Temporary Saturday Runway Closures at Yeager Airport

Temporary Saturday Runway Closures at Yeager Airport

Yeager Airport is going to have nightly closures of its runway (RWY 5/23) starting on July 5th through November 22nd. The runway is also going to be closed on eight Saturdays. The runway closures are part of an $8.7 million runway rehabilitation project.

The rehabilitation project includes

  • Replacing the centerline light system with a new LED system
  • Light installation at Taxiway C
  • Milling and paving the 30-foot center (keel) of the runway
  • Improving the runway profile to remove dips that do not meet FAA standards

 

Yeager Airport runway closed during runway rehab phase 1.

Construction workers paving runway 5/23 during phase 1 of the runway rehab project.

 

This project is being 100-percent funded by the FAA and does not require a local match.

The Saturday runway closures are:

  • August 6-8
  • August 13-15
  • August 20-22
  • September 10-12
  • September 24-26
  • October 1-3
  • October 8-10
  • November 19-21

 

“I know these closures could impact some of our passengers travel plans,” said Yeager Airport Director and CEO Nick Keller. “But the work being done is necessary to make sure CRW is set up for success as the airport continues to grow.”

There are two contingent Saturdays, for runway closures at Yeager Airport, built into the schedule to accommodate for bad weather.

  • Contingent Saturday #1 October 15-17
  • Contingent Saturday #2 October 22-24

 

On the weekend of the Saturday closures, the runway will be shut down starting at 11PM on Friday and will reopen Sunday at 7am.

One of the Earliest Pilots in Aviation is From West Virginia

One of the Earliest Pilots in Aviation is From West Virginia

Early Pilots in Aviation

When you think back to the earliest pilots in aviation, your mind quickly goes to two names. Orville and Wilbur Wright. And rightfully (no pun intended) so. 117 years ago, the two brothers piloted the first airplane near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. And thus, North Carolina got the title of “First in Flight.”

West Virginia also has a seat at the table when it comes to the early pilots in aviation. The mountain state is home to a pioneer in aviation. Paul Peck was a world record holder, the first pilot to transport U.S. Mail, and one of the first U.S. Military aviation instructors. And he was also from West Virginia.

Who was Paul Peck?

Born in 1889 in Ansted, West Virginia, Peck grew up in Hinton. As a kid, Peck took an interest in cars and liked to work on their motors. His love of machinery, specifically engines, led him to the skies.

In 1911, just seven years after the Wright Brothers’ first flight, Peck took his first flight lesson at 22-years-old. He would go on to learn how to fly in just seven days and became the 57th pilot to be licensed by the International Aeronautics Federation. Peck is often thought of as the first pilot in West Virginia.

Two weeks after earning his pilot’s license, Peck set a world speed record in Washington, DC covering 24 miles in 25 minutes. Peck would go on to do many other firsts as a pilot.

  • The first pilot to carry U.S. Mail via airplane
  • The first pilot to fly over the U.S. Capitol (set the speed record)
  • Set an endurance record in Boston, flying for four hours, 23 minutes, and 15 seconds
  • One of three officers chosen by the War Department to learn to fly under Glenn H. Curtiss
  • An instructor at the nation’s first military aviation school

Peck was well known in his day for being able to fly extremely well in stormy weather, once setting a world record during a hailstorm. However, a storm ultimately led to his death.

Peck’s Final Flight

Peck’s final flight was in 1912, just one year after becoming a pilot. Peck was representing the United States in the International Gordon Bennett Trophy Race in Chicago. On a windy and stormy evening before the race, Peck took off on what would be his final flight. During his ascent, the motor on Peck’s plane came loose. His plane went into a steep and rapid descent and Peck was unable to pull up before the plane hit the ground. He was 23 years old when he died.

Why then, with all of these accomplishments, is Peck’s name not up there with the Wright Brothers, Lindbergh, and other early pilots in aviation? Good question. Peck died only one year after he started flying. You could argue that he did not fly long enough to achieve name recognition. However, you could also argue that given all of the accomplishments listed above were all done in less than a year, Peck’s name should be much more widely known. Especially in his home state of West Virginia.

