Airport Accessibility In Salina, Kansas: Is There A Runway?

Yes, Salina, Kansas, is served by the Salina Regional Airport, formerly known as Salina Municipal Airport. The airport is located on the site of the former Schilling Air Force Base, previously known as Smoky Hill Air Force Base and Smoky Hill Army Airfield. With a 12,300-foot primary runway, it is known as America's Fuel Stop and is capable of accommodating nearly any aircraft. The airport is used for general aviation and military operations, and also offers scheduled passenger services to destinations like Denver and Chicago.

The Salina Regional Airport is located in Salina, Kansas, and is owned by the Salina Airport Authority

The Salina Regional Airport, formerly known as the Salina Municipal Airport, is located in Salina, Kansas, and is owned by the Salina Airport Authority. Covering 2,862 acres of land at an elevation of 1,288 feet, the airport is recognised as "America's Fuel Stop" due to its central location and 12,300-foot primary runway, which enables it to accommodate nearly any aircraft.

The airport is used for general aviation and is served by SkyWest Airlines, operating as United Express, which provides daily scheduled passenger service to Denver International Airport and Chicago O'Hare International Airport. The airline is subsidised by the Essential Air Service program, which provides government funding to select carriers serving smaller communities.

In addition to its role in civilian aviation, the Salina Regional Airport is also a significant site for military operations and UAS development. It is known as "FOL Salina" by military aviation units that utilise its facilities as a forward operating location. The airport's local FBO, Avflight Salina, supports the fuel and ground service needs of thousands of business and military aircraft annually.

The Salina Regional Airport has a rich history, with its roots tracing back to the construction of the Smoky Hill Army Airfield on 2,600 acres of land southwest of Salina during World War II. Over the years, the airport has been served by various airlines, including United States Airways, Continental Airlines, Central Airlines, and SeaPort Airlines. The airport has also faced challenges, such as groundwater contamination discovered in the early 2000s, leading to a federal lawsuit and subsequent cleanup efforts overseen by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

The airport is used for general aviation and is served by SkyWest Airlines (United Express)

Salina Regional Airport, formerly known as Salina Municipal Airport, is located in Salina, Kansas, and is used for general aviation. The airport is owned by the Salina Airport Authority and is the base for over 100 businesses and organisations, with a total employment number of over 7,005 people.

The airport is served by SkyWest Airlines, operating as United Express, which provides daily scheduled passenger air service to Denver International Airport and Chicago O'Hare International Airport. SkyWest Airlines began serving the airport in 2018, using Bombardier CRJ100/200 regional jets. The airline initially offered one daily non-stop flight to Chicago and two daily flights to Denver, with a stop in Hays, Kansas. However, in 2020, the service was reduced to one daily non-stop flight to each city.

Salina Regional Airport has a long history of aviation, dating back to the early 1930s when United States Airways first provided scheduled airline service to the region. The airport has four runways, with the primary runway being 12,300 feet long, and is capable of accommodating nearly any aircraft. The airport's local FBO, Avflight, provides aircraft fuel and customer service to thousands of business jets, cargo and freight companies, executive jets, passengers, small aircraft, and large charter operations.

The Salina Airport Authority takes pride in its role as a significant economic hub in Kansas, with Amazon recently purchasing land in the Airport Industrial Center to construct a last-mile distribution facility, expected to generate at least 100 new jobs. The airport is also a premier location for military operations training and UAS development, with a history rooted in military airfield construction during World War II.

It has four runways, including a primary runway of 12,300 feet, and is capable of accommodating nearly any aircraft

Salina, Kansas, is served by the Salina Regional Airport, formerly known as the Salina Municipal Airport. The airport is located on the site of the former Schilling Air Force Base, previously known as the Smoky Hill Air Force Base and the Smoky Hill Army Airfield.

