St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport

Coordinates: 27°54′36″N 082°41′15″W / 27.91000°N 82.68750°W / 27.91000; -82.68750
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport
AMSL
11 ft / 3 m
Coordinates27°54′36″N 082°41′15″W / 27.91000°N 82.68750°W / 27.91000; -82.68750
Websitefly2pie.com
Maps
FAA airport diagram
FAA airport diagram
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
18/36 9,730 2,966 Asphalt
04/22 6,000 1,829 Asphalt
Statistics (2023)
Aircraft operations (2022)146,494
Based aircraft (2022)279
Passengers2,494,952
Sources: FAA,[1] airport website[2]

St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport (

Tampa Bay Area.[1] It is right on the northeast municipal boundary of Pinellas Park, 9 miles (14 km) north of downtown St. Petersburg,[1] 7 miles (11 km) southeast of Clearwater, and 17 miles (27 km) southwest of Tampa
.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2023–2027 categorized it as a small-hub primary commercial service facility.[4] In 2014, it showed double-digit growth and handled more than one million passengers, setting a record.[5]

Most scheduled airline traffic in the

Tampa Bay Area uses Tampa International Airport (TPA), 10 miles (16 km) east, but St. Pete–Clearwater remains a destination for low-cost carriers. St. Pete–Clearwater is a focus city for Las Vegas–based Allegiant Air. The airport is also less busy than Tampa and is frequently used by pilots of private planes and executive jets.[citation needed
]

The airport uses "Tampa Bay The Easy Way" as an advertising slogan and "Fly2PIE" in reference to its three-letter IATA and FAA codes.

History

The airport is on the west shoreline of

St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line of Tony Jannus to fare-paying passengers. Using a Benoist XIV amphibious aircraft, the inaugural flight took place from a location near the downtown St. Petersburg Pier.[6] Mayor Abram C. Pheil of St. Petersburg and Mae Peabody of Dubuque, Iowa, were the first passengers, flying across the bay to Tampa and, according to a United Press
account, reportedly reaching the maximum speed of 75 miles per hour during the flight. Other reports indicate that they reached an altitude of 50 feet (15 m).

This was the beginning of commercial air transportation anywhere in the world and is commemorated by a replica of the Benoist aircraft and a plaque at the airport terminal baggage claim area. Another replica is displayed at the St. Petersburg Museum of History adjacent to the Pier. Since 1991, the terminal holds the archives of the Florida Aviation Historical Society.[7]

Construction and wartime

See also: Pinellas Army Air Field

Construction of the airport at its present site started in March 1941. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the airport was acquired by the United States Army Air Forces, which used it as a military flight training base assigned to Third Air Force.

The 304th Fighter Squadron, a combat training unit of the 337th Fighter Group based

P-51 Mustangs at Pinellas Army Airfield (as it was then known) for the duration of World War II
. Antisubmarine patrols against German U-boats in the Gulf of Mexico were also flown from the airfield.

To commemorate the airport's vital role during that conflict, a plaque was dedicated at the airport terminal in 1994 by the P-51 Fighter Pilots Association and Brigadier General James H. Howard, who was the only European Theater fighter pilot to be awarded the Medal of Honor in World War II and later served as the last wartime base commander of Pinellas Army Airfield. A permanent exhibit honoring General Howard is located in the terminal.

Postwar operation

After World War II, the property was returned to Pinellas County by the U.S. government to operate as a civil airport. It was originally called Pinellas International Airport and given the IATA designation, PIE, which it still uses, because PIA was already taken by

Peoria International Airport.[8] In 1958,[9] the name was changed to St. Petersburg–Clearwater International Airport because, according to airport manager "Bobo" Hayes, tourists didn't know where Pinellas County was.[7]

Airline service: 1950s to mid-2000s

During the 1950s until the mid 1960s, several major U.S. airlines served both St. Petersburg–Clearwater (PIE) and

Midway Airport routing.[12]

With the advent of the

Aviation Week directory says PIE's longest runways were 5,700 feet, but it appears 17/35 was 8,000 feet when the 720B arrived). The increased capacities of Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8 jets prompted the Civil Aeronautics Board
(CAB) to approve consolidation of airline service for the Tampa Bay area at TPA in the early 1960s.

