Worcester-Metrowest-Boston Airport

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Worcester Regional Airport
IATA: ORH - ICAO: KORH
Summary
Airport type		Public
Operator		Massport
Serves		Worcester, Massachusetts
Elevation AMSL		1009 ft (307.5 m)
Coordinates		42°16′02.4220″N, 71°52′32.5540″W
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
Direction	ft	m	Surface
11/29	7,000	2,134	Asphalt/grooved
15/33	5,000	1,524	Asphalt/grooved

Worcester Regional Airport (IATA: ORH, ICAO: KORH)^[1]^[2] is the airport serving Worcester, Massachusetts. The main airport property lies within Worcester and Leicester, Massachusetts, with substantial supporting facilities in Paxton, Massachusetts. At the last airport commission meeting, a new name for the airport was suggested by the commission, and a formal request was sent to the City Manager, where he will then request it be changed and voted on. The commission has only sent a request/suggestion. The new name has yet to be approved by the city.

1 Current status
2 History
3 Massport and Worcester Regional Airport
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Current status

Allegiant Air began service to Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) on December 22, 2005, using Boeing MD-80 type aircraft. The airline expanded to 4 flights per week in March 2006. Allegiant announced on August 22, 2006, that they would cut ties with the airport, citing high fuel costs and passenger loads in the 75% range as the reason for departure. Currently the airport has no commercial service.

The airport also lacks a direct connection to an Interstate Highway. Travelers are forced to travel at least five miles on winding surface streets to reach the airport.

WBZ-TV operates a Doppler radar station at the airport. There is also one flight school, Amity Flight School, which operates on the field. They provide flight training from private pilot up through ATP.

[edit] History

Worcester Regional Airport

Worcester's entry into the world of aviation began in 1925, when city officials commissioned a study to examine feasible sites for the city's first airport. On the list of probable sites was the land owned by a wealthy local citizen, Whitin Whitall. In 1927, Whitall, independently of the city commission, set up an airport on his land in North Grafton, 500 feet (152.4 m) above sea level. This two-runway airport opened for leisure travel on October 12, 1927.^[3]

As air travel became more popular throughout the country and Central Massachusetts, the question of airport expansion became the subject of a second study commissioned by the Worcester city government. The Grafton airport was deemed too small to accommodate the air travel needs of the region. The location of the present airport, Tatnuck Hill, an area that straddles the borders of Worcester, Leicester, and Paxton, was high on the commission's list. One problem noted by the commission and several prominent citizens was the weather: at 1000 feet (300 m) above sea level, the Tatnuck site was often surrounded by fog. Despite this problem, the city eventually chose Tatnuck as the new site, and construction began in 1944. The airport was ceremoniously opened on May 4, 1946, and started regular passenger service one week later on May 10, 1946.

The Grafton airport remained in operation until 1951, when the owners, due to the dwindling traffic, decided to dismantle the airport. The land was redeveloped as a residential neighborhood.

[edit] Massport and Worcester Regional Airport

Currently, the airport is under an operating agreement with Massport, the Massachusetts Port Authority. Under the agreement, the city and Massport pay the operating deficit together. The airport is currently in the final year under the lease agreement. Some people have said that Massport is not helping, and the city needs either to buy the airport and control it exclusively or to have Massport buy the airport. If the airport were sold to Massport, Massport would be forced to help ORH attract more airlines and generally help the operations of the airport.

July 1, 2006 - June 30, 2007 — MassPort pays 68% of operating deficit not including debt service
July 1, 2005 - June 30, 2006 — MassPort pays 85% of operating deficit not including debt service
July 1, 2004 - June 30, 2005 — MassPort pays 100% of operating deficit not including debt service

[edit] References

^ Worcester Regional Airport. AirNav.com (2006). Retrieved on 2006-04-12.
^ Worcester Regional Airport. fltplan.com (2006). Retrieved on 2006-04-12.
^ Southwick, Albert B. (1994). Once-Told Tales of Worcester County. Databooks.