Anderson Regional Airport

Anderson Regional Airport (IATA: AND, ICAO: KAND) is a public airport 3 miles southwest of Anderson, in Anderson County, South Carolina. Anderson has no airline service or concourses for gates, and no control tower, but in 2007 one runway was extended 1,000 ft (300 m) to handle larger aircraft. It is one of the busiest airports in upstate South Carolina. In May 2018, airport authorities announced plans for a 6.71 million dollar facelift. The plan includes further improvements of the main runway and building a new ADA compliant general aviation terminal. Once the new terminal is complete, the existing terminal built in 1970[1] will be demolished.[2] The airport receives over 14,000 visitors each year and generates over 13 million annually.[3] Since 2009, the airport has hosted an annual airshow that typically runs Saturday-Sunday and is free to the public. The Anderson Regional Airshow attracts an estimated 50,000 visitors to the airport each year during the two day event.[4]

Anderson Regional Airport

Anderson Auxiliary Field
2006 USGS photo
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorCounty of Anderson
ServesAnderson, South Carolina
Elevation AMSL782 ft / 238.4 m
Coordinates34°29′41″N 082°42′32″W
Map
KAND
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
5/23 6,001 1,524 Asphalt
17/35 4,996 1,523 Asphalt
Helipads
Number Length Surface
ft m
H1 50 15 Concrete
H2 50 15 Concrete
Snowbirds-orig

Anderson Regional Airport covers 704 acres (2.85 km2) and has two runways and two helipads:

  • 5/23: 6002 x 150 ft (1,524 x 46 m) Asphalt
  • 17/35: 4,996 x 150 ft (1,523 x 46 m) Asphalt
  • H1: 50 x 50 ft (15 x 15 m) Concrete
  • H2: 50 x 50 ft (15 x 15 m) Concrete

Inflight Catering and support services- FBO Foods, Anderson SC. www.fbofoods.com

New Prospect Elementary School is across from the airport; the school mascot is the Jets. It is the headquarters of the Anderson County Civil Air Patrol.

History
Amelia Earhart 1935

The first airport in the area, Anderson County Airport, was founded in 1927. The airport was a grass field that was designated as an emergency landing field; eventually it was used to deliver air mail. Famous aviator Amelia Earhart visited the airport on November 14, 1931; she was greeted by over 1,000 residents while she toured the town and met with local civic leaders. The visit was credited with creating enthusiasm for a better airport. Within a year of Earhart's visit, civic leaders bought land 3 miles from downtown and plans were made for the new airport.[5] Though Earhart was given credit for inspiring residents to build the new airport, she and her plane disappeared over the South Pacific two months before the airport opened in September 1937. During World War II the airport was an auxiliary airfield for the United States Army Air Forces[6] supporting the combat flight training at Greenville Army Airbase. Control of the airport was returned to local authorities in fall 1945.[7] The Civilian Pilot Training for the Army Air Force was conducted there at the Anderson Airport and students from Clemson College participated in the flight training program.[8]

Eastern Airlines

In the 1950s Eastern Airlines scheduled three or four daily departures. The airport was one of Eastern's smallest stations, but famed World War I fighter ace and eventual CEO of Eastern Airlines, Eddie Rickenbacker once made an unannounced stop. "Captain Eddie" inspected operations and visited briefly with employees; his visit that day was featured in Life magazine.[9] Eastern stopped at AND from 1947[10] until 1964; Southern Airways arrived in 1964 and left in 1974.[11][12] The airport has been served briefly by various commuter airlines and air taxi service; including ImagineAir.

Accidents and Incidents

  • On June 16, 2012 1:30 p.m. an experimental airplane crashed in some trees near the airport runway. The pilot and only passenger was not injured.[13]
  • On April 27, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. a Cirrus SR22 crashed on approach 600 yards of the runway killing the pilot and injuring the passenger.[14]
  • On December 9, 2004 at 10:20 a.m. a Diamond DA40 en route to Anderson Regional was diverted away due to poor visibility. The airports instrument landing system, which helps pilots land in low visibility was turned off due to an extension on the main runway. The plane crashed en route to a neighboring airport killing all 3 on board.[15]

See also

References
  1. https://www.independentmail.com/story/life/2016/10/21/airport-once-army-training-center/92380364/
  2. https://www.independentmail.com/story/news/local/2018/05/18/anderson-regional-airport-get-6-7-facelift/620579002/
  3. http://thejournalonline.com/2018/10/17/groundbreaking-held-for-new-anderson-regional-airport-terminal/
  4. https://www.independentmail.com/story/news/local/2017/12/05/canadian-snowbirds-perform-here-may/922822001/
  5. https://www.independentmail.com/story/life/2016/10/21/airport-once-army-training-center/92380364/
  6. https://www.independentmail.com/story/life/2016/10/21/airport-once-army-training-center/92380364/
  7. http://archive.independentmail.com/business/commercial-heyday-gone-but-airport-remains-crowd-friendly-ep-1148165937-348281111.html
  8. https://www.independentmail.com/story/life/2016/10/21/airport-once-army-training-center/92380364/
  9. https://www.sunshineskies.com/eastern-dc3-1949.html
  10. http://archive.independentmail.com/business/commercial-heyday-gone-but-airport-remains-crowd-friendly-ep-1148165937-348281111.html
  11. http://archive.independentmail.com/business/commercial-heyday-gone-but-airport-remains-crowd-friendly-ep-1148165937-348281111.html
  12. https://www.sunshineskies.com/eastern-dc3-1949.html
  13. http://archive.independentmail.com/news/local/authorities-respond-to-plane-crash-at-anderson-regional-airport-ep-408077151-348420761.html/
  14. http://archive.independentmail.com/news/local/one-dead-in-fiery-crash-at-anderson-airport-ep-408267921-348501581.html/
  15. https://www.goupstate.com/news/20041210/small-plane-crashes-near-anderson
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.