Billings Logan International Airport
Billings Logan International Airport | |||||||||||||||||||
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AMSL 3,662 ft / 1,116 m | | ||||||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 45°48′28″N 108°32′34″W / 45.80778°N 108.54278°W | ||||||||||||||||||
Website | www | ||||||||||||||||||
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FAA Airport Diagram of BIL | |||||||||||||||||||
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Statistics (2023) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Billings Logan International Airport (IATA: BIL, ICAO: KBIL, FAA LID: BIL) is in the western United States, two miles (three kilometers) northwest of downtown Billings, in Yellowstone County, Montana. It is the fourth largest airport in Montana, having been surpassed in recent years by Bozeman, Missoula, and Flathead County (Kalispell) in both number of gates as well as annual enplanements.[6] Owned by the city of Billings,[4][7] the airport is on top of the Rims, a 500-foot (150 m) cliff overlooking the downtown core, and covers 2,500 acres (1,000 hectares) of land.[4][8]
The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 categorized it as a primary commercial service airport (more than 10,000 enplanements per year).[9] According to Federal Aviation Administration records, the airport had 387,368 passenger boardings (enplanements) in 2013,[10] 388,329 in 2010 and 397,073 in 2009.[11]
Billings Logan International Airport has scheduled nonstop flights to several airline hubs such as Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Portland, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Chicago, and Seattle. Billings also serves as a small hub for Cape Air,[3] a commuter airline which operates nonstop flights with Cessna 402 prop aircraft within Montana to Glasgow, Glendive, Havre, Sidney, and Wolf Point.
History
The first recorded flight in Billings was in 1913 by a local dentist named
In 1927, the City of Billings approved $5,000 and 400 acres (160 hectares) on top of the Rims to build a runway. The 1,820-foot (550 m) runway and small administrative building was built by horse-drawn equipment; the airport opened on May 29, 1928.
In 1933,
Inland Air Lines was serving the airport in 1939 as a stop on a route between Denver and Great Falls.
The original
Improvements over the years include runway lights in 1935 to the new 120-foot (37 m) air traffic control tower in 2005. Major terminal expansions were made in 1958, 1972, and 1992. In early 2006 the airport added electronic monitors giving info on arrivals and departures.
The name changed from the Billings Municipal Airport to Billings Logan Field in 1957, after Dick Logan, the airport manager, died. In 1971 the airport became Billings Logan International Airport.[20]
By 1961,
The jet age arrived in Billings by 1966 when Northwest introduced
For at least part of each year from the late 1970s to early 1980s, Billings was served by wide body
In 1983, four airlines were operating mainline jet service into the airport:
Another airline which operated jet service into Billings was
As of 2022, the airport is undergoing massive renovations and improvements. This is being done in multiple phases and includes both added gates and a fully redesigned terminal. The first phase of new gates and terminal areas was completed in summer 2022. Work is ongoing and the renovation is expected to help the airport grow and remain modern.
Airport governance
The Aviation and Transit Board governs BIL, with seven members, each appointed for four-year terms. It is required of the position of a board member to possess the qualifications fit for the Mayor's office. With the consent of the Council, the Mayor elects the board members. No board member may be reelected once his or her term expires. The purpose of the Aviation and Transit Board is not only to help govern the operations of the airport, but also to act as a citizens' advisory board to the City Council. They are to make sure that city policies are implemented and carried out. Shortcomings are to be reported and recommendations are to be made to the City Council.
Facilities
Billings Logan International Airport has three runways. The primary runway is Runway 10L/28R with a length of 10,518 feet and width of 150 feet. ILS/DME[jargon] on 28R is at 3,738 feet MSL[jargon] is the lowest approach. The second runway is Runway 07/25 with a length of 5,501 feet and width of 75 feet; this runway serves as the crosswind runway. The final runway is Runway 10R/28L with a length of 3,800 feet and width of 75 feet. This runway serves as the primary runway for single engine and light piston aircraft. All three runways are asphalt.[41]
There are nine taxiways currently in use. Taxiway A runs parallel to Runway 10L/28R, serves as the last exit of Runway 10L and connects to the terminal area. Taxiway B runs through Runway 10L/28R as an access taxiway to the Northern Air Tanker Base. Three Taxiways, C, E and F, serve as exit taxiways that vary in width to serve certain size aircraft. Taxiway D intersects Runway 10L/28R and serves as a northern exit point for Runway 25. Two taxiways (G and H) provide all exits for Runway 10R/28L and Runway 7. Finally, Taxiway J is the primary taxiway from the terminal area to the cargo ramps. Two hotspots exist on the airfield side of operations. Hotspot 1 is located at the intersection of Runway 10R/28L and Runway 7/25. Hotspot 2 is located at the intersection of Taxiway C and Runway 10L/28R.[42]
