Flying Cloud Airport

The airport was created in 1941 when the United States Navy was training pilots for World War II. The Navy made arrangements with a local farmer, Martin "Pappy" Grill, to use a grass landing strip. Pilots flying from Wold-Chamberlain Field, now Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, would use this field for practicing approaches. After the war, Grill sold the field and some adjoining land to American Aviation, Inc. John Stuber named the field "Flying Cloud Airport" to reflect local Indian lore and flying. The Metropolitan Airports Commission bought the airport in 1948 and paved the runway. The MAC built a control tower in 1963. By 1966, it was ranked the second-busiest airport in the central United States, behind Chicago-O'Hare International Airport. In 1968, with 446,198 takeoffs and landings, it was the ninth-busiest airport in the United States.{{cite web|url=http://www.edenprairie.org/vCurrent/live/article.asp?r=1549|title=History of the Airport|publisher=City of Eden Prairie|accessdate=2008-04-22|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071006153416/http://www.edenprairie.org/vCurrent/live/article.asp?r=1549|archivedate=2007-10-06}} Today it is designated by the FAA as a reliever airport and aircraft are restricted to {{convert|60000|lb|t}} or less, except in an emergency situation or when operated by the U.S. Government.{{cite web|url=http://www.metroairports.org/mac/appdocs/ordinances/Ordinance_97.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101031190505/http://metroairports.org/mac/appdocs/ordinances/Ordinance_97.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=2010-10-31|title=Ordinance Number 97|publisher=Metropolitan Airports Commission|accessdate=2010-07-29}}

Because of the airport's proximity to the Valleyfair amusement park, the park's rides are restricted in height by FAA regulations.{{cite web|url=https://www.valleyfair.com/rides/Thrill-Rides/Power-Tower|title=Power Tower|work=valleyfair.com|accessdate=29 January 2016}}

In 2020 the airport received a $157,000 CARES Act award.{{cite web|first=Adam|last=Uren|date=April 15, 2020|title=97 Minnesota airports receive federal bailout cash, here's how much they got|url=https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-news/97-minnesota-airports-receive-federal-bailout-cash-heres-how-much-they-got|accessdate=June 14, 2020}}{{cite web|date=April 14, 2020|title=U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao Announces $10 Billion in Relief for America’s Airports|url=https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/us-transportation-secretary-elaine-l-chao-announces-10-billion-relief-americas|accessdate=June 14, 2020}}

Flying Cloud Airport covers an area of 543 acres (220 ha) at an elevation of 906 feet (276 m) above mean sea level. It has three asphalt paved runways.

For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2022, the airport had 122,281 aircraft operations, an average of 335 per day: 96% general aviation, 3% air taxi, <1% commercial, and <1% military. At that time, there were 324 aircraft based at this airport: 259 single-engine, 34 multi-engine, 29 jet and 2 helicopter.

On April 30, 2020 an FAA Airport Improvement Program Grant of $722,222 was awarded to rehabilitate taxiways at the airport.{{cite web|url=https://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=24936|title=U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao Announces Over $1 Billion in Grants to 439 Airports in 50 States|date=April 30, 2020|accessdate=May 5, 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.faa.gov/airports/aip/grantapportion_data/media/FY20-AIP-Grants-Announced.pdf|title=Airport Grants Announced on April 30, 2020|accessdate=May 4, 2020}}

Viking Composite Squadron[https://viking.cap.gov/ Viking Composite Squadron] is a Civil Air Patrol squadron that has its airplane hangar at Flying Cloud Airport.

• List of airports in Minnesota

{{Reflist}}

• {{FAA-airport|ID=FCM|use=PU|own=PU|site=10827.*A}}
• [http://www.macnoise.com/other-mac-airports/flying-cloud-airport-fcm MSP Reliever Airports: Flying Cloud Airport]

• {{cite web |url= http://www.dot.state.mn.us/aero/avoffice/ops/airdir/pdf/mplsfcm.pdf |title= Minnesota Airport Directory: Flying Cloud Airport |url-status= dead |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20060924024117/http://www.dot.state.mn.us/aero/avoffice/ops/airdir/pdf/mplsfcm.pdf |archivedate= 2006-09-24 }} {{small|(364 KiB)}}
• {{FAA-diagram|05094}}

{{US-airport-ga|FCM}}

{{Airports in Minnesota}}

Category:Airports in Minnesota

Category:Transportation buildings and structures in Hennepin County, Minnesota