Tri-Cities Airport (New York)
Encyclopedia
Tri-Cities Airport is a village-owned, public-use airport
located three nautical miles (6 km) southwest of the central business district
of Endicott
, a village in Broome County
, New York
, United States
. According to the FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems
for 2009–2013, it is classified as a general aviation
airport.
Although many U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier
for the FAA
and IATA
, this airport is assigned CZG by the FAA but has no designation from the IATA.
of 833 feet (254 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway
designated 3/21 with an asphalt surface measuring 3,900 by 75 feet (1,189 × 23 m).
For the 12-month period ending January 15, 2008, the airport had 48,200 aircraft operations, an average of 132 per day: 89% general aviation
, 10% air taxi
and <1% military
. At that time there were 52 aircraft based at this airport: 86% single-engine
, 6% multi-engine and 8% glider
.
-Johnson City
-Binghamton
area from the 1930s through the early 1950s. In its early years, it had a passenger terminal building, control tower, and cafe. The tower and cafe have since been demolished, but the small terminal building still exists, although it has been abandoned for some years. The main hangar also built during the Works Progress Administration era has also been demolished in 2010. As the DC-3 era came to an end, larger passenger planes coming into service required longer runways and a new, larger Greater Binghamton Airport
was built and commissioned in 1951. Tri-Cities Airport was planned in 1934 and began at its commissioning in 1936 with three gravel/unpaved runways of about 3000 feet (914.4 m). Later in 1942, the east-west and northeast-southwest runways were paved. Runway 3-21 was 3500 feet (1,066.8 m) long and 100 feet (30.5 m) wide, but later was lengthened in the mid-1980s to 3900 feet (1,188.7 m) and the width was reduced to 75 feet (22.9 m). Also, the runway previously was accessed by taxiing aircraft on the grass to the west northwest side of the runway, but a parallel asphalt taxiway was added along with a few connector taxiways.
The east-west crosswind runway 9-27 was 3200 feet (975.4 m) long and 100 feet (30.5 m) wide, but was abandoned around 1969 and now is used as a taxiway along a portion of its length and aircraft parking can be conducted there.
A section of grass on the opposite side (east) from the parallel taxiway is used by gliders for landings and for tow operations for takeoff.
An Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS-3) was installed to provide current weather information to pilots.
s, having replaced the older VASIs.
The airport also has an airport beacon, but hills - especially the one to the north - can limit its ability to be viewed.
With the addition of GPS-based navigation, a straight-in instrument approach was approved for runway 21 and this has allowed operations with lower minimum descent altitude requirement of 887 feet (270.4 m) and visibility of 1¼ miles for those aircraft flying at 120 knots (235.2 km/h) or slower, but 2¾ mile visibility is needed for faster aircraft.
, the airport experiences fog on a relatively frequent basis during the late night to mid morning hours during the late summer to autumn with visibilities often under one quarter mile.
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 three nautical miles (6 km) southwest 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 Endicott
Endicott, New York
Endicott is a village in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 13,038 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Binghamton Metropolitan Statistical Area. The village is named after Henry B...
, a village in Broome County
Broome County, New York
Broome County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 200,600. It was named in honor of John Broome, who was lieutenant governor in 1806 when Broome County was established. Its county seat is Binghamton, which is also its major city. The current...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. According to the FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems
National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems
The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems is an inventory of U.S. aviation infrastructure assets. It is developed and maintained by the Federal Aviation Administration . Its purposes are:* to identify all the airports in the U.S...
for 2009–2013, it is 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.
Although many 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...
, this airport is assigned CZG by the FAA but has no designation from the IATA.
Facilities and aircraft
Tri-Cities Airport covers an area of 230 acres (93.1 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 833 feet (254 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
designated 3/21 with an asphalt surface measuring 3,900 by 75 feet (1,189 × 23 m).
For the 12-month period ending January 15, 2008, the airport had 48,200 aircraft operations, an average of 132 per day: 89% 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...
, 10% air taxi
Air taxi
An air taxi is an air charter passenger or cargo aircraft which operates on an on-demand basis.-Regulation:In the United States, air taxi and air charter operations are governed by Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations , unlike the larger scheduled air carriers which are governed by more...
and <1% military
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 52 aircraft based at this airport: 86% 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...