In 1963, Northwest was flying Lockheed L-188 Electra propjet service Miami–Fort Lauderdale–St. Petersburg–Atlanta–Chicago O'Hare–Minneapolis/St. Paul–Fargo, ND–Grand Forks, ND–Winnipeg, Canada.[13] Eastern was the last scheduled airline at PIE during the mid-1960s and it ended flights from the airport in 1964. The year before, Eastern had been operating prop flights from St. Petersburg nonstop to Charlotte, Chicago O'Hare Airport, Cleveland and Louisville as well as direct one-stop service to Columbus, OH, Detroit and Indianapolis.[14]

Scheduled air service returned to PIE in 1972, when

Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante turboprops with one weekday nonstop flight from Miami as well as one weekday nonstop flight from nearby Tampa.[18]

Jet service returned in 1982 with

Midway Airport hub with direct one stop service from Cleveland;[25]
however, by October 1989 PIE once again had no scheduled airline service.

Lockheed L-1011 TriStar jets on its flights into the airport.[34] In the late spring of 2004, Southeast Airlines was operating nonstop jet service from the airport to Allentown, PA (ABE), Columbus, OH (LCK), Gary, IN (GYY), and Newburgh, NY (SWF).[35]
Southeast Airlines went out of business in the fall of 2004, while Air South had previously ceased serving the airport back in 1996, and subsequently went out of business as well.

According to the

New York Newark Airport (EWR), Philadelphia (PHL), Pittsburgh (PIT) and St. Louis (STL).[36]

Recent developments

In September 2006,

A320 jets on its flights from the airport.[37]

In 2009, the airport completed a US$22 million renovation, including, among other things, larger gates, new plumbing, and building passenger jet bridges.[38][39]

In January 2015, Silver Airways announced it was beginning service to PIE, but in March the company had cancelled its plans.[40]

As of 2021, the airport is planning to convert decommissioned runway 9/27 into a taxiway to enhance service for air carriers, the U.S. Coast Guard, and

Pinellas County Sheriff's Office aircraft.[41]

Facilities

Runway 27 (March 1988)
Runway 17L and taxiway/runway 17R (1988)

The airport covers 1900 acres (769

ILS approach, and 04/22 is 6,000 by 150 feet (1,829 x 46 m).[1][42]

The airport is also the home of

MH-60T Jayhawk
aircraft.

The

UH-60 Blackhawk
helicopters.

Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) (which is the busiest AFSS in the United States) and the St. Petersburg VORTAC
for airways navigation are also important federal government services at the airport.

The entire tract of the airport is designated as a

Foreign Trade Zone
(FTZ) and a large Airport Industrial Park developed in the 1980s is a major center of commerce. The airport and its tenants employ over 3,000 people and have an economic benefit of more than $400 million yearly to the Tampa Bay area.

The airport has a 24-hour airport rescue and fire-fighting (

ARFF
) department (Index C), along with operations, facilities, engineering, security, and administrative personnel.

For the year ending December 31, 2021, the airport had 146,494 aircraft operations, an average of 401 operations per day; with 78% general aviation, 10% commercial, 6% air taxi, and 6% military. At the time, there were 193 aircraft based at this airport: 85 single-engine, 31 multi-engine, 57 jet, 3 helicopter, and 17 military.[1]

Events

Aside from the year of the COVID-19 pandemic, St. Petersburg–Clearwater International Airport serves as the base for the Honor Flight of West Central Florida.[43] American Veterans partake in a flight to Washington D.C. annually to visit memorials dedicated to individuals who fought for the United States in various wars.[43] About 75 to 80 veterans participate in the program annually which is designed to fly older veterans who typically could not visit Washington, D.C., otherwise.[43]

