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Bradley International Airport

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For the Tom Bradley International Terminal, see Los Angeles International Airport.
Bradley International Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerConnecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT)
ServesHartford, Connecticut & Springfield, Massachusetts
LocationWindsor Locks, Connecticut
Elevation AMSL173 ft / 53 m
Coordinates41°56′20″N 72°41′0″W / 41.93889°N 72.68333°W / 41.93889; -72.68333
WebsiteBradleyAirport.com
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
6/24 9,510 2,899 Asphalt
15/33 6,847 2,087 Asphalt
1/19 4,268 1,301 Asphalt
Statistics (Total Passengers)
20086,112,979
20076,519,181
20066,907,042
20057,381,372
FAA diagram of BDL

Bradley International Airport (IATA: BDL, ICAO: KBDL, FAA LID: BDL) is a public airport located in Windsor Locks on the border with East Granby, in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is owned by the State of Connecticut.[1]

The airport is situated in the towns of Windsor Locks, Suffield and East Granby, about halfway between Hartford and Springfield. It is Connecticut's busiest commercial airport, with 350 daily operations, and the second-busiest airport in New England after Boston's Logan International Airport [2]. Delta Air Lines (along with its wholly-owned subsidiary Northwest Airlines) is currently the largest carrier at Bradley International Airport with 41 daily flights, and carries over 1 million passengers.[3]

The airport is home to the New England Air Museum.

History

Bradley has its origins in the 1940 acquisition of 1,700 acres (690 ha) of land in Windsor Locks by the State of Connecticut. In 1941, this land was turned over to the U. S. Army, as the country began its preparations for the impending war. [4]

Less than a year after the Army assumed control, the field at Windsor Locks had its first fatality. Among those assigned to duty in Windsor Locks was the young Lt. Eugene M. Bradley of Antlers, Oklahoma. While participating in a training drill, Lt. Bradley's P-40 crashed on August 21, 1941. Following a funeral at Talarski Funeral Home in Hartford, Lt. Bradley's remains were interred in the national cemetery in San Antonio, Texas.

After a groundswell of sentiment in favor of naming the airfield in Windsor Locks in honor of the airman, the airfield was renamed Army Air Base, Bradley Field, Connecticut on January 20, 1942.

Following the end of World War II in 1945, the airfield was returned to the State of Connecticut in 1946.

In 1947, when the airport returned to civilian use, the airfield in Windsor Locks became known as Bradley International Airport. Also the arrival of Eastern Air Lines Flight 624 came that same year, which was the first civilian flight at the airport. International shipping operations at the airport began during the same year. It eventually came to replace the older, smaller Hartford-Brainard Airport as Hartford's primary airport.[5]

In 1948, the federal government deeded the Airport to the State of Connecticut for public and commercial use.[6]

In 1950, Bradley International Airport exceeds the 100,000-passenger mark, handling 108,348 annual passengers.[7]

In 1960, Bradley passed the 500,000 mark, handling 500,238 passengers.[8]

A photo of the newest terminal at Bradley.

In 1971, the International Arrivals building opened, followed by the installation of instrument landing systems on two of the runways in 1977.

In 1979, a tornado ripped through Windsor Locks, wreaking destruction along the eastern portions of the airport. The New England Air Museum sustained some of the worst damage. It reopened in 1982.

1986: New Terminal A and Bradley Sheraton Hotel completed. Roncari cargo terminal constructed [9]

In 2001 construction commenced on a new parking garage. When it was completed, it initially could not be used; the intervening attacks of 9/11 had led to a regulation that would have required it to be set back further from the airport. For some time it was open but every vehicle had to be individually inspected, which severely reduced its value. Bradley eventually received a waiver for it from the Department of Homeland Security.

2001 also saw the commencement of the Terminal Improvement Project- an ambitious project to add a new terminal and gates to the airport and centralize passenger screening. The new terminal built by The Tomasso Group opened in 2003. The terminal improvement was part of a larger project to enhance the reputation of the City of Hartford as a destination for business and vacation travel.

Aerial view of Bradley International Airport

On October 2–3, 2007, the Airbus A380 visited Bradley as part of its world tour, stopping in Hartford to showcase the aircraft to Connecticut workers for Pratt and Whitney and Hamilton Sundstrand, both divisions of United Technologies, who helped build the GP7000 TurboFan engines which is an option to power the aircraft. Bradley Airport is one of only 68 airports worldwide large enough to accomodate the A380.

On October 18, 2007, Bradley International Airport was named as one of the top five small airports in the North American Airport Satisfaction Study by J.D. Powers.

On October 7, 2008, Embraer, an aerospace company based in Brazil, selected Bradley as its future Northeast service center in the United States. An $11 million project is in place with support from teams of the Connecticut Department of Transportation and Connecticut's Economic and Community Development. Embraer will build and operate a full maintenance and repair facility for its line of business jets, employing up to 60 highly skilled aircraft technicians over the next 5 years. The opening ceremony for the new facility was October 7, 2008[10].

