Flying Cloud Airport

Flying Cloud Airport (IATA: FCM, ICAO: KFCM, FAA LID: FCM) is a public airport located in the city of Eden Prairie in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, about 11 miles (18 km) southwest of the central business district (CBD) of Minneapolis.

Flying Cloud Airport
FAA Airport Diagram
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorDanny Duncan
ServesMinneapolis, Minnesota
LocationEden Prairie, Minnesota
Elevation AMSL906 ft / 276.1 m
Coordinates44°49′38″N 93°27′26″W
Map
FCM
Location of airport in Minnesota / United States
FCM
FCM (the United States)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
10R/28L 5,000 1,524 Asphalt
10L/28R 3,898 1,188 Asphalt
18/36 2,690 820 Asphalt
Statistics
Aircraft operations (2014)75,842
Based aircraft (2017)299
Control tower at Flying Cloud Airport.
ALS for runway 10R, looking east

History

The airport was created in 1941 when the United States Navy was training pilots for World War II. The Navy made arrangements with a local farmer, Martin "Pappy" Grill, to use a grass landing strip. Pilots flying from Wold-Chamberlain Field, now Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, would use this field for practicing approaches. After the war, Grill sold the field and some adjoining land to American Aviation, Inc. John Stuber named the field "Flying Cloud Airport" to reflect local Indian lore and flying. The Metropolitan Airports Commission bought the airport in 1948 and paved the runway. The MAC built a control tower in 1963. By 1966, it was ranked the second-busiest airport in the central United States behind Chicago-O'Hare International Airport. In 1968, with 446,198 takeoffs and landings, it was the ninth-busiest airport in the United States.[2] Today it is designated by the FAA as a reliever airport and aircraft are restricted to 60,000 pounds (27 t) or less, except in an emergency situation or when operated by the U.S. Government.[3]

Because of the airport's proximity to the Valleyfair amusement park, the park's rides are restricted in height by FAA regulations.[4]

In 2020 the airport received a $157,000 CARES Act award.[5][6]

Facilities and aircraft

Flying Cloud Airport covers an area of 543 acres (220 ha) at an elevation of 906 feet (276 m) above mean sea level. It has three asphalt paved runways.

For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2014, the airport had 75,842 aircraft operations, an average of 208 per day: 95% general aviation, 4% air taxi and less than 1% military. In September 2017, there were 299 aircraft based at this airport: 237 single-engine, 39 multi-engine, 15 jet and 8 helicopter.

On April 30, 2020 a FAA Airport Improvement Program Grant of $722,222 was awarded to rehabilitate taxiways at the airport.[7][8]

Organizations in Flying Cloud Airport

Viking Composite Squadron. It is a Civil Air Patrol squadron that has their airplane hangar in flying cloud airport.

References
  1. FAA Airport Form 5010 for FCM PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. effective September 14, 2017.
  2. "History of the Airport". City of Eden Prairie. Archived from the original on 2007-10-06. Retrieved 2008-04-22.
  3. "Ordinance Number 97" (PDF). Metropolitan Airports Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-10-31. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
  4. "Power Tower". valleyfair.com. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  5. Uren, Adam (April 15, 2020). "97 Minnesota airports receive federal bailout cash, here's how much they got". Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  6. "U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao Announces $10 Billion in Relief for America's Airports". April 14, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  7. "U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao Announces Over $1 Billion in Grants to 439 Airports in 50 States". April 30, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  8. "Airport Grants Announced on April 30, 2020" (PDF). Retrieved May 4, 2020.
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