Terminals

Baggage-claim area, with replica of Benoist XIV flying boat flown by aviation pioneer Tony Jannus in 1914 (2009 photo)
PIE's baggage-claim area has four baggage carousels (2009 photo).
PIE Airport Sign

St. Petersburg–Clearwater International Airport has one terminal with two gate areas, known as A-Side & B-Side. A-Side has gates 1-6 and B-Side has gates 7-12. Gates 1 & 12 are Arrivals Only gates, with gate 1 exiting into the Ticketing A lobby and gate 12 exiting into the baggage claim.[44]

Airlines and destinations

AirlinesDestinations
Provo, Richmond, Tri-Cities (TN)
Sun Country Airlines Seasonal: Minneapolis/Saint Paul[50]
Destinations map
Peoria
Pittsburgh
Plattsburgh
Portsmouth
Raleigh/Durham
Roanoke
Sioux Falls
South Bend
Springfield/Branson
Syracuse
Toledo
Traverse City
Fargo
Hagerstown
Little Rock
Moline
Richmond
Tri-Cities
Tulsa
Provo
Fayetteville/Bentonville
Minneapolis/Saint Paul
Wichita
Bismarck
Key West
Evansville
McAllen
class=notpageimage|
Destinations from St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport
Red = Year-round destination
Green = Seasonal destination
Blue = Future destination

Statistics

Airline Market Share (October 2022 – September 2023)
Rank Carrier Passengers Market Share
1 Allegiant 2,419,000 99.02%
2 Sun Country 24,030 0.98%

Top destinations

Top domestic destinations
(February 2023 – January 2024)[51]
Rank City Passengers Carriers
1 North Carolina Asheville, North Carolina 68,370 Allegiant
2 Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee 61,310 Allegiant
3 Kentucky Cincinnati, Ohio 53,980 Allegiant
4 Michigan Grand Rapids, Michigan 51,840 Allegiant
5 Pennsylvania Allentown, Pennsylvania 41,580 Allegiant
6 Indiana Indianapolis, Indiana 40,550 Allegiant
7 Michigan Flint, Michigan 38,420 Allegiant
8
Charlotte-Concord, North Carolina
 34,690 Allegiant
9 Indiana Fort Wayne, Indiana 27,570 Allegiant
10 Missouri Springfield/Branson, Missouri 27,080 Allegiant

Annual traffic

Annual passenger traffic (enplaned + deplaned) at St Pete–Clearwater Airport, 2004 thru 2023[52]
Year Passengers Year Passengers Year Passengers
2004 1,333,069 2014 1,247,987 2024
2005 596,510 2015 1,645,402 2025
2006 389,997 2016 1,837,035 2026
2007 747,369 2017 2,055,269 2027
2008 742,380 2018 2,237,446 2028
2009 776,535 2019 2,288,692 2029
2010 776,087 2020 1,394,573 2030
2011 833,068 2021 2,036,251 2031
2012 865,942 2022 2,445,919 2032
2013 1,017,049 2023 2,494,952 2033

Accidents and incidents

  • On January 10, 1955, National Airlines Flight 1 (Lockheed Lodestar N33369) was departing the airport for Sarasota when the copilot lost directional control and the pilot was unable to regain control of the aircraft. The plane ended up in a sodded area off of the runway and all 13 onboard safely evacuated; the plane was damaged beyond repair.[53]
  • On May 30, 1969, a USAF Lockheed C-130E Hercules (62-1831) was damaged beyond repair in a ground incident.[54]
  • On June 6, 1982, a Douglas C-47 (N95C) owned by Fromhagen Aviation crashed during a training flight; all 5 onboard survived but the aircraft was destroyed. The copilot had never flown a DC-3 before.[55]
  • On September 30, 2015, the pilot of a Piper PA-30, registered to Jet Aircraft Management, crashed and died while practicing takeoffs and landings.[56][57]
  • On January 4, 2016, a Beechcraft 200 Super King Air (N275X) of Skyway Aircraft Inc. was being flown from Albert Whitted to here for flap examination when the pilot failed to configure the landing gear, resulting in a gear-up landing. The plane was written off due to substantial damage; the pilot survived.[58]