The airport has four runways, including a primary runway of 12,300 feet, and is capable of accommodating nearly any aircraft. The other runways measure 4,300 feet, 6,500 feet, and 3,648 feet. The airport has earned the recognition of being "America's Fuel Stop" due to its central location and long primary runway, which make it ideal for mid-continent refuelling stops.

In addition to its role as a refuelling hub, the Salina Regional Airport is also a significant economic driver for the region. The airport and the Salina Airport Industrial Center together account for 17.6% of total Saline County employment, with a total employment figure exceeding 7,005 people and an annual payroll of $143.2 million.

The airport is served by SkyWest Airlines, operating as United Express, which provides daily scheduled passenger service to Denver International Airport and Chicago O'Hare International Airport. The airport is also a premier location for military operations training and UAS development.

The airport is known as America's Fuel Stop due to its central location and ability to refuel various aircraft

Salina Regional Airport, formerly Salina Municipal Airport, is located in Salina, Kansas, United States. The airport is owned by the Salina Airport Authority and is known as "America's Fuel Stop" due to its central location and ability to refuel various aircraft. The airport has a long history of aviation, dating back to the early 1930s when it first received its scheduled airline service.

The airport's recognition as "America's Fuel Stop" is well-deserved, as it boasts a primary runway of 12,300 feet, capable of accommodating a wide range of aircraft. Its local FBO, Avflight, delivers nearly 4 million gallons of fuel annually to a combined total of over 10,000 business and military aircraft. This includes jets, large charter operations, executive jets, small aircraft, and cargo and freight companies.

The Salina Regional Airport is also a significant hub for military operations and UAS development. It is used as a forward operating location by military aviation units and is referred to as "FOL Salina." The airport's ability to cater to military aircraft and its central location make it an ideal choice for refuelling, contributing to its reputation as "America's Fuel Stop."

In addition to its role in military operations and refuelling, the airport is also home to K-State Salina and its Department of Aviation. The department offers various degrees in the field of aviation, including Professional Pilot degrees, further solidifying the airport's importance in the aviation industry.

The Salina Airport Authority has also attracted major companies, with Amazon purchasing 20 acres in the Airport Industrial Center to construct a last-mile distribution facility. This development underscores the strategic value of the airport's location and its contribution to Salina's economic growth.

The site has a history of groundwater contamination, with clean-up efforts ongoing

Salina Regional Airport in Kansas has a history of groundwater contamination, with a toxic plume forming due to the migration of chemicals into the soil and water. Trichlorethylene (TCE), a degreaser used to clean aircraft and a known carcinogen, was discovered in the groundwater in 1989, along with other compounds disposed of on the former Schilling Air Force Base (previously known as Smoky Hill Air Force Base and Smoky Hill Army Airfield).

The contamination was caused by the disposal of hazardous materials on the site, including TCE, which was used to clean aircraft. In 1989, the Salina School District discovered three of 107 underground fuel storage tanks on its property. The US Army Corps of Engineers published its first remedial investigation in 1999, and a second investigation into the contamination in the Salina Airport Industrial Area was initiated in 2005.

Residents in the affected area were advised not to drink the water by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. While soil vapour intrusion assays in 1999 and 2005 indicated that vapour levels did not exceed state standards for air quality, they may have surpassed federal EPA guidelines.

In 2010, a federal lawsuit was filed in Kansas City by Salina officials, the Salina Airport Authority, the Salina School District, and Kansas State University – Salina (now Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus), who collectively owned 96% of the property, seeking compensation for the clean-up costs. The Department of Justice agreed to contribute $8.4 million towards developing a clean-up plan for the former base in 2013. The total estimated cost of the remedial investigation, feasibility study, and clean-up was $9.3 million, with the Salina public entities contributing $936,300.

As of 2015, studies continued to detect groundwater contamination in the soil and bedrock, but no concentrations of vapour requiring immediate action were found in the area surrounding the airport. The clean-up process is overseen by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and it is ongoing.

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