Frederick Municipal Airport (Maryland)

In October 2010, Frederick Municipal Airport received $4.8 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to build and staff a control tower at the airport. Work commenced in October 2010, and an air traffic control tower, with accompanying Class D airspace, was commissioned on May 1, 2012.{{cite web| url= http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=110573| title= Air traffic control tower funding, contract approved| date= September 30, 2010| author= Patti S. Borda| url-status= dead| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20120328174616/http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=110573| archivedate= March 28, 2012}} FrederickNewsPost.com, accessed 10-5-2010{{cite web|url=http://www.gazette.net/article/20120221/NEWS/702219946/1100/frederick-municipal-airport-tower-nears-opening&template=gazette|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120730223015/http://www.gazette.net/article/20120221/NEWS/702219946/1100/frederick-municipal-airport-tower-nears-opening&template=gazette|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 30, 2012|title=Frederick Municipal Airport tower nears opening|date=February 21, 2012|author=Tripp Laino}} FrederickNewsPost.com, accessed 3-8-2012{{cite web|url=http://www.aopa.org/asf/seminars/fdktower.html|date=May 23, 2012|author=AOPA Air Safety Foundation|title=Frederick Municipal Airport Tower and Class D Airspace|accessdate=15 June 2012|url-status=dead |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20120604190447/http://www.aopa.org/asf/seminars/fdktower.html|archivedate=4 June 2012}}

FDK maintains two paved runways: the primary runway, Runway 5-23, which is 5,220 feet in length and 100 feet in width, and Runway 12-30, which is 3,600 feet in length and 75 feet in width.

Plans for the airfield include upgrading the existing runway 5/23 to 6,000 feet in length, 12/30 to 3,750 feet, and adding a third turf runway with 2,400 feet. In keeping up with increased growth of corporate and personal aircraft in the Frederick area, the airport has also planned for increased hangar storage.{{cite web| url= http://www.cityoffrederick.com/cms/files/Airport/airfield%20alternatives/FDK-Preferred%20Alt.pdf| title= Airfield master plan, created| date= October 11, 2006| author= City of Frederick| url-status= dead| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20110801170700/http://www.cityoffrederick.com/cms/files/Airport/airfield%20alternatives/FDK-Preferred%20Alt.pdf| archivedate= August 1, 2011}} www.cityoffrederick.com, accessed 10-25-2011

Frederick Municipal Airport currently covers an area of {{convert|616|acre|ha}} and contains two runways:

• Runway 5/23: {{convert|5819|x|100|ft|m|0}}, surface: asphalt concrete
• Runway 12/30: {{convert|3600|x| 75|ft|m|0}}, surface: asphalt concrete

File:AOPA HQ.jpg

• Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) headquarters
• Fuel: 100LL, Jet-A
• Aircraft sales
• Aircraft maintenance
• Oxygen
• Pilot lounge and supplies
• Airways Inn restaurant[https://web.archive.org/web/20120519132225/http://www.frederick.com/airways_inn_of_frederick-sp-781/ Airways Inn]
• Frederick Flight Center (flight training and rental)[https://www.frederickflightcenter.com/ Frederick Flight Center (flight training and rental)]
• Bravo Flight Training (Flight Training and Rental)
• Helicopter Flight school and rental[http://www.advancedhelicopter.com/ Advanced Helicopter Concepts]

The Frederick Municipal Airport, called Frederick Field in the movie, is featured in the 1996 action film Executive Decision starring Kurt Russell, though the airport filmed is not Frederick Municipal Airport but rather Van Nuys Airport.

Frederick Municipal Airport's construction began on March 26, 1946."[https://www.newspapers.com/image/33888548/ Break Ground For City's New Airport]". The News (Frederick, Maryland). March 26, 1946. p. 10. It replaced Detrick Field, which would become Fort Detrick and lose its aeronautical function."[https://www.newspapers.com/image/16201368/ Happy Landing]". The News (Frederick, Maryland). May 26, 1938. p. 4. The airport opened on April 17, 1946, with the arrival of a Stinson aircraft,{{cite web|title=Frederick Municipal Airport|url=http://www.cityoffrederick.com/index.aspx?nid=152|accessdate=9 April 2012}} although the airport was not open for general use until the grading and paving of the runways completed later."[https://www.newspapers.com/image/33888842/ Awarded Contract For Seeding And Fertilizing City Airport]",. The News (Frederick, Maryland). April 24, 1946. p. 10. The airport was dedicated on May 1, 1949."[https://www.newspapers.com/image/8826933/ Airport Dedication Ceremonies Are Held Here: Rain Forces Cancellation Of Air Show]". The News (Frederick, Maryland). May 2, 1949. p. 4. At the dedication ceremony, two plaques were unveiled; one honored Frederick County residents who served their country in World War II, and the other honored Lieutenant William T. Delaplaine III, the first Frederick County pilot to lose his life in World War II.

The airport became the home of the Experimental Aircraft Association east coast fly-in in 1970.{{cite journal|journal=Sport Aviation|date=March 1971|page=6}}

On October 23, 2014, a Cirrus SR22 on descent struck a helicopter near the airport, killing all three aboard the aircraft involved. A National Transportation Safety Board report primarily blamed pilot error but noted the air traffic controller did not properly set priorities for handling multiple aircraft.{{cite news |title=NTSB: Pilot error blamed triple fatal air crash |url=https://www.wbaltv.com/article/ntsb-pilot-error-blamed-triple-fatal-air-crash/7100974# |access-date=17 June 2023 |work=WBAL |date=2 June 2016 |language=en}} The families of the two helicopter pilots sued the contractor that ran the airport's tower. A Frederick County jury awarded them $17 million.{{cite news |title=Families awarded $17M in fatal midair collision lawsuit |url=https://apnews.com/article/760d3d3370ee46b78e9c5e01932a65ad |access-date=17 June 2023 |work=AP NEWS |date=12 April 2017 |language=en}}

• List of airports in Maryland

{{Reflist}}

• {{official website|1=https://www.cityoffrederick.com/index.aspx?NID=152}}
• {{FAA-diagram|05089}}{{US-airport-ga|FDK}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070428004154/http://www.naco.faa.gov/index.asp?xml=naco%2Fonline%2Fd_afd Airport/Facility Directory published by FAA every 56 days]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060307100802/http://www.naco.faa.gov/index.asp?xml=naco%2Fonline%2Fd_tpp US Terminal Procedures published by FAA every 56 days]
• [http://www.flightguide.com/ Flight Guide published by Airguide Publications, Inc. semiannually]
• [https://www.businessinfrederickblog.com/businessinfrederick/2020/10/15/fdk-runway-expansion-completed]

{{Airports in the Baltimore-Washington area}}

Category:Airports in Maryland

Category:Transportation buildings and structures in Frederick County, Maryland

Category:Buildings and structures in Frederick, Maryland