Mobile Regional Airport
Encyclopedia
Mobile Regional Airport is a joint public and military use airport
located 11 nautical miles (20 km) west of the central business district
of Mobile
, a city in Mobile County
, Alabama
, United States
. It is also near Pascagoula, Mississippi
.
The airport, owned and operated by the Mobile Airport Authority, is an independent, self-funded entity that receives no local tax dollars. A total of 603,192 people used the airport in 2006. As of June 2007, the airport had 50 daily flights.
The airport is also home to Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile, providing advanced training to U.S. Coast Guard pilots
and aircrew in the HH-65 Dolphin
, HH-60 Jayhawk
, HU-25 Guardian and HC-144 Ocean Sentry. The Alabama Army National Guard
's 1st Battalion, 131st Aviation Regiment's "B" Company is also located at the airport.
of 219 feet (67 m) above mean sea level. It has two asphalt
paved runway
s: 14/32 is 8,502 by 150 feet (2,591 x 46 m) and 18/36 is 4,376 by 150 feet (1,334 x 46 m). It also has one helipad
designated H1 which measures 100 by 100 feet (30 x 30 m).
The terminal at Mobile Regional Airport includes newly renovated shops and restaurants, such as local favorite Carpe Diem Coffee and Tea, car rental agencies and handicap accessible elevators.
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2008, the airport had 116,757 aircraft operations, an average of 319 per day: 61% military
, 21% general aviation
, 14% air taxi
and 3% scheduled commercial
. At that time there were 59 aircraft based at this airport: 58% single-engine
, 7% multi-engine, 5% jet
, 2% helicopter
and 29% military
.
and Delta, based on the number of daily flights serving the airport. Delta dropped several flights in 2006 and Continental
took up the slack, adding flights from the airport. As of December 2006, Delta offered six weekday flights to Atlanta and one to its Cincinnati hub. The Cincinnati schedule has come and gone previously, and was again being discontinued on December 12, 2006. Continental offered seven weekday flights to Houston. Additional weekday departures were as follows: Charlotte
(4 flights), Memphis
(3 flights), and Dallas/Fort Worth (3 flights). Schedules were slightly reduced on the weekends.
United Airlines
previously served MOB from its hubs in Chicago
and Washington, DC, but service was canceled and the airline withdrew from Mobile in September 2001—just a few weeks after the terrorist attacks of September 11th
. Service to Chicago was restored in April 2007, by American Airlines
, but discontinued in September 2008. Of the major full-service carriers in the United States, only United does not currently serve Mobile.
The three major airline alliances -- SkyTeam
, Star Alliance
, and Oneworld
-- are all represented at MOB.
Mobile Regional Airport is primarily served by regional airlines doing business on behalf of the major network airlines, as listed below. Approximately 99.56% of scheduled services utilize jet aircraft.
The following routes are flown nonstop or direct from Mobile:
(LCC) serving the airport, such as JetBlue or Southwest
. LCC AirTran Airways
served the airport for a time, but Delta
and other airlines matched fares on the routes served by AirTran and passengers continued to fly the traditional network carriers. Ultimately, AirTran moved out and fares increased once again. AirTran later entered the Pensacola market, and fares dropped significantly from Pensacola Regional Airport. Because of this, many people drive about an hour in either direction to Pensacola, Florida
or Gulfport, Mississippi
. However, fares from Pensacola are lower primarily on routes served by AirTran. On other routes, including international services, Mobile and Pensacola offer similar fares. In order to attract and maintain frequent flyers, Mobile Regional Airport was the first to offer an Airport Frequent Flyer Program, called Passport. Passport was launched with a media blitz and new slogan: "Fly Smarter, Fly Mobile."
