Freedom (OIF). A derivative of the C-12 Huron
C-12 Huron
The C-12 Huron is the military designation for a series of twin-engine turboprop aircraft based on the Beechcraft Super King Air and Beechcraft 1900. C-12 variants are used by the United States Air Force, United States Army, United States Navy and United States Marine Corps...
, the MC-12W Liberty platform was created in response to Defense Secretary Robert Gates
Robert Gates
Dr. Robert Michael Gates is a retired civil servant and university president who served as the 22nd United States Secretary of Defense from 2006 to 2011. Prior to this, Gates served for 26 years in the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Council, and under President George H. W....
' initiative to better support warfighters on the ground with increased ISR in theater. USAF plans to procure 38 MC-12W aircraft. Mission qualification training in the MC-12W is currently conducted by a combined active Air Force and Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
detachment embedded with the 186 ARW at Key Field.
According to the 2005 BRAC
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
Report, the 186 ARW is to be reassigned per recommendation #97, distributing its KC-135R aircraft between the Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
's 101 ARW, 128 ARW, and 134 ARW, in Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, and Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, respectively. The BRAC Report also states that the 186 ARW's aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) positions are to be reassigned to the Mississippi Air National Guard's 172nd Airlift Wing (172 AW), an AMC-gained C-17 Globemaster III
C-17 Globemaster III
The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas, the C-17 is used for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo to main operating bases or forward operating bases throughout...
unit at Jackson International Airport. These transfers are to take place in 2010 and 2011, although the recent addition of the MC-12W Project Liberty program at Key Field may delay or eliminate the ARFF reassignment.
In 2011, the same year that the 2005 BRAC realignments are to be completed, the 186th ARW is expecting to receive two new missions. According to Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour
Haley Barbour
Haley Reeves Barbour is an American Republican politician currently serving as the 63rd Governor of Mississippi. He gained a national spotlight in August 2005 after Mississippi was hit by Hurricane Katrina. Barbour won re-election as Governor in 2007...
and State Adjutant General Harold Cross, these missions are to be a new Joint Cargo Aircraft mission and an Air Force War Fighting Headquarters. According to Tom Williams, CEO of Meridian Airport Authority, this will result in an increase in local jobs at Meridian's Air National Guard facility.
Facilities and aircraft
Key Field covers an area of 863 acres (349.2 ha) at an elevationElevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
of 297 feet (91 m) above mean sea level. It has two 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: 1/19 is 10,003 by 150 feet (3,049 x 46 m) with an asphalt
Asphalt
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...
/concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
surface and 4/22 is 4,599 by 150 feet (1,402 x 46 m) with an asphalt surface. The majority of the site is paved in asphalt, with a large parking area in front of the terminal. Only small areas around the buildings are unpaved, and landscaping
Landscaping
Landscaping refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land, including:# living elements, such as flora or fauna; or what is commonly referred to as gardening, the art and craft of growing plants with a goal of creating a beautiful environment within the landscape.#...
is limited to the terminal, which has shrubbery and an ornamental tree.
The old terminal building, hangar, and powerhouse at Key Field together form the earliest surviving airport complex in the state of Mississippi and were listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2003. After being listed, the buildings were rehabilitated for use as a Cessna
Cessna
The Cessna Aircraft Company is an airplane manufacturing corporation headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, USA. Their main products are general aviation aircraft. Although they are the most well known for their small, piston-powered aircraft, they also produce business jets. The company is a subsidiary...
flight training school and repair shop.
The old terminal building is a two-story brick building crowned with a gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
d roof and parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
ed end walls. Facing east toward Highway 11
U.S. Route 11
U.S. Route 11 is a north–south United States highway extending 1,645 miles across the eastern United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 90 in the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge in eastern New Orleans, Louisiana. The northern terminus is at the United...
, the building is supported by a concrete foundation. The side wings and front pavilion of the terminal have flat parapeted roofs as well, and a gable-roofed porte-cochère
Porte-cochere
A porte-cochère is the architectural term for a porch- or portico-like structure at a main or secondary entrance to a building through which a horse and carriage can pass in order for the occupants to alight under cover, protected from the weather.The porte-cochère was a feature of many late 18th...
extends from the front pavilion and terminates at a taller brick wall, in which is a large arched opening. The front pavilion has another arched opening that leads to a recessed entrance. A one-story polygonal porch dominates the rear facade, facing the airfield. Flanking the porch, there are arched openings in the side wings as well. The second floor has a central door that opens onto the porch roof, forming an observation deck overlooking the airfield. The interior of the building contains a waiting room with the former manager's office to the north and the baggage and mailroom to the south. All the walls in the building are plaster
Plaster
Plaster is a building material used for coating walls and ceilings. Plaster starts as a dry powder similar to mortar or cement and like those materials it is mixed with water to form a paste which liberates heat and then hardens. Unlike mortar and cement, plaster remains quite soft after setting,...
ed, and the floors are vinyl
Vinyl
A vinyl compound is any organic compound that contains a vinyl group ,which are derivatives of ethene, CH2=CH2, with one hydrogen atom replaced with some other group...
tile. A staircase leads to the second floor, which is a single room that originally housed the weather bureau.
The rectangular hangar accommodates 10 planes, and is still in use today. The building is made of brick and has a concrete foundation. The roof is gabled, and the walls are parapeted. The end walls are capped by pent roofs and decorative brick panels framed by stucco. The north and south ends contain eight large sliding metal doors, which open to allow planes to roll in. The interior has a concrete floor, unfinished brick walls, and an unfinished ceiling with exposed steel trusses. There is a small office and washroom on the east end, and a staircase leads to a narrow second floor room that overlooks the workroom and hangar storage area. Located on the east side of the hangar, the Powerhouse is a one-story, one-by-one bay building with another gabled roof and parapeted walls. Entrance is gained through a door on the south side of the building, and the only other openings are a metal window on the east side, and a small vent on the west side.
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2009, the airport had 93,766 aircraft operations, an average of 256 per day: 67% 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...
, 31% 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...
, 2% 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% 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...
. At that time there were 75 aircraft based at this airport: 47% 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...
, 13% multi-engine, 5% 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...
, 12% 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...
and 23% military
Military aircraft
A military aircraft is any fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft that is operated by a legal or insurrectionary armed service of any type. Military aircraft can be either combat or non-combat:...
.
Meridian Regional Airport Authority operates Meridian Aviation, a full service FBO
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...
on the airport.
Airline and destination
Service is subsidized by the Essential Air ServiceEssential Air Service
Essential Air Service is a U.S. government program enacted to guarantee that small communities in the United States, which, prior to deregulation, were served by certificated airlines, maintained commercial service. Its aim is to maintain a minimal level of scheduled air service to these...
program.
Other sources
- Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
- Mauer, Mauer (1969), Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II, Air Force Historical Studies Office, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. ISBN 0-89201-097-5
External links
- Meridian Regional Airport, official site
- Meridian Aviation