See also

References

  1. ^
    PDF
    . Federal Aviation Administration. effective February 23, 2023.
  2. ^ "St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport: Total Passengers 2004 Through 2023" (PDF). flytopie.com. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  3. ^ "IATA Airport code Search (PIE: St.Pete/Clearwater)". International Air Transport Association. Archived from the original on December 25, 2018. Retrieved December 31, 2012.
  4. ^ "NPIAS Report 2023-2027 Appendix A" (PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. October 6, 2022. p. 32. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  5. ^ "St. Pete Clearwater airport set passenger record in 2014". www.bizjournals.com. January 1, 2015. Archived from the original on January 31, 2017. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  6. ^ "Tony Jannus —An Enduring Legacy of Aviation". Tony Jannus Distinguished Aviation Society. Archived from the original on February 4, 2008. Retrieved April 25, 2008.
  7. ^
    ISBN 9781561642816, archived
    from the original on February 26, 2022, retrieved October 23, 2016
  8. ISBN 9780762753475, archived
    from the original on February 26, 2022, retrieved October 23, 2016
  9. ^ "The History of PIE". Archived from the original on May 12, 2020. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  10. ^ http://www.timetableimages.com Archived February 2, 2001, at the Wayback Machine, Sept. 5, 1956, Mackey Airlines timetable
  11. ^ http://www.timetableimages.com Archived February 2, 2001, at the Wayback Machine, April 26, 1959, National Airlines timetable
  12. ^ http://www.timetableimages.com Archived February 2, 2001, at the Wayback Machine, Oct. 30, 1960, Delta Air Lines timetable
  13. ^ http://www.timetableimages.com Archived February 2, 2001, at the Wayback Machine, March 1, 1963, Northwest Airlines timetable
  14. ^ http://www.timetableimages.com Archived February 2, 2001, at the Wayback Machine, July 1, 1963 Eastern Air Lines timetable
  15. ^ http://www.timetableimages.com Archived February 2, 2001, at the Wayback Machine, Sept. 27, 1972 Air Florida timetable
  16. ^ http://www.departedflights.com Archived December 17, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, April 14, 1974 Air Florida route map
  17. ^ http://www.departedflights.com Archived December 17, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Nov. 15, 1985, Official Airline Guide, Saint Petersburg flight schedules
  18. ^ http://www.departedflights.com Archived December 17, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, April 1, 1981, Official Airline Guide (OAG), Saint Petersburg flight schedules
  19. ^ http://www.departedflights.com Archived December 17, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, July 1, 1983, Official Airline Guide, Fort Lauderdale & New Orleans flight schedules
  20. ^ http://www.departedflights.com Archived December 17, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, early 1984 Atlantic Gulf Airlines route map & timetable
  21. ^ "Atlantic Gulf Airlines". Sunshine Skies. Archived from the original on May 17, 2018. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
  22. ^ http://www.departedflights.com Archived December 17, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, May 1, 1984, Northeastern International Airlines timetable
  23. ^ http://www.departedflights.com Archived December 17, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, June 26, 1985, People Express timetable
  24. ^ http://www.departedflights.com Archived December 17, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Nov. 15, 1985, Florida Express timetable
  25. ^ Dec. 1, 1988, OAG Pocket Flight Guide, North American Edition, Tampa/St. Petersburg flight schedules
  26. ^ "PIE91intro". Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  27. ^ Feb. 1, 1994, OAG Pocket Flight Guide, St. Petersburg intl. schedules
  28. ^ http://www.departedflights.com Archived December 17, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Dec. 17, 1994, American Trans Air/ATA system timetable
  29. ^ a b Oct. 30, 1994, OAG North American Pocket Flight Guide
  30. ^ http://www.departedflights.com Archived December 17, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, June 17, 1995, Air South route map
  31. ^ http://www.departedflights.com Archived December 17, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, April 2, 1995, Official Airline Guide, Miami flight schedules