, 6% multi-engine and 8% glider
Glider (sailplane)
A glider or sailplane is a type of glider aircraft used in the sport of gliding. Some gliders, known as motor gliders are used for gliding and soaring as well, but have engines which can, in some cases, be used for take-off or for extending a flight...
.
History
The Tri-Cities Airport was the principal airport for the EndicottEndicott, New York
Endicott is a village in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 13,038 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Binghamton Metropolitan Statistical Area. The village is named after Henry B...
-Johnson City
Johnson City, New York
Johnson City is a village in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 15,535 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Binghamton Metropolitan Statistical Area....
-Binghamton
Binghamton, New York
Binghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...
area from the 1930s through the early 1950s. In its early years, it had a passenger terminal building, control tower, and cafe. The tower and cafe have since been demolished, but the small terminal building still exists, although it has been abandoned for some years. The main hangar also built during the Works Progress Administration era has also been demolished in 2010. As the DC-3 era came to an end, larger passenger planes coming into service required longer runways and a new, larger Greater Binghamton Airport
Greater Binghamton Airport
Greater Binghamton Airport is a medium-sized regional airport located in Maine, New York that serves the Southern Tier of New York, primarily Broome and Tioga counties....
was built and commissioned in 1951. Tri-Cities Airport was planned in 1934 and began at its commissioning in 1936 with three gravel/unpaved runways of about 3000 feet (914.4 m). Later in 1942, the east-west and northeast-southwest runways were paved. Runway 3-21 was 3500 feet (1,066.8 m) long and 100 feet (30.5 m) wide, but later was lengthened in the mid-1980s to 3900 feet (1,188.7 m) and the width was reduced to 75 feet (22.9 m). Also, the runway previously was accessed by taxiing aircraft on the grass to the west northwest side of the runway, but a parallel asphalt taxiway was added along with a few connector taxiways.
The east-west crosswind runway 9-27 was 3200 feet (975.4 m) long and 100 feet (30.5 m) wide, but was abandoned around 1969 and now is used as a taxiway along a portion of its length and aircraft parking can be conducted there.
A section of grass on the opposite side (east) from the parallel taxiway is used by gliders for landings and for tow operations for takeoff.
An Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS-3) was installed to provide current weather information to pilots.
Airport lighting
Runway 3-21 is equipped with medium intensity runway edge lighting. Both runway ends have runway end identifier lights. Runway 21 is equipped with precision approach path indicatorPrecision Approach Path Indicator
Precision approach path Indicator is a visual aid that provides guidance information to help a pilot acquire and maintain the correct approach to an aerodrome or an airport. It is generally located beside the runway approximately 300 metres beyond the landing threshold of the runway...
s, having replaced the older VASIs.
The airport also has an airport beacon, but hills - especially the one to the north - can limit its ability to be viewed.
Instrument procedures
For many years a circling instrument approach has brought aircraft in from the north via the Binghamton VORTAC (about five miles (8 km) distant), but landing minimums were rather high as the aircraft were 1227 feet (374 m) above the airport elevation (although DME-equipped aircraft can descend up to an additional 80 feet) and visibility required for the approach was about 1¼ miles for aircraft flying at 90 knots (176.4 km/h) or slower, but range up to 3 miles (4.8 km) for aircraft flying at more than 120 knots (235.2 km/h). Some historical procedures in the 1970s requiring around 1¾ miles visibility as an absolute minimum.With the addition of GPS-based navigation, a straight-in instrument approach was approved for runway 21 and this has allowed operations with lower minimum descent altitude requirement of 887 feet (270.4 m) and visibility of 1¼ miles for those aircraft flying at 120 knots (235.2 km/h) or slower, but 2¾ mile visibility is needed for faster aircraft.
Weather factors
Being adjacent to the Susquehanna RiverSusquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
, the airport experiences fog on a relatively frequent basis during the late night to mid morning hours during the late summer to autumn with visibilities often under one quarter mile.
Aeromation
Patrick and Anita Harris are doing business as Aeromation at CZG, Anita provides the public presence. Patrick is an engineer and pilot providing design, maintenance, and pilot services.External links
from New York State DOT- Aerial photo as of 27 March 1995 from USGS The National Map via MSR Maps