The Mobile Airport Authority encourages passengers to use multiple airlines to stimulate more competition and lower fares, and it continues to work to attract a low-cost carrier. The Authority also believes that both Mobile and Pensacola would be better served if a single airport was built to serve both cities in Baldwin County, Alabama
-- midway between both cities. However, the Authority claims that Pensacola officials do not want their airport in Alabama
and have withdrawn from exploratory discussions.,
, the United States Army Air Forces
used Mobile Regional airport. It was known as Bates Field and was commanded by the 533d Army Air Force Base Unit.
It was used as a basic (level 1) pilot training airfield, under contract to Waterman Airlines, Inc. Flying training was performed with Fairchild PT-19
s as the primary trainer. Also had several PT-17 Stearmans assigned. It was also used for glider pilot training, under contract to Mobile Area Soaring Corp. Used primarily C-47 Skytrain
s and Waco CG-4
unpowered gliders. The mission of the school was to train glider pilot students in proficiency in operation of gliders in various types of towed and soaring flight, both day and night, and in servicing of gliders in the field.
In 1944 when the demand for pilots was reduced and the flying training ended, the airport was used as a transport airfield for the Domestic Transport Division, Air Transport Command
.
, in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
on September 2, 2005, praised Michael D. Brown
, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA). Bush lauded Brown with the phrase "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job" in front of Brown, the media, and assembled politicians and cabinet officials (including Mississippi Senator Trent Lott
; Mississippi Senator Thad Cochran
; Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour
; Alabama Governor Bob Riley
; Michael Chertoff
, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, and Alphonso Jackson
, Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development). Only ten days later, on September 12, 2005, Brown announced his resignation after intense criticism of FEMA's perceived shortcomings in its response to Katrina. The phrase "heck of a job" then became synonymous with an utter mess.
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 11 nautical miles (20 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 Mobile
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
, a city in Mobile County
Mobile County, Alabama
Mobile County[p] is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of a tribe of Indians, the Maubila tribe . As of 2011, its population was 415,704. Its county seat is Mobile, Alabama...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is also near Pascagoula, Mississippi
Pascagoula, Mississippi
Pascagoula is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, as a part of the Gulfport–Biloxi–Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. The population was 26,200 at the 2000 census...
.
The airport, owned and operated by the Mobile Airport Authority, is an independent, self-funded entity that receives no local tax dollars. A total of 603,192 people used the airport in 2006. As of June 2007, the airport had 50 daily flights.
The airport is also home to Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile, providing advanced training to U.S. Coast Guard pilots
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
and aircrew in the HH-65 Dolphin
HH-65 Dolphin
The Eurocopter HH-65 Dolphin is a twin-engined, single main rotor, MEDEVAC-capable Search and Rescue helicopter operated by the United States Coast Guard...
, HH-60 Jayhawk
HH-60 Jayhawk
The Sikorsky HH-60J Jayhawk is a multi-mission, twin-engine, medium-range helicopter operated by the United States Coast Guard for search and rescue, law enforcement, military readiness and marine environmental protection missions...
, HU-25 Guardian and HC-144 Ocean Sentry. The Alabama Army National Guard
Alabama Army National Guard
The Alabama Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization...
's 1st Battalion, 131st Aviation Regiment's "B" Company is also located at the airport.
Facilities and aircraft
Mobile Regional Airport covers an area of 1717 acres (694.8 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 219 feet (67 m) above mean sea level. It has two 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...
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: 14/32 is 8,502 by 150 feet (2,591 x 46 m) and 18/36 is 4,376 by 150 feet (1,334 x 46 m). It also has one helipad
Helipad
Helipad is a common abbreviation for helicopter landing pad, a landing area for helicopters. While helicopters are able to operate on a variety of relatively flat surfaces, a fabricated helipad provides a clearly marked hard surface away from obstacles where a helicopter can safely...
designated H1 which measures 100 by 100 feet (30 x 30 m).
The terminal at Mobile Regional Airport includes newly renovated shops and restaurants, such as local favorite Carpe Diem Coffee and Tea, car rental agencies and handicap accessible elevators.
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2008, the airport had 116,757 aircraft operations, an average of 319 per day: 61% 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...
