Stillwater Regional Airport

Stillwater Regional Airport (IATA: SWO, ICAO: KSWO, FAA LID: SWO) is in Payne County, Oklahoma, three miles (4.8 km) northwest of Stillwater.[1]

Stillwater Regional Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerCity of Stillwater
ServesStillwater, Oklahoma
Elevation AMSL1,000 ft / 305 m
Coordinates36°09′40″N 097°05′08″W
Websitehttp://flystillwaterok.com/
Map
SWO
Location of Airport
SWO
SWO (the United States)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
17/35 7,401 2,256 Concrete
4/22 5,004 1,525 Asphalt
Statistics
Aircraft operations (2019)79,967
Based aircraft (2021)71
Passenger Volume (12 months ending February 2020)55,730

History

After World War II the airfield was one of six locations in the nation that stored surplus military aircraft; about 475 were flown to the airport starting in 1945. In 1946 Paul Mantz bought them all, keeping 12 for use as stunt planes and camera ships and selling the rest for scrap.[3]

One of the aircraft at Stillwater – purchased by Mantz – was B-17 41-24577 "Hells Angels," the first B-17 to complete 25 missions (even before the Memphis Belle).[4]

Historical Airline Service

Central Airlines Douglas DC-3s landed at Stillwater beginning in 1953 with flights to Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Central merged with the original Frontier Airlines in 1967 and service was then provided with flights between Kansas City and Dallas/Fort Worth that stopped at Stillwater and many other points. Frontier upgraded service using the Convair 580 aircraft until flights ended in late 1975. Stillwater then went without commercial air service until 1980.

Metro Airlines began serving Stillwater in 1980 with flights to Oklahoma City using de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter's. Service continued until 1985 when Exec Express, Inc. took over servicing Stillwater with flights to Tulsa using Piper PA-31 Navajo commuter planes. Stillwater was the home for Exec Express however their service was short lived, ending within one year as the airline focused on providing Essential Air Service to the nearby communities of Enid and Ponca City, Oklahoma. Stillwater then went without commercial air service.[5]

After thirty years with no airline flights, local efforts landed American Airlines regional partner Envoy Air to Stillwater operating as American Eagle. Service began on August 23, 2016 using Embraer-145 regional jets nonstop to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Two daily flights are operated with a third flight during busier periods.

Facilities

The airport covers 1,571 acres (636 ha) at an elevation of 1,000 feet (305 m). It has two runways: 17/35 is 7,401 by 100 feet (2,256 x 30 m) concrete; 4/22 is 5,004 by 75 feet (1,525 x 23 m) asphalt.[1]

In the year ending May 31, 2019 the airport had 79,967 aircraft operations, an average of 219 per day: 93% general aviation, 4% military, 3% air taxi and less than 1% airline. In January 2021, there were 71 aircraft based at this airport: 66 single-engine and 5 multi-engine.[1]

The airport is home to The Oklahoma State University Flight Center which trains students majoring or minoring in Aerospace Administration and Operations with a concentration in professional pilot. Their fleet consists of Cessna 152s, Cessna 172s, a Cessna 182RG, Piper PA-44s and a Beechcraft C-90B.

The airport is home to the Stillwater Airport Memorial Museum.[6]

Airline and destination
AirlinesDestinations
American Eagle Dallas/Fort Worth[7]

Statistics
Top domestic destinations: (March 2019 – February 2020)[2]
Rank Airport Passengers Airline
1 Dallas/Fort Worth 28,370 American Eagle

References
  1. FAA Airport Form 5010 for SWO PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. effective January 28, 2021.
  2. http://www.transtats.bts.gov/airports.asp?pn=1&Airport=SWO&Airport_Name=Stillwater,%20OK:%20Stillwater%20Regional&carrier=FACTS
  3. FAA Inspector Sees Stories in Old Planes Ponca City News, accessed 30 December 2010
  4. Aerovintage.com, accessed 30 December 2010
  5. airline timetables and the Official Airline Guide
  6. VisitStillwater.org, accessed 13 January 2014
  7. https://www.dallasnews.com/business/airlines/2020/09/11/american-airlines-wont-drop-flights-to-stillwater-for-now/
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