🇺🇸 Smyrna Airport

Smyrna Airport (IATA: MQY, ICAO: KMQY, FAA LID: MQY) is a public general aviation and military use airport located in Smyrna, Rutherford County, Tennessee, two nautical miles north of the central business district). It is owned by the Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport Authority.

Type of facility and operations:

• Smyrna Airport is the third largest airport in Tennessee and the state's busiest general aviation airport).
• It is designated as a General Aviation/Reliever Airport and is certificated by the FAA as a Part 139 Class IV airport.
• For the 12-month period ending January 31, 2023, the airport had 123,375 aircraft operations, averaging 338 per day. These operations were predominantly general aviation (88%), with 10% air taxi, 2% military, and less than 1% scheduled commercial).
• The airport has an operational control tower from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends),.
• It operates as a joint-use facility with the Tennessee Army National Guard, which has a helicopter unit (Army Aviation Support Facility #1) operating 60 helicopters and employing 300 full-time personnel),. The Tennessee Army National Guard also leases part of the airport for the Grubbs/Kyle Training Center).
• The airport supports military flight training and serves as a hurricane evacuation point for military bases.

Notable features or history:

• Smyrna Airport covers 1,700 acres at an elevation of 543 feet above mean sea level).
• It has two asphalt paved runways: 14/32 is 8,038 by 150 feet, and 1/19 is 5,546 by 100 feet. There is also one concrete helipad (H1) measuring 40 by 40 feet).
• The airport was constructed in 1942 and was originally home to the Army Air Force Combat Crew School. It was reactivated in 1948 by the U.S. Air Force and became Sewart Air Force Base in 1950. In 1970, it was deactivated as a military installation and transferred to civilian operation.
• Prior to March 1971, the facility was an active military installation known as Sewart Air Force Base).
• The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority controlled it until May 15, 1991, when the property was transferred to the Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport Authority.
• The airport has been included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems as a reliever airport for Nashville International Airport).
• Over $95 million has been expended on infrastructure improvements since 1991 by the Airport, the Tennessee Department of Transportation Division of Aeronautics, and the Federal Aviation Administration.
• The airport has been the site of several accidents, including the crash of a U.S. Navy Blue Angels F/A-18 Hornet in 2016 during an air show practice, resulting in the death of the pilot). A memorial to the pilot, Capt. Jeff Kuss, has been erected near the airport).

Current status:

• As of January 31, 2023, there were 189 aircraft based at the airport, including 121 single-engine, 26 multi-engine, 40 jet, and 2 helicopter).
• The airport has a precision instrument landing system (ILS) approach to Runway 32).
• It continues to support training operations by C-17 Globemaster III aircraft of the Tennessee Air National Guard's 164th Airlift Wing).
• The airport is home to over 50 businesses and employs more than 1,000 people, including National Guard personnel.

*Sources researched: faa.gov, smyrnaairport.com, en.wikipedia.org*