Vermont's Airport Infrastructure: Major Hub Or Minor Stop?

Vermont does have a major airport, the Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport, which is located in South Burlington. It is the only airport in the state with mainline commercial service and is the busiest airport in Vermont, with 100 times the traffic of the second-busiest airport, Rutland–Southern Vermont Regional Airport. The airport has seen multiple expansions over the years, including in 1941, the 1980s, 2011, and 2012.

Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport

Vermont does have a major airport, the Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport (BTV). The airport is named after former US senator Patrick Leahy and is located in South Burlington, just three nautical miles (6 km) east of Burlington's central business district. It is owned by the City of Burlington and is the only airport in Vermont with mainline commercial service.

The airport covers an area of 942 acres (381 ha) at an elevation of 335 feet (102 m) above sea level. It has two runways: 15/33, which is 8,319 by 150 feet (2,536 x 46 m) with an asphalt and concrete surface, and 1/19, which is 4,112 by 75 feet (1,253 x 23 m) with an asphalt surface.

The history of the airport goes back to 1920 when Captain Hubert Stanford Broad, a World War I pilot, landed his Avro plane in a new field north of Williston Road. This marked the first fly-in at what became the Burlington Municipal Airport. In 1964, the airport introduced jet service, with flights to JFK airport taking just 42 minutes. In 1969, the Burlington Board of Aldermen voted to change the airport's name to "international" to reflect its growing status.

Today, the Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport is the busiest airport in Vermont, with 100 times the traffic of the second-busiest airport, Rutland–Southern Vermont Regional Airport. In 2019, the airport had 687,436 passenger boardings, according to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records. The airport serves its metropolitan area, which had over 219,433 residents as of the 2019 US census estimates.

Rutland–Southern Vermont Regional Airport

Vermont does have an airport, and it's called the Rutland–Southern Vermont Regional Airport. The airport is located five nautical miles (six miles or nine kilometres) south of Rutland, a city in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. It is situated in North Clarendon and was previously known as Rutland State Airport.

The Rutland–Southern Vermont Regional Airport is a state-owned, public-use airport. It is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2013-2017, categorised as a non-primary commercial service airport with 2,500 to 10,000 enplanements (commercial passenger boardings) per year. The airport is the closest commercial service airport to popular mountain resorts such as Killington, Pico, Okemo, Stratton, Bromley, Magic Mountain, and Mount Snow.

The airport covers an area of 345 acres (140 hectares) and sits at an elevation of 787 feet (240 metres) above mean sea level. It has two asphalt runways: 01/19, which is 5,304 by 100 feet (1,525 by 30 metres), and 13/31, which is 3,169 by 75 feet (966 by 23 metres). Runway 19 has an additional safety feature, a 300-foot EMAS arresting system at the end.

Scheduled commercial flights are subsidised by the Essential Air Service and provided by Cape Air. There are three flights daily to Boston, utilising eleven-passenger Tecnam P2012 Traveller aircraft with typical flight times of 40 minutes.

Vermont's airport expansion plans

Vermont has a number of airports, including Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport, Rutland-Southern Vermont Regional Airport, and Middlebury Airport. However, it appears that none of these airports are considered 'major'.

The Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) has been seeking public input on its Vermont Airport System Draft Plan, which outlines the state's 20-year long-range vision and goals for its public-use airports. This plan will update the 2007 Airport System and Policy Plan. The AOT is currently in the process of updating the Vermont Airport System Plan (VASP), which will guide the planning and development of Vermont's public-use airports. The VASP will include an evaluation of the adequacy and performance of Vermont's public airports, forecasts of future performance, the setting of goals and recommendations, and an economic impact assessment. It will provide guidance on how Vermont's public-use airports can remain safe, competitive, and responsive to the needs of its users, stakeholders, and the public.

The VASP will be developed within the framework of the state's three priority goals, which are not explicitly outlined. However, the VAAC, an executive-appointed council, is tasked with evaluating policy and making aviation recommendations to VTrans. Their members include aviation stakeholders with knowledge and experience in airports, aviation, and economic development.

While it is unclear whether the VASP specifically includes expansion plans for Vermont's airports, the evaluation and forecasting processes indicate that the state is considering ways to improve and develop its airport infrastructure. This could involve expanding existing airports or investing in new facilities to enhance Vermont's aviation capabilities.

Vermont's busiest airport

Vermont, a state in the US, has several airports catering to different aviation needs. The busiest airport in Vermont is the Burlington International Airport (BTV). This airport is located in the northern part of the state, near Lake Champlain. It serves as a commercial airport, offering scheduled passenger services and recording more than 10,000 passenger boardings annually.

In addition to Burlington International, there are several smaller regional airports scattered across Vermont. These include the Rutland–Southern Vermont Regional Airport (RUT), which provides convenient access to popular tourist destinations such as Killington, Woodstock, and Stratton. Southern Vermont is also accessible via the Albany International Airport (ALB) in the neighbouring state of New York.

Vermont is also home to numerous small airports that cater to private, charter, and general aviation flights. These airports are located in various towns across the state, including Orange, Island Pond, Middlebury, Newport, Lyndonville, and South Burlington. Some of these smaller airports have specific operational limitations, such as being open only to ski-equipped planes during the winter months.

While Vermont's primary airport, Burlington International, offers regular passenger services, it is not considered a "major" airport in the traditional sense. The state of Vermont does not have an airport that matches the scale and passenger volume of large hub airports found in other parts of the country. However, the Burlington International Airport plays a crucial role in facilitating air travel to and from the state, connecting Vermont with the broader national and international aviation network.

Burlington's airport manager, Walt Houghton

Vermont's primary airport is the Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport, located in South Burlington. It is a joint-use civil-military airport serving Burlington, Vermont's most populous city, and its metropolitan area. The airport is owned by the City of Burlington and is by far the busiest airport in Vermont, with 100 times the traffic of the second-busiest, Rutland–Southern Vermont Regional Airport.

Burlington Municipal Airport, as it was formerly known, has a long history, dating back to its formal recognition in 1921 by Governor Hartness, himself a pilot. In 1928, the airport received recognition from the Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce of America, and the local Board of Airport Commissioners was formed. The airport has attracted aviation record-setters over the years, including the famous Amelia Earhart, who received the keys to the City of Burlington at the airport in 1934.

During World War II, the Burlington Municipal Airport played a significant role in pilot training, being located just outside the Defense Zone. It was noted as the busiest airport in the world on two separate occasions during this period, with an incredibly high number of landings. In 1948, under the management of Hugh Finnegan, the airport underwent tremendous expansion, growing in size and infrastructure.

In more recent times, the airport, now known as Burlington International Airport, has faced competition from low-cost carriers. In the late 1990s, the airport manager, JJ Hamilton, successfully negotiated with JetBlue, which began serving the airport in 2000. Since then, heightened security procedures have been implemented, and the airport has seen significant renovations and expansion, with investments of up to $24 million.

Today, the Burlington International Airport continues to be a vital aviation hub for Vermont, with a significant increase in passenger boardings over the years. While I cannot confirm the current airport manager's name or if it is Walt Houghton, the historical information provided showcases the evolution of Burlington's airport and the important role it plays in the region's transportation network.

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