Butler, Pa: Airport Accessibility And Aviation Options

Butler, PA, does indeed have an airport: the Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport (IATA: BTP, ICAO: KBTP, FAA LID: BTP). The airport is also known as the Butler County Airport or K. W. Scholter Field. It is a public airport located in Penn Township, five miles southwest of Butler, PA. The airport serves the northern suburbs of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area.

Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport

The airport was opened by the Pennsylvania Aviation Industrial Corp. (PAIC), owned by George Hann, the Mellon interests, and several other stakeholders. They hoped to attract Pittsburgh traffic to the airport. However, during the Great Depression, the airport shut down for several years due to a lack of business. The two large hangars were used to store corn during this period. In the 1930s, John Graham and Kenny Sholter helped to reopen the airport, and it was renamed the Butler-Graham Airport.

During its early years, the airport was an important training ground for aspiring pilots. Notably, Amelia Earhart received her instrument flight certificate at the airport while preparing for her solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1932. Additionally, C.G. Taylor, an aviation pioneer, moved his Taylorcraft Aircraft company to Butler in 1935, and his new planes were tested at the airport. During World War II, Graham Aviation trained a significant number of pilots under the Civilian Pilot Training Program.

By the late 1990s, the airport faced challenges in accommodating the increasing number of aircraft. As a result, plans were made to extend the runway by 800 feet (240 m), and this extension was completed in 2004. In 2016, the airport underwent another name change, transitioning from the Butler County Airport to the Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport.

Butler County Airport

The airport was founded on September 27, 1929, as Pittsburgh-Butler Airport, with aircraft demonstrations and much fanfare. The airport originally had three turf runways, one of which was later paved, and one was closed. The remaining turf runway ran north-south. During the Great Depression, the airport closed for several years due to a lack of business, and the hangars were used to store corn. In the 1930s, John Graham and Kenny Sholter revived the airport, and it was renamed Butler-Graham Airport.

In the late 1990s, the airport faced the challenge of accommodating the increasing air traffic. As a result, plans were made to extend the runway by 800 feet (240 m), and this extension was completed in 2004. The airport underwent another name change in 2016, transitioning from Butler County Airport to Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport.

The airport plays an essential role in the region's economy, with an economic impact of $23.6 million. It serves as a reliever airport for the northern suburbs of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. As of May 16, 2024, there were 110 aircraft based at the airport, including single-engine, multi-engine, jet, helicopter, and glider planes. The airport offers various facilities and services, including an onsite restaurant and a helicopter base for Allegheny Health Network's air ambulance service.

K. W. Scholter Field

The airport is owned by the Butler County Airport Authority and is listed as a regional reliever airport in the 2025-2029 National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems. It covers an area of 304 acres (123 ha) and features a single asphalt-paved runway designated 8/26, measuring 4,801 by 100 feet (1,463 by 30 m).

In the late 1990s, the airport underwent an extension of its single runway, which was completed in 2004 to accommodate the increasing aircraft traffic. The airport changed its name in 2016 from the Butler County Airport to the Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport.

Nearby airports

Butler, PA, does indeed have an airport: the Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport (IATA: BTP, ICAO: KBTP, FAA LID: BTP). The airport is also known as the Butler County Airport or K. W. Scholter Field. It is a public airport located in Penn Township, 5 miles (or 8 km) southwest of Butler, PA. The airport is owned, operated, and sponsored by the Butler County Airport Authority.

There are several other airports near Butler, PA. The closest airport is DuBois (DUJ), which is 57.1 miles away. Another important airport for Butler is Pittsburgh (PIT) Airport, which is 31.7 miles away. It takes around 2 hours and 42 minutes to travel from Pittsburgh Airport to Butler by bus and taxi. Other nearby airports include Akron (CAK) (81 miles away), Morgantown (MGW) (84.6 miles away), and State College (SCE) (107.4 miles away).

Airport history

The history of aviation in Butler County, Pennsylvania, dates back to 1909 when Roy Knabenshu, a pioneer engineer and designer who previously worked with the Wright Brothers, flew over the county in a one-man dirigible. However, the history of the Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport, formerly known as the Butler County Airport, began in the late 1920s.

The Early Years

The Pittsburgh-Butler Airport was established by the Pennsylvania Aviation Industrial Corp. (PAIC) and dedicated in September 1929, coinciding with the Wall Street Crash. The airport was constructed six miles south of Butler on what were originally the Nixon and Dodds farms. It opened on September 27 and 28, 1929, with aircraft demonstrations and much fanfare. The airport originally had three turf runways, one of which was later paved, and a turf runway closed. During its early years, the airport served as a training ground for potential pilots, including Amelia Earhart, who received her instrument flight certificate there in 1932.

The Great Depression and Reopening

During the Great Depression, the airport shut down for several years due to a lack of business, and the two large hangars were used to store corn. In the 1930s, John Graham and Kenny Sholter helped to reopen the airport, which was then renamed the Butler-Graham Airport.

World War II and Beyond

During World War II, the airport played a significant role in pilot training, with Graham Aviation training numerous pilots under the Civilian Pilot Training Program. The airport continued to serve the northern suburbs of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area and underwent various improvements over the years, including a runway extension in the late 1990s and a name change to Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport in 2016.

Butler County Regional Airport, Ohio

It is worth noting that there is also a Butler County Regional Airport in Hamilton, Ohio. This airport was founded in 1929 by the Hogan family and has a rich history of its own, including serving as a training ground for pilots during World War II. The airport was sold to Butler County, Hamilton, and Fairfield in 1984 and continues to operate as a public-use airport.

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