Detroit City Airport

[SpartanDawg]

So I was just kind of curious about detroit city airport.. is it even in use anymore? are there any commercial flights out of there anymore? were there ever any?

just kinda wanted some info on it.. i know they tried to expand the runway a ways back but don't think that ever happened.. you guys think it'll ever be in heavy use again?

[bugs1739]

Southwest Airlines once flew out of City Airport back in the late 80s-early 90s.

[IrishSpartan]

Years ago De La Salle Collegiate High School would periodically sue the City of Detroit because the planes flew directly over the school for final approach. During Friday Night football games it was rather up close and personal. I think 6 Mile has been closed off now for 25 years.

[stasu1213]

Rick Snyder was instrumental in having the Aero Dynamic school closed. Inner city highschool student cant fullfill their dreams of being pilots. This is also a result of weak leadership in the msyors office at the time as well as city council

[313WX]

So I was just kind of curious about detroit city airport.. is it even in use anymore? are there any commercial flights out of there anymore? were there ever any?

just kinda wanted some info on it.. i know they tried to expand the runway a ways back but don't think that ever happened.. you guys think it'll ever be in heavy use again?

I believe commercial flights out of City Airport were grounded by the FAA, due to limited runway space. Smalller aircraft owners [[and some of the news stations' helicopters, for sure WDIV) still use City Airport for storage. The NWS still issues aviation forecasts for City Airport, and they also have an Automated Weather Observation Sensor in its tower.

As far as it being used ever again, don't hold your breath. First off, the upgrades to bring it up to par with regulations and make it competitive with other airports I imagine would be quite expensive. Second, with it being virtually boxed in by Cemeteries and neighborhoods, it would be quite difficult to expand the runways.

[mikeg19]

I'm currently working near Outer Drive and Sherwood, and in the past 2-3 months, there has been a ton of new plane traffic. Our building is directly under there final decent path to a runway and I constantly see planes out my window.

[stasu1213]

I believe commercial flights out of
ity Airport were grounded by the FAA, due to limited runway space. Smalller aircraft owners [[and some of the news stations' helicopters, for sure WDIV) still use City Airport for storage. The NWS still issues aviation forecasts for City Airport, and they also have an Automated Weather Observation Sensor in its tower.

As far as it being used ever again, don't hold your breath. First off, the upgrades to bring it up to par with regulations and make it competitive with other airports I imagine would be quite expensive. Second, with it being virtually boxed in by Cemeteries and neighborhoods, it would be quite difficult to expand the runways.

I would had agreed with you in the 80s as far as expansion for the airport goes. Now, I would have to disagree with you. The neighborhoods surrounding the airport has deteriorated to burned out vacant homes and blight. The airport could build around the cemetary

[313WX]

I would had agreed with you in the 80s as far as expansion for the airport goes. Now, I would have to disagree with you. The neighborhoods surrounding the airport has deteriorated to burned out vacant homes and blight. The airport could build around the cemetary

True. Now the expansion might work westward [[in that area south of 6 Mile and east of Van Dyke), but the areas east, south and north of City Airport I think are still too heavily populated even now.

[renf]

Kevyn Orr is looking into selling city assets. I have heard nothing about a
possible sale of the Coleman Young airport. Can that airport someday
prosperous as a landing site for small jets and personal aircraft?

[Lowell]

I like its code DET, says what it is. As I recall it was embroiled in some scandal a few years ago, facilities upgraded and others built that had no use. I thought it was mainly used for some just in time inventory delivery and other delivery services.

[Honky Tonk]

It would be great if the Yankee Airforce moved there instead of Willow run.

[mikeg19]

Can that airport someday
prosperous as a landing site for small jets and personal aircraft?

I'm looking out my window and can see planes descending to land at the airport right now. Obviously all small jets and private aircraft, but it is still quite active.

[Hermod]

It would be great if the Yankee Airforce moved there instead of Willow run.

I do believe that Willow Run has a much better runway.

[Hamtragedy]

I landed on a Southwest Jet back in the early 90s, and I just remember the "reverse-engine" portion of the landing being really intense, add to the fact that it was raining, and the runway was rather bumpy between slabs. I've got family in those cemeteries, and I swear I could see the names on the headstones on the approach.

[MikeM]

Yes. No. Yes. No.

[Honky Tonk]

I do believe that Willow Run has a much better runway.

I agree with that, but we're talking about WWII prop jobs. Those guys used to land in grassy fields. I think it would another neat attraction for the City. Has anyone been to the waterfront in Cleveland? They put a small jet airport in right about where Hart Plaza is here. High Rollers land and take off doing business in their downtown all day. IF Detroit ever gets to that point, that too would be another good use for City Airport.