In the year ending December 31, 2023, the airport had 99,748 operations, an average of 273 aircraft operations per day: 58% general aviation, 29% air taxi, 13% airline, and 1% military. 197 aircraft were then based at the airport: 106 single-engine, 62 multi-engine, 22 jet, and 7 helicopter.[4]
Airlines and destinations
Passenger
This section needs additional citations for verification. (January 2022) |
Airlines | Destinations |
---|---|
Alaska Airlines | Seattle/Tacoma Seasonal: Portland (OR) |
Allegiant Air | Las Vegas, Los Angeles (resumes May 16, 2024),[43] Phoenix/Mesa Seasonal: San Diego[44] |
American Eagle | Dallas/Fort Worth Seasonal: Chicago–O'Hare,[45] Phoenix–Sky Harbor |
Cape Air | Glasgow (MT), Glendive, Havre, Sidney (MT), Wolf Point |
Delta Air Lines | Minneapolis/St. Paul, Salt Lake City |
Delta Connection | Salt Lake City |
Sun Country Airlines | Seasonal: Minneapolis/St. Paul (begins June 19, 2024)[46] |
United Airlines | Denver |
United Express | Denver |
Destinations map |
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Cargo
Airlines | Destinations |
---|---|
FedEx Express | Denver, Great Falls, Memphis, Sioux Falls |
Freight Runners Express | Fargo |
UPS Airlines | Denver, Louisville, Omaha, Ontario, Portland (OR) |
Statistics
Top destinations
Rank | Airport | Passengers | Carriers |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Denver, Colorado | 127,000 | United |
2 | Salt Lake City, Utah | 84,000 | Delta |
3 | Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota | 51,000 | Delta |
4 | Seattle/Tacoma, Washington | 51,000 | Alaska |
5 | Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas | 39,000 | American |
6 | Phoenix/Mesa, Arizona | 25,000 | Allegiant |
7 | Las Vegas, Nevada | 16,000 | Allegiant |
8 | Sidney, Montana | 7,000 | Cape Air |
9 | Phoenix-Sky Harbor, Arizona (PHX) | 7,000 | American |
10 | Chicago-O'Hare, Illinois | 4,000 | American |
Rank | Airline | Passengers | Share |
---|---|---|---|
1 | United Airlines | 211,000 | 24.90% |
2 | Delta Air Lines | 179,000 | 21.11% |
3 | SkyWest Airlines | 142,000 | 16.82% |
4 | Horizon Air | 102,000 | 12.06% |
5 | Allegiant Airlines
|
82,000 | 9.67% |
Other | 131,000 | 15.44% |
Accidents and incidents
- On July 8, 1938, a Lockheed Super Electra stalled on takeoff. One passenger of the ten on board died.[49]
- On December 8, 1945, a Douglas C-47 operated by Northwest Airlines on an Army charter flight from Fargo, North Dakota crashed 3/10 of a mile south of Billings in snowy weather at night, struck trees and crashed. 19 out of the 23 on board were killed.[50]
- On December 18, 1992, a Cessna 550 arriving from Watertown, SD crashed on approach to runway 28R, killing all 8 occupants. The investigation found the cause to be wake turbulence from a Boeing 757 that arrived just prior to the incident, causing the aircraft to roll inverted.[51]
- On May 23, 2008, Beechcraft 1900C registration N195GA acting as a contract mail flight, impacted terrain about three miles northeast of Billings-Logan International Airport en route to Great Falls International Airport approximately three minutes after takeoff. The sole occupant, the pilot, was killed.[52]
- On November 15, 2015, an Boeing 777-200 made an emergency landing at Billings Logan International Airport. The cockpit received an engine fire warning on the right-hand engine. The plane was en route from Tel Aviv to Los Angeles carrying 297 passengers and 20 crew members. Inspection after landing indicated no fire was present.[53]
- On April 20, 2020, a Piper PA-31T Cheyenne N926K crashed just west of the airport in a local gun and archery establishment. The sole occupant, the pilot, received fatal injuries due to smoke inhalation. A probable cause by some locals favors a possible engine failure upon initial climbout.[54][55]
See also
References
- ^ "Alpine Air :: Services". Archived from the original on May 17, 2014. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
- ^ "Locations". corporateair.net. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
- ^ a b "Cape Air Montana | Billings, Sidney, Glasgow, Wolf Point, Havre, Glendive". Archived from the original on January 2, 2014. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
- ^ PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. effective January 25, 2024.
- ^ "BIL operations report for 2023 at flybillings.com". flybillings.com. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
- ^ "RITA | BTS | Transtats". transtats.bts.gov. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
- ^ "Billings Airport, MT - Official Website | Official Website". ci.billings.mt.us. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
- ^ "BIL airport data at skyvector.com". skyvector.com. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
- ^ "2011–2015 NPIAS Report, Appendix A" (PDF). National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems. Federal Aviation Administration. October 4, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF, 2.03 MB) on September 27, 2012.
- ^ "Enplanements for CY 2013" (PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. June 20, 2014. Archived from the original (PDF, 1.0 MB) on August 16, 2014.
