City airport possibly to start with new commercial airlines company?

**rbdetsport** · January-12-15, 03:08 PM

Here's an idea.. Acquire the rest of the land directly to the west of City Airport and build a parallel runway from the cemetery to Gratiot. You could reach a 9,000 foot runway which would be sufficient for many regional airlines. For comparison, the runways at Midway Airport in Chicago are only 8,000 feet tops. In regards to what this airport expansion could mean for the city, I truly believe this would be the airport of choice for many in Macomb County and on the city's east side. With a Gratiot transit line, it could mean big growth in that area of the city. It would be great if the Wayne County Airport Authority bought the airport and used it to grow their holdings. Maybe get Delta to run there more regional flights out of City Airport? If only..

**313WX** · January-12-15, 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by 3WC

I probably flew to and from that airport at least 50 times on Southwest and that little commuter airline that served Cleveland and Chicago [[Midway Airlines?)

SW used to fly from DTW and the DTW flts were always full. They terminated service out of Detroit ostensibly because they needed the planes on other routes.

Southwest Airlines stopped flying out of Detroit? Since when?

**3WC** · January-12-15, 10:52 PM

Sorry, SW used to fly out of both DTW and Detroit City.

It terminated its Detroit City routes in the early '90s. Those flights ere always full and I hated to see them discontinue the flights because it was so convenient to fly out of City.

**Gistok** · January-13-15, 12:48 AM

Originally Posted by 3WC

Sorry, SW used to fly out of both DTW and Detroit City.

It terminated its Detroit City routes in the early '90s. Those flights ere always full and I hated to see them discontinue the flights because it was so convenient to fly out of City.

Amen to that!!

I once flew SW from City Airport to Midway, most convenient flight ever!! Being an eastsider it was so fast and easy. Parking near the terminal? It was as easy as parking to shop at Kroger...

**emu steve** · January-13-15, 04:54 AM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Amen to that!!

I once flew SW from City Airport to Midway, most convenient flight ever!! Being an eastsider it was so fast and easy. Parking near the terminal? It was as easy as parking to shop at Kroger...

Could a 100-seat regional airplane such as the Airbus A318 [[don't think I've flown it) work? Or would it need to be a little smaller?

**Danny** · January-13-15, 07:27 AM

Last time I went to the Detroit City Airport I got on Pro Air. Their small commercial airliner was a broken down 25 year old Boeing 747 on route to New York City with a friend. It's a safe flight, but its cheap and great.

DetroitBoy · January-13-15, 08:17 AM

There has never been a 747 using City. The runways are not long enough.

**Hermod** · January-13-15, 08:51 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitBoy

There has never been a 747 using City. The runways are not long enough.

I think he misspoke for one of the original, small 737s.

**mikefmich** · January-13-15, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitBoy

There has never been a 747 using City. The runways are not long enough.

An unloaded 747 could land there. But that's a moot point.

**Zacha341** · January-13-15, 09:32 AM

I don't want to fly in any carriers 'old' anything. I prefer the newer Airbus series. Had the chance to fly on an Embraer mid-sized jet ala United Airways once on a night flight. My, my did she fly smooth.

Originally Posted by Danny

Last time I went to the Detroit City Airport I got on Pro Air. Their small commercial airliner was a broken down 25 year old Boeing 747 on route to New York City with a friend. It's a safe flight, but its cheap and great.

**emu steve** · January-13-15, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

I don't want to fly in any carriers 'old' anything. I prefer the newer Airbus series. Had the chance to fly on an Embraer mid-sized jet ala United Airways once on a night flight. My, my did she fly smooth.

How many seats? I think I flew an Embraer from D.C. to NYC. Small but nice.

**archfan** · January-14-15, 02:22 AM

The Airbus 318 requires 6000 ft at maximum takeoff weight, according to Wikipedia.

**Zacha341** · January-14-15, 02:37 AM

I'm thinking about a 75-100. It was not a commuter model Embraer but it was very narrow. Night flight with the moon light, nearly cloudless -- awesomely smooth. The pilot was quite proud.

Originally Posted by emu steve

How many seats? I think I flew an Embraer from D.C. to NYC. Small but nice.

**emu steve** · January-14-15, 05:46 AM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

I'm thinking about a 75-100. It was not a commuter model Embraer but it was very narrow. Night flight with the moon light, nearly cloudless -- awesomely smooth. The pilot was quite proud.