, 21% 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...
, 14% 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 3% 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 59 aircraft based at this airport: 58% 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...
, 7% 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...
, 2% 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 29% 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:...
.
Airlines and destinations
The major carriers out of Mobile are ContinentalContinental Airlines
Continental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
and Delta, based on the number of daily flights serving the airport. Delta dropped several flights in 2006 and Continental
Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
took up the slack, adding flights from the airport. As of December 2006, Delta offered six weekday flights to Atlanta and one to its Cincinnati hub. The Cincinnati schedule has come and gone previously, and was again being discontinued on December 12, 2006. Continental offered seven weekday flights to Houston. Additional weekday departures were as follows: Charlotte
CHARLOTTE
- CHARLOTTE :CHARLOTTE is an American blues-based hard rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1986. Currently, they are signed to indie label, Eonian Records, under which they released their debut cd, Medusa Groove, in 2010. Notable Charlotte songs include 'Siren', 'Little Devils',...
(4 flights), Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
(3 flights), and Dallas/Fort Worth (3 flights). Schedules were slightly reduced on the weekends.
United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
previously served MOB from its hubs in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and Washington, DC, but service was canceled and the airline withdrew from Mobile in September 2001—just a few weeks after the terrorist attacks of September 11th
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
. Service to Chicago was restored in April 2007, by American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
, but discontinued in September 2008. Of the major full-service carriers in the United States, only United does not currently serve Mobile.
The three major airline alliances -- SkyTeam
SkyTeam
SkyTeam, branded as SKYTEAM, is an airline alliance with its centralised management team, SkyTeam Central, based at the World Trade Center Schiphol Airport on the grounds of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands...
, Star Alliance
Star Alliance
Star Alliance is the world's first and largest airline alliance, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany . The alliance was founded in 1997 by five of the world's leading airlines: Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways International and United Airlines...
, and Oneworld
Oneworld
Oneworld , branded as oneworld, is one of the world's three largest global airline alliances with its central management team, oneworld Management Company, based in New York City, New York, USA. Oneworld was founded in 1999 by American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Cathay Pacific...
-- are all represented at MOB.
Mobile Regional Airport is primarily served by regional airlines doing business on behalf of the major network airlines, as listed below. Approximately 99.56% of scheduled services utilize jet aircraft.
The following routes are flown nonstop or direct from Mobile:
Airfares
The airport has a reputation for high domestic fares, and they are usually attributed to the lack of a true low-cost carrierLow-cost carrier
A low-cost carrier or low-cost airline is an airline that generally has lower fares and fewer comforts...
(LCC) serving the airport, such as JetBlue or Southwest
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
. LCC AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of the Dallas, Texas-based Southwest Airlines, is an American low-cost airline headquartered in Orlando, Florida. AirTran operates over 650 daily flights , primarily in the eastern and midwestern United States...
served the airport for a time, but Delta
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
and other airlines matched fares on the routes served by AirTran and passengers continued to fly the traditional network carriers. Ultimately, AirTran moved out and fares increased once again. AirTran later entered the Pensacola market, and fares dropped significantly from Pensacola Regional Airport. Because of this, many people drive about an hour in either direction to Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
or Gulfport, Mississippi
Gulfport, Mississippi
Gulfport is the second largest city in Mississippi after the state capital Jackson. It is the larger of the two principal cities of the Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. As of the...
. However, fares from Pensacola are lower primarily on routes served by AirTran. On other routes, including international services, Mobile and Pensacola offer similar fares. In order to attract and maintain frequent flyers, Mobile Regional Airport was the first to offer an Airport Frequent Flyer Program, called Passport. Passport was launched with a media blitz and new slogan: "Fly Smarter, Fly Mobile."