And for what it is worth. In 1923, 12 years after Paul Peck passed away, a man by the name of Charles Yeager was born in Myra, West Virginia. So, I would say the mountain state definitely has a seat at the table when it comes to pioneering modern aviation.

To learn more about Yeager Airport contact us today! With service provided by American, Delta, Spirit, and United Airlines, you are just one stop from thousands of destinations worldwide.

Information for this article was gathered from the Charleston Gazette and West Virginia Tourism.

 

Yeager Airport Job Fair

Yeager Airport Job Fair

If you have ever wondered what it is like to work at an Airport, this is your opportunity! Join us for a Job Fair at CRW on Friday, June 18th in baggage claim! Several exciting jobs are available with different agencies: the Airport Authority, Capital Jet Center, Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Airport Food Vendors, Airlines, and more! Bring your resume and chat with one of our friendly employees from 8:00 AM – 6 PM. 

When: June 18, 2021

Where: Yeager Airport Baggage Claim

Who: Yeager Airport, Capital Jet Center, Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Airport Food Vendors, Airlines, and more!

Travel Numbers Bouncing Back from COVID

Travel Numbers Bouncing Back from COVID

What a difference one year makes. This time last year, most of us were still working from home, figuring out how to work TikTok, and canceling all of our vacation plans. Travel numbers at Yeager Airport were close to single digits, and no one was sure when or if this pandemic would come to an end.

How empty was CRW on Memorial Day Weekend 2020? Let’s look at the passenger numbers from 5-27 through 5-31 of last year.

  • 5/27 – 80 passengers
  • 5/28 – 90 passengers
  • 5/29 – 96 passengers
  • 5/30 – 95 passengers
  • 5/31 – 83 passengers
Travel Numbers

CRW’s 20 minute parking lot sits mostly empty in March of 2020. Only ticketed passengers were allowed in the terminal during the lockdown.

 

To give you a reference point, CRW averaged between 700 and 800 daily passenger’s pre-pandemic. One (long) year and a whole lot of vaccinations later, and the numbers for MDW 2021 were a sight for sore eyes.

  • 5/27 – 741 passengers
  • 5/28 – 824 passengers
  • 5/29 – 812 passengers
  • 5/30 – 851 passengers
  • 5/31 – 801 passengers

 

Travel Numbers are Coming Back

The passenger numbers from the holiday weekend align with what we have been seeing at CRW over the last few months. And we are expecting our passenger numbers to keep rising. Starting June 6th, American Airlines’ route from Charleston, WV to Philadelphia, PA, is returning. With that flight back in operation, all of the routes that were temporarily paused at CRW because of COVID-19 are back in operation.

 

 

Travel Numbers Bouncing Back at CRW

Low cost air carrier Spirit Airlines is helping travel numbers bounce back at Yeager Airport

Travel Numbers Bouncing Back Quicker Than Expected

There are many different answers to that question. At the beginning of the pandemic, experts predicted countries with large domestic markets would bounce back first, and the United States has one of the biggest domestic markets in the world.

Airports across the country, including CRW, have also spent tons of time and money ensuring passengers can travel safely. CRW installed UV-C filters, cleaned out every HVAC duct, had round-the-clock cleaning of high touch surfaces, just to name a few.

The heightened cleaning, along with masks and a quick vaccine rollout, has lead people back to the skies. And CRW is here for it!

Are COVID Measures Still in Place at CRW?

Although the federal mask mandate was eased, the mandate still states that face coverings must be worn in airports and airplanes. Our passengers at CRW have done an incredible job wearing masks throughout the pandemic, and for that, we thank you.

 

Travel Numbers

Spirit Gate Agent wearing her mask while checking travelers in.

Thank You

It has been a long road to get back to some normalcy. We are happy to see you and your families again at CRW. And if you are waiting for your flight and want to show us some of the TikTok dances you learned last year, we would love to see those too!