Sounds like what I flew. I got re-routed on a flight from D.C. to Vegas [[2013?) and had to go to NYC and then non-stop to Vegas. The plane to NYC was very narrow with two seats on each side. Nice way to go a short distance. Seems like a nice plane for flights of up to several hundred miles.

**emu steve** · January-14-15, 06:02 AM

http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Del...er_ERJ-175.php

ERJ-175 seats almost 80 people. Would make a nice plane to fly from City to say Midway, Milwaukee, Indy, CLE or Columbus, Cincy, Pittsburgh, Buffalo.

I saw where the article mentioned Chicago, NYC, and Boston.

Guess, I see it as more of a short haul, limited seating [[80 seats) airline.

**Zacha341** · January-14-15, 06:26 AM

Yes, that was the Embraer model I'm sure I was on! Too bad it cannot fly into CAY Airport.

**emu steve** · January-14-15, 06:37 AM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

Yes, that was the Embraer model I'm sure I was on! Too bad it cannot fly into CAY Airport.

Wow, if one can't fly that into CAY what can one fly which would be a profitable regional airline jet?

Isn't that the lightest of the planes which seat more than 50?

Isn't that the small, lightest, etc. etc. plane one could use? No one would want to fly a 50 seater into Chicago [[I assume 80 seat flights would fill up easily).

DetroitBoy · January-14-15, 08:12 AM

Originally Posted by emu steve

Wow, if one can't fly that into CAY what can one fly which would be a profitable regional airline jet?

Isn't that the lightest of the planes which seat more than 50?

Isn't that the small, lightest, etc. etc. plane one could use? No one would want to fly a 50 seater into Chicago [[I assume 80 seat flights would fill up easily).

the runway is still too short for maximum takeoff weight for this aircraft. It could land at max capacity but not take off.

http://planes.findthebest.com/q/303/...ed-to-take-off

**Zacha341** · January-14-15, 08:54 AM

I dunno. I am not flying in a plane too small or too big if I can help it...

...

Originally Posted by emu steve

Wow, if one can't fly that into CAY what can one fly which would be a profitable regional airline jet?

**emu steve** · January-14-15, 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitBoy

the runway is still too short for maximum takeoff weight for this aircraft. It could land at max capacity but not take off.

http://planes.findthebest.com/q/303/...ed-to-take-off

Wow, that is surprising. I would have thought it would have been around 5,000 ft. not 7,500 ft.

What used to fly out of CAY to Midway, puddle jumpers? Lol.

**boater4life** · January-14-15, 11:09 AM

I mean, the houses surrounding the airport, many are vacant, rundown, etc. there are even a few for sale from $2,000-$6000 dollars. One would think it *wouldn't* be very expensive to buy up surrounding land in order to expand. This would easily be the airport of choose for detroiters, grosse pointe, scs, and northern Macomb county.

**Honky Tonk** · January-14-15, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by boater4life

I mean, the houses surrounding the airport, many are vacant, rundown, etc. there are even a few for sale from $2,000-$6000 dollars. One would think it be very expensive to buy up surrounding land in order to expand. This would easily be the airport of choose for detroiters, grosse pointe, scs, and northern Macomb county.

I totally agree with you. Now that Midtown/Downtown are getting some life back into them, I would think City Airport would become more useful. The question is who's going to make the investment to make it a real, functioning, useful City airport?

**downtownguy** · January-14-15, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by boater4life

I mean, the houses surrounding the airport, many are vacant, rundown, etc. there are even a few for sale from $2,000-$6000 dollars. One would think it *wouldn't* be very expensive to buy up surrounding land in order to expand. This would easily be the airport of choose for detroiters, grosse pointe, scs, and northern Macomb county.

Doesn't Matty Moroun own a lot of properties around there? Seems to me when one of the papers published all his real estate holdings a couple of years ago, he had hundreds of small parcels near the airport. I never understood why he would want them, but it could certainly put another wrinkle into any expansion.

**downtownguy** · January-14-15, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitBoy

... I will never patronize a place named to immortalize Charlie the coalman.

Coalman? Really??

**MSUguy** · January-14-15, 04:04 PM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

I totally agree with you. Now that Midtown/Downtown are getting some life back into them, I would think City Airport would become more useful. The question is who's going to make the investment to make it a real, functioning, useful City airport?

I wonder if the Wayne County Airport Authority would be willing to be more involved?

One thing people haven't mentioned in an expansion is the potential for cargo operations, there is a lot of rail infrastructure nearby that could be attractive for cargo operators or logistics companies