- ^ "Enplanements for CY 2010" (PDF, 189 KB). CY 2010 Passenger Boarding and All-Cargo Data. Federal Aviation Administration. October 4, 2011.
- ^ http://www.timetableimages.com, Oct. 10, 1935 Northwest Airlines system timetable
- ^ http://www.timetableimages.com, Oct. 1, 1955 & May 22, 1960 Northwest Airlines system timetables
- ^ http://www.timetableimages.com, July 7, 1939 Inland Air Lines system timetable
- ^ http://www.timetableimages.com, Nov. 3, 1944 Western Airlines system timetable
- ^ http://www.timetableimages.com, March 1, 1956 & Sept. 6, 1960 Western Airlines system timetables
- ^ http://www.timetableimages.com, Nov. 1, 1950 Frontier Airlines system timetable
- ^ http://www.timetableimages.com, Oct. 28, 1962 Frontier Airlines system timetable
- ^ http://www.departedflights.com, April 15, 1975 Official Airline Guide (OAG), Billings flight schedules
- ^ "Airport History | Billings Airport, MT - Official Website". flybillings.com. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
- ^ http://www.timetableimages.com, May 28, 1961 Northwest Airlines system timetable
- ^ http://www.timetableimages.com, March 1, 1966 Northwest Airlines system timetable
- ^ http://www.timetableimages.com, July 1, 1968 Northwest Airlines system timetable
- ^ http://www.timetableimages.com, Aug. 1, 1966 Western Airlines system timetable
- ^ http://www.timetableimages.com, Aug. 1, 1968 Western Airlines system timetable
- ^ http://www.departedflights.com, Sept. 6, 1973 Western Airlines system timetable
- ^ a b http://www.departedflights.com, Nov. 15, 1979 Official Airline Guide (OAG), Billings flight schedules
- ^ http://www.departedflights.com, Aug. 1, 1982 Northwest Airlines system timetable
- ^ http://www.departedflights.com, Oct. 1, 1991 & June 1, 1999 editions, Official Airline Guide (OAG), Billings flight schedules; Sept. 9, 1987 Northwest Airlines system timetable
- ^ http://www.airliners.net, photo of Northwest Airlines A319 departing from Billings
- ^ http://www.departedflights.com, July 1, 1983 Official Airline Guide (OAG), Billings flight schedules
- ^ a b http://www.departedflights.com, Feb. 15, 1985 Official Airline Guide (OAG), Billings flight schedules
- ^ http://www.departedflights.com, June 1, 1999 Official Airline Guide (OAG), Billings flight schedules
- ^ http://www.airliners.net, photos of Horizon Air CRJ-700 aircraft at Billings
- ^ https://www.alaskaair.com, Flight Schedules
- ^ http://www.departedflights.com, April 7, 2002 America West Airlines system timetable
- ^ http://www.airliners.net, photos of America West Express and Frontier JetExpress aircraft at Billings
- ^ http://www.departedflights.com, 11/15/79, 2/15/85, 10/1/91, 6/1/99 Official Airline Guide (OAG) editions, Billings flight schedules
- ^ http://www.departedflights.com, Big Sky Airlines route maps
- ^ http://www.departedflights.com, Dec. 15, 1989 Official Airline Guide (OAG), Billings flight schedules
- ^ "Airport master record" (PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 29, 2014. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- ^ Billings Logan International Airport. (2007). Chapter 1: Inventory. Retrieved from http://flybillings.com/DocumentCenter/View/5987
- ^ https://ir.allegiantair.com/news-releases/news-release-details/allegiant-announces-twelve-new-routes-one-way-fares-low-49
- ^ Liu, Jim. "Allegiant Air further expands S20 network in June 2020". Routesonline. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
- ^ "Allegiant begins direct service from Billings to Portland May 7". May 6, 2021.
- ^ "Sun Country Airlines Expands with 11 New Destinations, Including Two in Canada".
- ^ "RITA | BTS | Transtats". Bureau of Transportation Statistics. transtats.bts.gov. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
- ^ "RITA | BTS BIL | Transtats". Bureau of Transportation Statistics. transtats.bts.gov. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
- Aviation Safety Network
- Aviation Safety Network
- ^ "SEA93GA041". ntsb.gov. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
- ^ "SEA08FA135: Full Narrative". ntsb.gov. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
- ^ "Yes, that was an El Al Boeing 777 at the airport in Billings, Mont". usatoday.com. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
- ^ "Pilot killed in Billings plane crash". Q2 News (KTVQ). April 20, 2020. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
- ^ "Accident Piper PA-31T1 Cheyenne I N926K,". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
External links
- Official website
- FAA Terminal Procedures for BIL, effective April 18, 2024
- Resources for this airport:
- AirNav airport information for KBIL
- ASN accident history for BIL
- FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
- NOAA/NWS weather observations: current, past three days
- SkyVector aeronautical chart for KBIL
- FAA current BIL delay information