[poobert]

Yes. No. Yes. No.

HA!

City Airport, to me, has long represented what is wrong with City and State government here. An absolute inability to accomplish virtually anything strategic or longterm. Another bridge and the Woodward line are versions 2.0 and 3.0 of this.

Metro is a damn good airport, but smaller satellite airports can be great. People regularly fly out of Flint-Bishop for cost/time.

I'm biased as an eastsider but you have essentially everything on the eastside [[and the entire county of Macomb) about an hour from Metro - who are all potential City customers.

It doesn't have to be a full-service international. Make the upgrades needed [[step 1, identify the problem, step 2, FIX IT) and get a couple commercial carriers and you have an entirely new industry in an economically depressed area and a gateway to downtown.

[downtownguy]

I landed on a Southwest Jet back in the early 90s, and I just remember the "reverse-engine" portion of the landing being really intense, add to the fact that it was raining, and the runway was rather bumpy between slabs. I've got family in those cemeteries, and I swear I could see the names on the headstones on the approach.

ProAir also operated for a few years in the late 90s. First time I flew on ProAir, I parked in the lot near the entrance closer than I would be to the entrance in a Kmart parking lot. As they caught on, that ended, and I seem to recall taking a shuttle one time from a lot across Gratiot.

I, too, had a close-encounter with the cemetery on one landing. Usually, I'm fairly relaxed on a commercial flight, but that one was jarring. All the passengers were talking about it as we deplaned.

[rb336]

Kevyn Orr is looking into selling city assets. I have heard nothing about a
possible sale of the Coleman Young airport. Can that airport someday
prosperous as a landing site for small jets and personal aircraft?

I think it needs longer runways to be truly viable. I don't know much about the viability of the neighborhoods around it, but moving the cemetery would probably be required, cost prohibitive and law-suit fodder.

As far as Burke [[Cleveland's lakefront airport) is concerned, it isn't anywhere near comparable to where Hart Plaza is, more like the area between the Joe and the bridge, and there are a large number of people who want to get rid of it.

[Honky Tonk]

I think it needs longer runways to be truly viable. I don't know much about the viability of the neighborhoods around it, but moving the cemetery would probably be required, cost prohibitive and law-suit fodder.

As far as Burke [[Cleveland's lakefront airport) is concerned, it isn't anywhere near comparable to where Hart Plaza is, more like the area between the Joe and the bridge, and there are a large number of people who want to get rid of it.

"about where Hart Plaza is" All valid points, though. Small jets, [[Lears, etc.) land and take off from City Airport all the time with no issues. Granted, for larger planes, runway modifications would be needed. I wouldn't shoot for the Metro Airport thing, but you could do commuter flights to City from Metro. I just think if it was played right, City Airport could be an asset.

[Detroitnerd]

I have a question. It is often called Coleman A. Young Airport, but I believe I have yet to see any official act of the council naming it such. So isn't it just "Detroit City Airport" then?

[313WX]

I have a question. It is often called Coleman A. Young Airport, but I believe I have yet to see any official act of the council naming it such. So isn't it just "Detroit City Airport" then?

It is officially named "Coleman A. Young International Airport" [[by a vote of the City Council and the approval of Kwame Kilpatrick), but it's like the Sears...I mean Willis Tower in Chicago, it's been "Detroit City Airport" for so long that the traditional name simply sticks amongst the general public.

Besides, you know some folks feel a certain type of way about Coleman Young's name on anything period.

[Honky Tonk]

It is officially named "Coleman A. Young International Airport" [[by a vote of the City Council and the approval of Kwame Kilpatrick), but it's like the Sears...I mean Willis Tower in Chicago, it's been "Detroit City Airport" for so long that the traditional name simply sticks amongst the general public.

Besides, you know some folks feel a certain type of way about Coleman Young's name on anything period.

Or the Belle Isle bridge......

[Ltdave]

heres a little bit of information on the operations and KDET...

Aircraft based on the field: 84 Single engine airplanes: 70 Multi engine airplanes: 8 Jet airplanes: 5 Ultralights: 1

Aircraft operations: avg 207/day * 59% transient general aviation 41% local general aviation * for 12-month period ending 31 December 2012

[raptor56]

I remember back in the 80's as a youngster going to City Airport with my Grandpa to do whatever with corporate jets he piloted. I didn't realize at the time just how cool I was... hanging out in a private hangar.



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