Airlines and destinations

Terminal A

East Concourse

The East Concourse (Gates 1-12) hosts the SkyTeam alliance carriers as well as Southwest Airlines. Continental Airlines will be moving to the West concourse after joining Star Alliance on October 24, 2009. They will use Gates 24 & 25. Gates A1, A3, A5 and A7 will be taken by American Airlines and Air Canada will take Gate A8. Terminal B will be closed by the end of 2009. All international departures will depart from this terminal and arrive at the International Arrivals Building.

AirlinesDestinations
Continental Airlines Cleveland [seasonal]
Continental Connection operated by Colgan Air Newark
Continental Connection operated by CommutAir Newark
Continental Express operated by Chautauqua Airlines Cleveland
Continental Express operated by ExpressJet Airlines Cleveland, Newark
Delta Air Lines Atlanta, Cancún, Fort Myers [seasonal]
Delta Connection operated by Chautauqua Airlines Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky
Delta Connection operated by Comair Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Fort Lauderdale [seasonal], New York-JFK, Tampa [seasonal]
Delta Connection operated by Freedom Airlines Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, New York-JFK
Northwest Airlines Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Orlando, Tampa, West Palm Beach
Northwest Airlink operated by Mesaba Airlines Minneapolis/St. Paul
Northwest Airlink operated by Pinnacle Airlines Detroit
Southwest Airlines Baltimore, Chicago-Midway, Las Vegas, Nashville, Orlando, Tampa

West Concourse

The West Concourse (Gates 20-30) hosts the Star Alliance carriers, with the exception of Air Canada (which operates out of Terminal B).

AirlinesDestinations
United Airlines Chicago-O'Hare, Washington-Dulles
United Express operated by Mesa Airlines Washington-Dulles
United Express operated by Shuttle America Chicago-O'Hare, Washington-Dulles
US Airways Charlotte, Philadelphia, Washington-Reagan
US Airways Express operated by Air Wisconsin Philadelphia
US Airways Express operated by Colgan Air Rochester (NY)
US Airways Express operated by Mesa Airlines Charlotte
US Airways Express operated by Republic Airlines Philadelphia, Washington-Reagan
US Airways Express operated by Trans States Airlines Pittsburgh

Terminal B

File:Spring4.jpg
View looking down the new concourse from the entrance. Artwork is hung on the parts of the walls, and is changed each season.

Terminal B (gates 1-10) hosts the Oneworld alliance carrier American Airlines, as well as the Star Alliance carrier Air Canada's regional partners and all international charter service. This terminal will be closed by the end of 2009. All flights will be moved to Terminal A. A1, A3, A5, A7 will be taken by American Airlines and Air Canada will take Gate A8.

AirlinesDestinations
Air Canada operated by Air Georgian Montreal-Trudeau, Toronto-Pearson
Air Canada Jazz Toronto-Pearson
American Airlines Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami, San Juan
American Eagle Chicago-O'Hare, Raleigh/Durham, St. Louis

Airline Lounges

US Airways operates a US Airways Club in the West Concourse of Terminal A.

Cargo operations

Incidents and Accidents

  • November 12, 1995- An American Airlines MD-83 N566AA, crashed while trying to land at Bradley. American Airlines flight 1572, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees while on approach to runway 15 at Bradley International Airport. The airplane also impacted an instrument landing system antenna as it landed short of the runway on grassy, even terrain.
  • January 21, 1998- A Continental Express ATR-42 N15827 had an emergency during roll on landing. During the landing roll, a fire erupted in the right engine. The airplane was stopped on the runway, the engines were shut down, and the occupants evacuated. The fire handles for both engines were pulled and both fire bottles on the right engine discharged. However, the fire on the right engine continued to burn. The airport fire services attended shortly afterward and extinguished the fire.
  • January 6, 2003- An embraer erj-145LR Continental Express crashed at Cleveland Hopkins Airport after leaving Bradley. An ILS runway 6L approach was performed. After touchdown, the flight crew was unable to stop the airplane on the runway. The airplane continued beyond the departure end, on extended runway centerline, and struck the ILS runway 6 localizer antenna. It came to rest with the nose about 600 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. The nose landing gear had collapsed rearward and deformed the forward pressure bulkhead.
  • April 1, 2004- A beechcraft 1900D operating as US Airways Express/Colgan Air N149CJ hit a fuel truck while parking. The Beech 1900D landed on runway 24, and was cleared to taxi to the ramp. As the airplane entered the ramp area, the flight crew planned to stop beyond the hold-short line, to wait for another airplane to exit gate 25. As the flight crew crossed the hold-short line, and were almost at a complete stop, they felt a "buffet," which became a "large jolt," on the left side of the fuselage. After realizing a fuel truck impacted the left engine and propeller, the captain shut down the engines, and evacuated the passengers from the right window emergency exit.

