General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport

General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport[3] (IATA: PIA[4], ICAO: KPIA, FAA LID: PIA) is a civil/military public airport five miles west of Peoria, in Peoria County, Illinois, United States.[2] It is on the northwest edge of Bartonville, near Bellevue. It is owned by the Metropolitan Airport Authority of Peoria,[2] which often refers to it as Peoria International Airport.[5] It was formerly the Greater Peoria Regional Airport.[6][7]

General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
Owner/OperatorMetropolitan Airport Authority of Peoria
ServesPeoria, Illinois
LocationLimestone Township, Peoria County
Elevation AMSL661 ft / 201 m
Coordinates40°39′51″N 089°41′36″W
Websitewww.FlyPIA.com
Maps

Location of Peoria County in Illinois
PIA
Location in Peoria County
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
13/31 10,104 3,080 Concrete
4/22 8,004 2,440 Asphalt
Statistics
Departing passengers (12 months ending Mar 2018)639,320
Aircraft operations (2017)41,557
Based aircraft (2018)69
Sources: Airport[1] and FAA[2]

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2017–2021 categorized it as a non-hub primary commercial service facility.[8] Federal Aviation Administration records say the airport had 312,378 passenger boardings (enplanements) in calendar year 2017 and 328,769 in 2018.[9]

It is the fourth-busiest of the 12 commercial airports in Illinois.[10]

History

On May 19, 1932 the citizens of Peoria voted to have an airport. On 195 acres (0.8 km²), American Airways (now American Airlines) and Chicago and Southern Airlines brought in airmail and passenger service on four shale-surfaced runways. The land was purchased by 261 Peoria businessmen who formed the Peoria Airport, Inc.[11] It was turned over to the Peoria Park District in 1937, then to the newly formed The Metropolitan Airport Authority of Peoria in 1950.

American Airlines and Chicago and Southern started flights to Peoria in 1945; C&S pulled out in 1949-50 and American left in 1962, then returned for a couple years starting in 1991. TWA served Peoria 1947 to 1960 and 1983 to 1991; Continental 1977 to 1983, United 1984 to 1995, Republic/Northwest 1986 to 1988, and Ozark from 1950 until it merged into TWA. Peoria's first jets were Ozark DC9s in 1966. A curious artifact of airline regulation: Peoria had never had nonstop flights beyond Chicago, but in 1969 Ozark was allowed a nonstop to New York La Guardia.

On April 25, 2007 the Greater Peoria Airport Authority announced a new nine-gate terminal will be built and the old terminal demolished. On October 10, 2008, the airport was renamed "General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport" during a groundbreaking ceremony attended by Ross Perot, a friend of the late Wayne A. Downing.[3] The new terminal, designed by Reynolds, Smith & Hills of Jacksonville, FL, Dewberry (architecture firm) of Peoria, and built by Turner Construction, opened on April 27, 2011.[12] As of August 24, 2012, the airport was in negotiations for international flights using a temporary customs facility.[13]

In the spring of 2016 the Ray Lahood International Arrivals Terminal was completed, with more gates, TSA services, and a US Customs Port of Entry facility.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in June 2020 Delta Airlines announced that they would be suspending all flights to Peoria until a yet undetermined date. This comes with the announcement that Delta would be suspending all flights to airports including but are not limited to Bangor, ME and Aspen, CO[14]

On December 1, 2020 Allegiant Air made the announcement that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, that the Nashville flights that began in June were popular and would continue until January instead of just during the summer season. The service operated the Airbus A319 when it first started but has widely been operating the Airbus A320 so aircraft usage is unknown. Flights will be operated after 5:30 in the evening every Wednesday and Saturday. This route will end in January and then pick back up at an undetermined date in the spring.[15]

On Wednesday December 9, 2020 the Peoria International Airport made a major announcement. The temporary suspension of the Mineapolis and Atlanta routes on Delta Airlines would both be permanently terminated.[16]

Air National Guard / Army National Guard

The airport is co-located with the Peoria Air National Guard Base, home to the 182d Airlift Wing (182 AW) of the Illinois Air National Guard. This Air National Guard unit is operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command (AMC) and consists of Lockheed C-130H Hercules aircraft. The airport is also home to the Illinois Army National Guard's Army Aviation Support Facility No. 3 and 1st Battalion, 106th Aviation Regiment, currently operating the Boeing CH-47 "Chinook" helicopter.

Facilities
Ticketing area
Peoria Airport

Peoria International Airport covers 3,800 acres (1,538 ha) at an elevation of 661 feet (201 m). It has two runways: 13/31 is 10,104 by 150 feet (3,080 x 46 m) concrete; 4/22 is 8,004 by 150 feet (2,440 x 46 m) concrete.[2]

In 2017 the airport had 41,557 aircraft operations, average 114 per day: 32% general aviation, 31% air taxi, 18% military, and 9% airline. In June 2018, 69 aircraft were based at this airport: 40 single-engine, 8 jet, 14 military, 3 helicopter, and 4 multi-engine.[2]

Airlines and destinations
AirlinesDestinations
Allegiant Air Las Vegas, Orlando/Sanford, Phoenix/Mesa, Punta Gorda (FL), St. Petersburg/Clearwater
Seasonal: Denver (begins May 28, 2021),[17] Destin/Fort Walton Beach, Nashville,[18] Rapid City (begins August 4, 2021),[19] Sarasota (begins May 27, 2021)[20]
American Eagle Charlotte, Chicago–O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth
Sun Country Airlines Charter: Laughlin/Bullhead City
United Express Chicago–O'Hare
  • Allegiant: A320, A319
  • American Eagle: CRJ900, CRJ700, ERJ145
  • Sun Country: 737-800
  • United Express: E175

Cargo

There is one cargo airline, UPS.

