Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR/KGRR)

USA / Michigan / Kentwood / John J Oostema Blvd SE
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www.grr.org/
michigan.gov/aero/0,4533,7-145-61367-32243--,00.html
www.globalair.com/airport/airport.aspx?aptcode=GRR
www.airnav.com/airport/KGRR

Aviation first came to Kent County on September 10th of 1911, when a Wright Biplane landed at the Comstock Park State Fairgrounds.

The first regularly scheduled air service in the United States was between Grand Rapids and Detroit on a Ford-Stout monoplane named Miss Grand Rapids, which commenced July 26, 1926, from Grand Rapids' first airport which broke ground four miles (6 km) south of downtown in November 1919.

In 1948, the airport was expanded across 44th Street, and for a time, movable gates were used to keep traffic off of the runway while it was in use.

In 1959, construction began on a new facility in Cascade Township, several miles east of the original location. The new airport was opened on November 23, 1963, and officially dedicated on June 6, 1964.

The first scheduled Boeing 737-200 flight was flown for United Airlines on April 28, 1968 from Chicago O'Hare to Grand Rapids. The aircraft, registration number N9022U, was named The Jet Mainliner City of Grand Rapids.

On January 27, 1977, Kent County Airport was renamed Kent County International Airport with the opening of a U.S. Customs Bureau Office in the main terminal building.

In 1997, the new 8,500-foot (2,600 m) runway 17/35 was added to allow the airport to continue operations during the $32 million reconstruction of runway 8R/26L, completed in 2001. Also, the passenger terminal's renovation project was completed in 2000, at a cost of approximately $50 million.

In 2004, the airport served more than 2 million passengers for the first time in a single year.

Airlines:
Air Canada Express
AirTran Airways
Allegiant Air
American Eagle
AmericanConnection
Continental Connection
Continental Express
Delta Airlines
Delta Connection
Frontier Airlines
United Airlines
United Express
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_R._Ford_International_Airport
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   42°52'35"N   85°31'23"W

Comments

  • Airport security here is STRICT and PICKY
This article was last modified 4 years ago