Military operations

International Arrivals Building

In December 2002, a new International Arrivals Building opened to the west of Terminal B. This new International Arrivals Building houses the Federal Inspection Station and has one jetway for deboarding the aircraft. The IAB replaced the old FIS in Terminal B and will be enlarged as volume demands. Two government agencies provide crucial support at the facility, these agencies are: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The FIS Terminal (International Arrivals Building) is a two-story, 28,000-square-foot (2,600 m2) facility adjacent to Terminal B and the recently constructed Remote Deicing Collection Facility. This entire Construction project included the FIS Terminal and associated landside and airside improvements; entrance roadway, sidewalks and concrete hardstand for arriving aircraft parking. The FIS Terminal can process more than 300 passengers per hour from aircraft as large as a Boeing 747. International departures will be handled from the existing terminal complex. This facility cost approximately $7.7 million, which included the building and site work. A unique, 9’ x 20’ American flag tile mosaic was donated by Robert LaRosa, president of LaRosa Building Group, which designed and constructed the facility. The mosaic is visible upon entering the front of the building. This project was funded through the Bradley Improvement Fund.[11]

All international arrivals except for those from airports with customs preclearance are processed through the IAB.

Ground transportation

Rail

The closest train stations are Windsor Locks and Windsor, both serviced by Amtrak.[12] Connecticut Transit buses travel between the Windsor train station and the airport. The state of Connecticut has planned for commuter rail between New Haven and Springfield, and increased bus service, if not a complete rail link, has been discussed for the airport.

Bus

Connecticut Transit operates bus #30 "Bradley Flyer" between Hartford, Windsor train station and Bradley Airport. [13]

Former Destinations

Since late 2005, the decline in passenger airline traffic and the slumping economy has caused Bradley International Airport to lose non-stop service to several cities. Service was not necessarily lost because of not being profitable. These cities are listed below. Also Delta Airlines had a semi-focus city at Bradley International Airport.

Future

Terminal B

Airport officials are continuing their efforts towards completing the airport's master-plan, which includes demolishing the Murphy Terminal, or Terminal B, and replacing it with an entirely new terminal. The new terminal will have a state of the art food court and other retail options for passengers utilizing this terminal. It will be double its current size and broken up into two separate concourses with 24 passenger gates in total. Also it will contain international arrivals capabilities with customs and immigration for one of the two concourses. Some plans show that it will be connected with the current IAB, but other plans leave it separated. It would make sense if international arrivals capability will be put in then it should be connected. This plan depends on the demand for air travel, which has been declining due to reductions in flights and the rise in airline tickets, all resulting from the rising cost of oil. However, according to the master plan from 2009 it will still happen after the completion of the renovations to terminal A, and American Airlines can be relocated. If international service is gained then it will still happen. A new parking garage is also planned. These plans may come to fruition after the full completion of Terminal A, which includes renovating the United check-in areas and adding more concessions. The Sheraton Hotel is also undergoing extensive renovations.

Embraer, an aerospace company based in Brazil, has selected Bradley as its future Northeast service center in the United States. An $11 million project is in place with support from teams of the Connecticut Department of Transportation and Connecticut's Economic and Community Development. Embraer will build and operate a full maintenance and repair facility for its line of business jets, employing up to 60 highly skilled aircraft technicians over the next 5 years. The opening ceremony for the new facility was October 7, 2008[14].

JetBlue- Plans to buy gates in new terminal when it is built and to fly to destinations in Florida, the Caribbean including BQN and SJU, and the Bahamas

See also

References

  1. ^ FAA Airport Form 5010 for BDL PDF, effective 2007-07-05
  2. ^ Bradley International Airport - Courant.com
  3. ^ http://www.bradleyairport.com/News/press.aspx?id=102
  4. ^ http://www.bradleyairport.com/News/factsheet.aspx
  5. ^ http://www.bradleyairport.com/News/factsheet.aspx
  6. ^ http://www.bradleyairport.com/News/factsheet.aspx
  7. ^ http://www.bradleyairport.com/News/factsheet.aspx
  8. ^ http://www.bradleyairport.com/News/factsheet.aspx
  9. ^ http://www.bradleyairport.com/News/factsheet.aspx
  10. ^ [1]
  11. ^ http://www.bradleyairport.com/pdfs/Fact_Sheet_FIS.pdf
  12. ^ Amtrak - Station Search Results
  13. ^ http://www.cttransit.com/RoutesSchedules/Display.asp?DivID={7428A88D-DDD7-4910-9C2F-AD1E63B94375}
  14. ^ [2]
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