AirlinesDestinations
UPS Airlines Louisville, Rockford, Miami

UPS: A300F, 757-200F

Statistics

Statistics
Carrier shares for (August 2019 – July 2020)[21]
Carrier Passengers (arriving and departing)
Allegiant
170,000(36.13%)
Skywest
65,820(13.95%)
Mesa
60,990(12.93%)
PSA
50,840(10.78%)
Envoy Air
48,830(10.35%)
Other
74,830(15.86%)
Top domestic destinations (November 2019 – October 2020)[21]
Rank City Passengers Airlines
1 Chicago–O'Hare, Illinois 44,360 American, United
2 Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas 26,320 American
3 Charlotte, North Carolina 22,800 American
4 Punta Gorda/Ft. Myers, Florida 21,480 Allegiant
5 Phoenix–Mesa, Arizona 19,250 Allegiant
6 St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Florida 15,620 Allegiant
7 Atlanta, Georgia 15,230 Delta
8 Las Vegas, Nevada 9,830 Allegiant
9 Orlando–Sanford, Florida 8,050 Allegiant
10 Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota 3,430 Delta

Accidents and incidents
  • On October 21, 1971, Chicago & Southern Airlines[lower-alpha 1] Flight 804, an ATECO Westwind II crashed 2 miles west of PIA after striking power lines in limited visibility and low clouds, killing all 14 passengers and two crew. The cause was found to be the pilot knowingly descending below the minimum descent altitude before being visual with the runway.[22]

Notes
  1. According to the Aviation Safety Network report,[22] the airline involved in the accident was founded in 1969 and ended operations in 1971. Chicago and Southern Air Lines was a completely different airline that was founded in California in 1933 and merged in 1953 with Delta Air Lines to become Delta-C&S for two years until 1955, reverting to Delta Air Lines.

References
  1. "General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport". Flypia.com. September 1, 2017. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  2. FAA Airport Form 5010 for PIA PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. effective June 21, 2018.
  3. Haney, Dave (October 11, 2008). "He would have been proud". Peoria Journal Star. Peoria, Illinois. Retrieved November 18, 2008.
  4. "IATA Airport Code Search (PIA: Greater Peoria)". International Air Transport Association. Retrieved December 25, 2012.
  5. "Contact Information". Peoria International Airport. Retrieved December 25, 2012.
  6. "Greater Peoria Regional Airport". Archived from the original on September 14, 2008.
  7. "KPIA – Greater Peoria Regional Airport". FAA data republished by AirNav. December 17, 2009. Archived from the original on January 14, 2010.
  8. "List of NPIAS Airports" (PDF). FAA.gov. Federal Aviation Administration. October 21, 2016. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  9. "Enplanements for CY 2018" (PDF, 3.2 MB). faa.gov. Federal Aviation Administration. December 12, 2019.
  10. Callais, Krystle. "Carbondale-Murphysboro airport one of the busiest in Illinois". WPSD Local 6. Retrieved April 26, 2020.
  11. "Brief History of the Airport". Peoria International Airport. Retrieved November 18, 2008.
  12. Haney, Dave (April 27, 2011). "Dignitaries Praise New Peoria Airport Terminal During Ceremony". Peoria Journal Star. Retrieved June 3, 2012.
  13. Buedel, Matt (August 24, 2012). "Peoria Airport Discussing Direct Flights to Caribbean, Mexico". Peoria Journal Star. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
  14. https://news.delta.com/delta-suspend-flying-select-us-cities
  15. https://www.pjstar.com/story/news/columns/nick-in-the-morning/2020/12/01/allegiant-air-flights-between-peoria-and-nashville-extended/6475077002/
  16. https://www.pjstar.com/story/news/2020/12/09/delta-terminates-service-peoria-airport-permanently/3868474001/
  17. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2021/01/12/allegiant-air-flight-expansion-portland-jackson-hole-key-west/6631129002/
  18. "Allegiant Announces Largest Service Expansion In Company History With 3 New Cities And 44 Nonstop Routes". Allegiant Airlines.
  19. https://ir.allegiantair.com/news-releases/news-release-details/allegiant-announces-major-service-expansion-34-new-nonstop
  20. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2021/01/12/allegiant-air-flight-expansion-portland-jackson-hole-key-west/6631129002/
  21. "Peoria, IL: General Downing – Peoria International (PIA)". Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), U.S. Department of Transportation. March 2020.
  22. Accident description for N51CS at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on April 11, 2020.


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