Knox County Regional Airport

Infobox Airport
name = Knox County Regional Airport
nativename =
nativename-a =
nativename-r =


image-width =
caption =
IATA = RKD
ICAO = KRKD
type = Public
owner =
operator = Knox County
city-served =
location = Rockland, Maine
elevation-f = 56
elevation-m = 17.1
coordinates = Coord|44|03|36|N|69|05|57|W|type:airport_region:US|display=inline,title
website =
metric-elev =
metric-rwy =
r1-number = 13/31
r1-length-f = 5,007
r1-length-m = 1,526
r1-surface = Asphalt
r2-number = 3/21
r2-length-f = 3,900
r2-length-m = 1,189
r2-surface = Asphalt
stat-year =
stat1-header =
stat1-data =
stat2-header =
stat2-data =
footnotes =

Knox County Regional Airport Airport codes|RKD|KRKD is a public airport located the town of Owls Head, three miles (5 km) south of the central business district (CBD) of the city of Rockland, in Knox County, Maine, USA. The airport covers convert|538|acre|ha|0|lk=on and has two runways.

Knox County Regional Airport serves the residents of midcoast Maine with commercial and charter aviation services. It is also a major hub of freight and mail service to Maine's island communities including Matinicus, North Haven and Vinalhaven.

During the summer months, the airport is one of Maine's busiest, with significant private jet operations bringing visitors to the numerous summer colonies in the Penobscot Bay region. The influx in traffic in recent years prompted the implementation of a voluntary night curfew on arrivals and departures between 10:30 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

Owls Head Transportation Museum is also situated at the airport on an older (abandoned) third runway. It has a museum of antique autos, aircraft, and engines. During the summer special event gatherings are held for enthusists.

MBNA, the American credit card corporation that has substantial business operations in the region, owns a large hangar on the airport property. After its purchase by Bank America, MBNA has scaled back its Knox County presence though.

History

The airport was built during World War II and was known as "Ash Point Naval Air Station." With the familiar triangle of runways (the third runway was discontinued in the 1970s) it was one of a string of military airports along the Maine coast.

After the war, it was operated by the City of Rockland until 1968. It was then turned over to Knox County and renamed "Knox County Regional Airport". Since that time, the airport has been developed, the runways expanded, and an Instrument Landing System (ILS) was installed.

Airlines and destinations

Scheduled airline service is subsidized by the Essential Air Service program.
* Cape Air (Boston) [begins November 1]
* US Airways
** US Airways Express operated by Colgan Air (Augusta (ME), Boston) [ends October 31]

Charter

* Penobscot Island Air (Charter and freight to Criehaven, Islesboro, Matinicus, North Haven, Swans Island and Vinalhaven.)

References

*FAA-airport|ID=RKD|use=PU|own=PU|site=08246.*A
* [http://knoxcounty.midcoast.com/departments/airports/index.html Knox County Regional Airport] (official web site)

External links