  32. ^ http://www.departedflights.com Archived December 17, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, May 22, 1997 Reno Air route map
  33. ^ http://www.departedflights.com Archived December 17, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, June 1, 1999, Official Airline Guide, Saint Petersburg flight schedules
  34. ^ https://www.airliners.net Archived February 23, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, photos of Air Transat Lockheed L-1011 aircraft at St. Petersburg–Clearwater International Airport
  35. ^ "Southeast Airlines May 18, 2004 Route Map". www.departedflights.com. Archived from the original on July 9, 2020. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  36. ^ "Airlines Serving Saint Petersburg in March 2005". April 15, 2022.
  37. ^ "PIE Clearwater Intl Airport (PIE/KPIE)". FlightAware. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  38. St. Petersburg Times
    , June 26, 2007.
  39. ^ Florida's St Petersburg-Clearwater Airport receives facelift Archived November 4, 2019, at the Wayback Machine, designcurial.com, June 8, 2009. Retrieved on November 4, 2019.
  40. ^ "Silver Airways aborts flights to St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport" (Archive). Tampa Bay Times. Thursday 31 March 2015. Retrieved on April 3, 2015.
  41. ^ Lawrence White, D'Ann (November 17, 2021). "St. Pete-Clearwater Airport Gears Up For Busy Holiday Season". Patch. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  42. ^ "PIE airport data at skyvector.com". skyvector.com. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
  43. ^ a b c "Home". Honor Flight West Central Florida. Archived from the original on July 6, 2020. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
  44. ^ "Terminal Map | St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport". fly2pie.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2020. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  45. ^ "Allegiant Announces Twelve New Routes with One-Way Fares as Low as $49" (Press release).
  46. ^ Kirk, Sam (December 7, 2021). "New cheap nonstop flights offered from Clarksburg to Florida". wboy.com. Nextstar Media Inc. Archived from the original on December 8, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  47. ^ https://ir.allegiantair.com/news/news-details/2024/Allegiant-Announces-Ten-New-Routes-with-One-Way-Fares-as-Low-as-45/default.aspx
  48. ^ "Allegiant Announces Six New Nonstop Routes to Make Sunny Summer and Fall Vacation Dreams Come True | Allegiant Travel Company". Archived from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  49. ^ https://ir.allegiantair.com/news/news-details/2024/Allegiant-Announces-Ten-New-Routes-with-One-Way-Fares-as-Low-as-45/default.aspx
  50. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on April 27, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  51. U.S. Department of Transportation. December 2019. Archived
    from the original on February 26, 2022. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  52. ^ "Passenger Statistics & Reports - St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport". www.fly2pie.com. Archived from the original on March 15, 2015. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  53. ^ "ASN Aircraft accident Lockheed 18-50 Lodestar N33369 St. Petersburg Airport, FL (PIE)". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  54. ^ "ASN Aircraft accident Lockheed C-130E Hercules 62-1831 St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport, FL (PIE)". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  55. ^ "ASN Aircraft accident Douglas C-47A-90-DL (DC-3) N95C St. Petersburg International Airport, FL (PIE)". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  56. ^ "Pilot killed in small plane crash at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport". Bay News 9. September 30, 2015. Archived from the original on October 2, 2015. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
  57. ^ "Pilot dies in plane crash at St. Pete-Clearwater Airport". 10NEWS. Retrieved October 25, 2015.[permanent dead link]
  58. ^ "ASN Aircraft accident Beechcraft 200 Super King Air N275X St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport, FL (PIE)". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved May 7, 2023.

Sources

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to St. Petersburg–Clearwater International Airport.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=St._Pete–Clearwater_International_Airport&oldid=1219101640"