The Mobile Airport Authority encourages passengers to use multiple airlines to stimulate more competition and lower fares, and it continues to work to attract a low-cost carrier. The Authority also believes that both Mobile and Pensacola would be better served if a single airport was built to serve both cities in Baldwin County, Alabama
Baldwin County, Alabama
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*85.7% White*9.4% Black*0.7% Native American*0.7% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.5% Two or more races*4.4% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
-- midway between both cities. However, the Authority claims that Pensacola officials do not want their airport in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
and have withdrawn from exploratory discussions.,
History
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
used Mobile Regional airport. It was known as Bates Field and was commanded by the 533d Army Air Force Base Unit.
It was used as a basic (level 1) pilot training airfield, under contract to Waterman Airlines, Inc. Flying training was performed with Fairchild PT-19
Fairchild PT-19
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Mondey, David. American Aircraft of World War II . London: Bounty Books, 2006. ISBN 978-0-7537-1461-4....
s as the primary trainer. Also had several PT-17 Stearmans assigned. It was also used for glider pilot training, under contract to Mobile Area Soaring Corp. Used primarily C-47 Skytrain
C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
s and Waco CG-4
Waco CG-4
The Waco CG-4 was the most widely used United States troop/cargo military glider of World War II. It was designated the CG-4 by the United States Army Air Forces, and named Hadrian in British military service....
unpowered gliders. The mission of the school was to train glider pilot students in proficiency in operation of gliders in various types of towed and soaring flight, both day and night, and in servicing of gliders in the field.
In 1944 when the demand for pilots was reduced and the flying training ended, the airport was used as a transport airfield for the Domestic Transport Division, Air Transport Command
Air Transport Command
Air Transport Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its mission was to meet the urgent demand for the speedy reinforcement of the United States' military bases worldwide during World War II, using an air supply system to supplement surface transport...
.
Presidential Visit
It was at the Mobile Regional Airport that President George W. BushGeorge W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
on September 2, 2005, praised Michael D. Brown
Michael D. Brown
Michael DeWayne Brown was the first Undersecretary of Emergency Preparedness and Response , a division of the Department of Homeland Security . This position is generally referred to as the director or administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency . He was appointed in January 2003 by...
, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders...
(FEMA). Bush lauded Brown with the phrase "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job" in front of Brown, the media, and assembled politicians and cabinet officials (including Mississippi Senator Trent Lott
Trent Lott
Chester Trent Lott, Sr. , is a former United States Senator from Mississippi and has served in numerous leadership positions in the House of Representatives and the Senate....
; Mississippi Senator Thad Cochran
Thad Cochran
William Thad Cochran is the senior United States Senator from Mississippi and a member of the Republican Party. First elected to the Senate in 1978, he is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations and was its chairman and 2005 to 2007.-Early life:He was born in Pontotoc,...
; 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...
; Alabama Governor Bob Riley
Bob Riley
Bob Riley may refer to:* Bob Riley, 52nd Governor of Alabama* Bob C. Riley, acting Governor of Arkansas for 11 days in 1975* Bob Riley , sports car designer and founder of Riley Technologies...
; Michael Chertoff
Michael Chertoff
Michael Chertoff was the second United States Secretary of Homeland Security under President George W. Bush and co-author of the USA PATRIOT Act. He previously served as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, as a federal prosecutor, and as assistant U.S. Attorney...
, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, and Alphonso Jackson
Alphonso Jackson
Alphonso Jackson served as the 13th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development . He was nominated by President George W. Bush on January 28, 2004 and unanimously confirmed by the Senate on March 31, 2004. On March 31, 2008, Jackson announced his resignation, effective April 18,...
, Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development). Only ten days later, on September 12, 2005, Brown announced his resignation after intense criticism of FEMA's perceived shortcomings in its response to Katrina. The phrase "heck of a job" then became synonymous with an utter mess.
See also
- Alabama World War II Army AirfieldsAlabama World War II Army AirfieldsDuring World War II, the United States Army Air Force established numerous airfields in Alabama for antisubmarine defense in the Gulf of Mexico and for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers....
- List of airports in Alabama